670
FXUS63 KLBF 030836
AFDLBF

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service North Platte NE
336 AM CDT Sat Oct 3 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Moderate confidence in stronger wind gusts up to 40 mph this
  afternoon and early evening.

- Dry conditions remain likely Sunday night through Friday across
  all of western and north central Nebraska.

- Temperatures Monday through Friday will be above normal with
  daily highs mainly in the 70s to lower 80s.

&&

.SHORT TERM /THROUGH SUNDAY/...
Issued at 336 AM CDT Sat Oct 3 2026

High pressure will slowly slide off to the east today as a weak
upper level trough pushes through the High Plains. While this trough
will not bring any precipitation, it will bring some gusty winds
through this afternoon. Winds will shift from the south to the north
as the trough tracks through with gusts up to 35 to 40 mph behind
the trough. These stronger gusts will continue through early evening
before diminishing around sunset. High pressure will build back into
the region tonight lasting through Sunday keeping dry conditions in
place.

For temperatures, warm air advection ahead of the trough today will
keep highs on the milder side of guidance. Expect afternoon
temperatures to rise into the mid 70s to low 80s. A cooler airmass
will push in behind the departing trough on Saturday night. This
will result in some more seasonable temperatures for both Saturday
night and Sunday. Overnight lows will drop into the low to mid 40s
across the region with highs on Sunday rising only into the upper
60s to low 70s.

Regarding temperatures, there is some concerns that temperatures may
overachieve today as it is a similar setup to Friday, which
overachieved by a few degrees. Went ahead and bumped highs up today
a few degrees, but these still may be too low. And on the flip side
for Saturday night, as the colder air pushes in. There is some
guidance that suggests some lows dropping into the upper 30s (even
into the mid 30s). Confidence remains too low at this time to drop
temperatures tonight any lower than what`s in the forecast, but it
is something to be aware of heading into the next forecast
cycle.

&&

.LONG TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY/...
Issued at 336 AM CDT Sat Oct 3 2026

For the better part of next week, ridging will persist across
the southwestern CONUS, while a persistent trough of low
pressure remains over eastern Canada into the eastern Great
Lakes and New England. Broad, dry northwesterly flow will
persist across the central plains through the end of next week.
Little to no precipitation is expected in the long term and the
latest NBM ensemble forecast has a near zero chance of
measurable precipitation Sunday night through Friday. As for
temperatures, a broad thermal ridge will persist over the
Intermountain West, central and southern plains next week. This
will lead to daily highs in the 70s and lower 80s, some 10 to 15
degrees above normal for this time of year. Tuesday appears to
be the warmest day of the week with readings approaching the
middle 80s over southwestern Nebraska. ATTM, spread in the NBM
high temperature ensembles remains quite low next week and feel
confident in the temperature forecast next week. Beyond Friday
into next weekend, ridging begins to break down, placing the
central plains in westerly and west-southwesterly flow aloft.
With an active northern stream, we may see an uptick in
precipitation chances next weekend. However, based on decent
differences between the deterministic EC and GFS solns next
weekend, forecast confidence with respect to precipitation
chances remains low ATTM.

&&

.AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z SUNDAY/...
Issued at 1200 AM CDT Sat Oct 3 2026

Skies will be mostly clear over the next 24 hours across western
and north central Nebraska. A few high clouds around 25000 FT
AGL are possible. Winds will shift around to the west, then
northwest, then north today. Some northerly wind gusts up to 25
KTS are possible this afternoon with winds diminishing to around
10 KTS this evening.

&&

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

&&

$$

SHORT TERM...Kulik
LONG TERM...Buttler
AVIATION...Buttler

NWS LBF Office Area Forecast Discussion