442 FXUS63 KLBF 221758 AFDLBFArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service North Platte NE 1258 PM CDT Mon Sep 22 2025
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Rain chances increase, especially across central and western Nebraska late this afternoon through Tuesday evening.
- A few strong or perhaps severe thunderstorms will be possible late this afternoon and evening.
- Dry and mild/warm conditions are expected to develop Friday and then continue into the weekend.
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.SHORT TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/... Issued at 324 AM CDT Mon Sep 22 2025
The weather will become more active today through Tuesday. Moisture is in place with Satellite derived PWATS averaging around 1.2" this morning. This is quite moist...about 135% of normal. A potent shortwave will be moving southeastward across WY by late this afternoon with a surface low deepening near the NE/KS south of the Cambridge area. Meanwhile a cold front will be sagging southward across northern Nebraska. Will say this is a somewhat complicated set-up, but it does appear there will be the potential for a few strong to severe storms across the area late this afternoon and into this evening. As low-level convergence increases along the cold front late this afternoon, this should become the focus for convective development. Overall shear appears to be marginal (better across south central into southeast Nebraska) but enough is there to help with storm organization. A few instances of strong winds and perhaps hail could occur with the strongest cells. The other concern will be locally heavy rainfall with the high moisture content. In fact that will likely become more of the concern as we head into the overnight hours tonight.
As mentioned above, it is a bit complicated. The potent disturbance across WY will move into CO this evening and then translate eastward toward northwest KS and southwest NE by Tuesday morning. All models indicate it will close off into a rather compact mid-level circulation by Tuesday morning. It is unclear exactly how this will evolve due to the expected downstream convection. Where this circulation evolves will be crucial, as moisture/potential locally heavy rainfall wraps back around onto the west side of the upper low center. This perhaps won`t be know until this evening, with radar trends being closely monitored as convection slows and tries to wrap back to the west. Where this occurs (most likely across southwest Nebraska into northwest Kansas) 2"+ rainfall amounts will be possible.
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.LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... Issued at 324 AM CDT Mon Sep 22 2025
The system will depart east of the area by Wednesday and should be centered across the southern Great Lakes region by Thursday morning. Dry northerly flow aloft will be in place across our area behind the system. As we head into Friday and the weekend, ridging aloft will begin to build across the area Friday and expand across the central and southern plains this weekend. Looks to be a set-up for some nice Fall weather. Highs will be in the mid 70s Wednesday and then generally in the upper 70s to lower 80s Thursday into the weekend. It looks to be a mainly dry period with the ridging aloft taking hold.
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.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY/... Issued at 1230 PM CDT Mon Sep 22 2025
VFR conditions are expected the remainder of the afternoon. Then there will be a chance of showers and thunderstorms in the evening and overnight with MVFR or lower conditions possible at times. Cigs will also lower towards morning across southwest Nebraska including KLBF terminal with MVFR conditions. Winds will be out of the west northwest around 5 to 10 kts this afternoon and evening switching to the north overnight. Winds will increase across northern Nebraska out of the north around 10 kts with gust up to 20 kts.
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.LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None.
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SHORT TERM...Taylor LONG TERM...Taylor AVIATION...Gomez
NWS LBF Office Area Forecast Discussion