796
FXUS63 KLBF 311803
AFDLBF

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service North Platte NE
103 PM CDT Tue Mar 31 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Red Flag Warning continues through 7 AM CDT Tuesday morning,
  with strong northerly winds.

- Much cooler temperatures Tuesday and Wednesday with light
  precipitation possible Tuesday night into Wednesday. Light
  snow possible across northern Nebraska.

- The best potential for precipitation will be Wednesday night.

- Low confidence in precipitation Thursday through Saturday.

- Elevated fire weather concerns Sunday and Monday.

&&

.SHORT TERM /THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
Issued at 157 AM CDT Tue Mar 31 2026

The main concerns in the short term will be fire weather
concerns through early this morning, chance of light
precipitation tonight into Wednesday and cooler temperatures
today and Wednesday.

Red Flag Warning will continue through 7am CDT this morning. The
main concern with the RFW through the early morning hours will
be the sharp shift in wind direction from the west to the north.
Winds will increase drastically behind the front. Blended
closer to the 90th percentile for winds as they seem to have the
best handle on gusts with this system, with wind gusts of 40 to
45 mph possible. Humidity will increase behind the front, thus
after this morning, fire weather concerns will be low over the
next few days.

Behind the front, cooler air will usher in and will see much
cooler temperatures for Tuesday, after Monday`s highs in the 80s
temperatures will be around 30 degrees cooler, however
temperatures will be closer to normal with highs mostly in the
50s.

As for precipitation chances, a weak shortwave trof moves in
Tuesday which will bring the chance for some light precipitation
chances. Forecaster confidence is low in any widespread
precipitation, Tuesday night into Wednesday, however some light
precipitation will be possible. There is also a chance for
light snow across northern Nebraska, where the coldest overnight
temperatures exist, again amounts will be on the low side and
moderate confidence that snow amounts will not exceed 2 inches,
most location will generally see less than an inch or all rain
the farther south you go, however locations near the NE/SD
border, generally across the northern Sandhills, will have the
greatest potential to see 1 to 2 inches. A stronger trof moves
in Wednesday into Thursday with a better chance for
precipitation, with a greater chance for precipitation type to
remain all rain, however can`t rule out a rain/snow mix across
the northern Sandhills into portions of north central Nebraska.
QPF values for the total of Tuesday through Thursday will be
mostly light for areas generally along and west of HWY 83 with
generally less than half an inch expected, total. Areas east of
HWY 83 could potentially see greater than half an inch, but at
this time confidence remains low to medium in rainfall amounts
exceeding much more than half an inch.

&&

.LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/...
Issued at 157 AM CDT Tue Mar 31 2026

A shortwave trough will move across eastern Wyoming, Colorado
and New Mexico on Wednesday. By Wednesday night, the shortwave
trough will move through western Nebraska and most of Kansas.
Surface low pressure will deepen across southern into southeast
Kansas Wednesday night. This will draw colder air southward
across western Nebraska. The main area of precipitation should
be just south and east of the colder air. Therefore, light snow
should be confined to north central Nebraska, where up to an
inch is possible, while further south all rain is expected.
POPs will be high, from 80 to 90 percent, except 60 to 70
percent northwest Sandhills. While only a tenth of an inch or
less precipitation for far western Sandhills, precipitation
amounts from two tenths to four tenths are expected most areas,
with higher amounts possible in southeastern areas.

A longwave upper trough and closed low will move across the
Pacific Northwest Wednesday night into Thursday. This upper
trough and closed low will approach the region Thursday night,
with the closed low moving across South Dakota Friday night, and
into Minnesota Saturday morning. This will push a cold front
through the region Friday night, with windy conditions possible
on Saturday. Chance POPS across the northeast Thursday morning.
Chance to likely POPS Thursday night through Friday night
across the north (in closer proximity to the closed low over
South Dakota), with only a slight chance to dry conditions I80
and south. Most locations during this timeframe are unlikely to
receive much in the way of precipitation, with most of the area
within a dry slot.

Highs Thursday forecast to contrast from mid 40s far northeast
to the upper 60s to low 70s far southwest, as much warmer air
across eastern Co and western KS lifts north into southwestern
areas of the forecast area. Friday and Saturday mid 40s to mid
50s, then upper 50s to 60s by Sunday and Monday as an upper
ridge builds into the region.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z WEDNESDAY/...
Issued at 100 PM CDT Tue Mar 31 2026

Broken mid-level ceilings and VFR conditions are expected to
prevail through Wednesday morning. Showers are expected to
become more numerous later tomorrow morning across portions of
the Sandhills and northern Nebraska. Winds from the northeast
this afternoon will gradually become southeast tonight and
increase 10-20 kts Wednesday morning.

&&

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

&&

$$

SHORT TERM...Gomez
LONG TERM...Roberg
AVIATION...Taylor

NWS LBF Office Area Forecast Discussion