954 FXUS63 KLBF 290811 AFDLBFArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service North Platte NE 311 AM CDT Mon Sep 29 2025
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Temperatures remain above average this week, with highs in the 80s expected each day.
- Breezy conditions continue through Tuesday, with strong southerly winds gusting up to 30 mph. Gusty winds are possible again on Wednesday.
- Little to no precipitation is expected this week, as the low layers of the atmosphere remain dry. Chances for precipitation increase this weekend.
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.SHORT TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/... Issued at 309 AM CDT Mon Sep 29 2025
The northern jet stream remains in a ridge pattern across the western United States, with the southern jet bringing a trough across Colorado and New Mexico. This bring strong southerly flow aloft, as well as a moisture transport above the 700 mb layer. At the surface, a low pressure system and frontal boundaries are stalled out across northern South Dakota. A secondary low is located over the Nebraska Panhandle, with a surface trough connecting the two systems.
Forecast soundings across western and north central Nebraska this afternoon again show potential for strong mixing in the boundary layer, allowing for more strong, southerly wind gusts throughout the afternoon, with peak gusts up to 30 mph. The southerly advection will also contribute to warmer temperatures this afternoon, with highs in the mid 80s across most of the region. As previously mentioned, the southerly flow aloft brings a moisture transport above the 700 mb layer, which will help keep skies partly cloudy this afternoon. Further to the west, isolated showers are expected across eastern Colorado and Wyoming. However, given the very dry low layers, if any showers were to track into the Panhandle, any precipitation is likely to evaporate prior to reaching the surface. With that in mind, have kept the low chance for precipitation in the forecast (less than 14 percent chance) across portions of southwest Nebraska and the southern Panhandle this evening.
The surface trough is expected to remain along the Wyoming-Nebraska border through Tuesday. This will set up a nearly identical forecast on Tuesday, with highs climbing again into the 80s and gusty southerly winds. Again, a very dry low layer is expected across the region, which will continue to inhibit any precipitation chances Tuesday afternoon and evening.
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.LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... Issued at 309 AM CDT Mon Sep 29 2025
An upper level trough tracks across the West Coast on Wednesday, which will help flatten the ridge across the western United States. However, the upper level flow is expected to remain north of the region, keeping highs in the 80s through the end of the week. Precipitation chances also remain limited through the end of the week. Southerly winds continue through the week, however, winds are expected to become less gusty, with peak gusts up to 25 mph mostly across portions of north central Nebraska.
By the weekend, a deeper upper level trough is expected to track into the region. This trough is expected to generate a few surface systems, increasing precipitation chances this weekend. Ensembles continue to highlight the weekend with better chances for measureable rain across the region, bringing a 40 to 70 percent chance across portions of the region. The latest NBM reflects this as well, trending precipitation chances back above 30 percent this weekend. Along with precipitation, the trough will usher in a return of more seasonal temperatures, with highs trending to the upper 60s and lower 70s.
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.AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z TUESDAY/... Issued at 1215 AM CDT Mon Sep 29 2025
VFR conditions are expected to prevail through Monday night across western and north central Nebraska. Southerly LLWS persists through sunrise Monday morning for much of the area.
Increasing high clouds are then expected through the day, though should be of limited impact. Winds strengthen from the south Monday afternoon, with gusts of 20 to 30kts expected for all area terminals.
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.LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None.
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SHORT TERM...Richie LONG TERM...Richie AVIATION...Brown
NWS LBF Office Area Forecast Discussion