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FXUS63 KLBF 232324
AFDLBF

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service North Platte NE
524 PM CST Tue Dec 23 2025

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Record breaking temperature Christmas Eve with highs reaching
  the 70s across much of the forecast area

- Fog potential Christmas Eve into early Christmas Day

- Above normal temperatures continue for Christmas Day into the
  weekend

- Dry conditions expected through early next week

&&

.SHORT TERM /THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/...
Issued at 339 PM CST Tue Dec 23 2025

The main concern in the short term will be the high temperatures
for Wednesday and the potential for fog late Wednesday. An
upper level ridge will be centered over the High Plains on
Wednesday with WAA helping to aid record temperatures. 850 temps
will be around 16 to 19 degrees celsius, which should mix
temperatures into the low to possibly mid 70s across the
Sandhills into southwest Nebraska, thus bumped temperatures
several degrees warmer blending with the 90percentile.
Forecasted highs will be in the 70s for most of the forecast
area, with the exception of far north central Nebraska, for more
information on the record temperatures see the climate section.


As far as the fog potential on Christmas Eve night into Christmas
Day, the area of greatest potential for patchy fog will generally be
across north central Nebraka, extending southward into portions of
Central Nebraska (Custer County), where probabilities greater than
30 percent exist. Bufkit soundings are in good agreement that the
potential for fog in areas west of there are very low. Although
confidence is low in widespread fog potential, if widespread fog
does occur it would likely be over far north central Nebraska where
light southeast winds are likely, generally Holt County area and
points eastward.

&&

.LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
Issued at 339 PM CST Tue Dec 23 2025

The upper level ridge will become more quasi-zonal by Christmas
day and although we will also see above normal temperatures for
Christmas it will still be cooler than Christmas Eve with highs
only in the 50s to 60s. Coldest temperatures will be across
north central Nebraska where a back door cold front will just
skirt the area with cooler temperatures. There is the potential
temperatures could be warmer than the current forecast of low
60s across southwest and western Nebraska with southwest flow
and a few models suggesting 850 temps around 16 to 18 degrees
celsius. However at this time confidence is low due to some
discrepancies in the models with mid level temperatures and
mixing potential so for now have kept temperatures in the lower
60s. The next system will be a cold front that moves through
late Saturday into Sunday bringing cooler temperatures on Sunday
with highs only in the 20s across north central Nebraska and
upper 20s to 30s across the Sandhills and western Nebraska.

&&

.AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z THURSDAY/...
Issued at 525 PM CST Tue Dec 23 2025

VFR conditions are expected to prevail through tomorrow evening
across western and north central Nebraska. The exception to this
is areas east of HWY 183, where patchy fog could lead to periods
of MVFR/IFR visibilities tomorrow morning. Any patchy fog erodes
by late morning, with VFR quickly returning.

Winds shift from south tonight to west-northwest tomorrow,
generally at 10 kts or less. Stronger westerly gusts are
possible across the western Sandhills tomorrow afternoon, with
gusts of 20 to 25kts.

&&

.CLIMATE...
Issued at 339 PM CST Tue Dec 23 2025

Climate: Record highs will be possible for Christmas Eve at our 4
climate sites, North Platte, Valentine, Broken Bow, and Imperial.
Previous records for the climate sites are as follows:

*North Platte is 62 degrees set in 1922 with a forecast high of 68
degrees.

*Valentine is 59 degrees set in 1936 with a forecast high of 66
degrees

*Broken Bow is 60 degrees set in 1964 and 1922 with a forecast high
of 66 degrees.

*Imperial is 67 degrees set in 1922 with a forecast high of 68
 degrees.

&&

.LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
None.

&&

$$

SHORT TERM...Gomez
LONG TERM...Gomez
AVIATION...Brown
CLIMATE...Gomez

NWS LBF Office Area Forecast Discussion