199
FXUS63 KLBF 081431
AFDLBF

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service North Platte NE
831 AM CST Thu Jan 8 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Rain changing to light snow is possible today, with light
  snow accumulations (Up to 1") possible across portions of
  southwest into central Nebraska.

- Additional round of light snow are possible on Friday and
  Saturday across western (Friday) and northern (Saturday)
  Nebraska, though little to no accumulations are expected.

- Dry and mild temperatures return early next week, with high
  temperatures expected to return back to well above average.

&&

.UPDATE...
Issued at 826 AM CST Thu Jan 8 2026

Recent trends from short term high resolution guidance paired
with surface observations suggest a decreased potential for
wintry impacts including accumulating snow across west central
Nebraska today.

Early morning observations show lingering dry air from the
overnight hours. As the deep low pressure system lifts north and
east into northeast Kansas, reinforcing dry air will settle down
from off the surface. This will hinder most if not all
precipitation from reaching the surface locally. Do anticipate
some light precipitation potential still (up to 40%) for areas
south and east of an Ogallala to O`Neill line, however, only
periodic rain/snow mix if not briefly all snow appears likely
and no accumulations are expected. Temperatures will reach the
upper 30s to lower 40s this afternoon which should limit if not
entirely prevent any slickness concerns.

&&

.SHORT TERM /THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/...
Issued at 332 AM CST Thu Jan 8 2026

Currently, moisture is streaming into the area aloft in advance of
an approaching upper shortwave. This upper shortwave is located over
southeastern New Mexico, with an associated deepening surface low
centered in southeastern Colorado. A cold front is pushing south
into the Sandhills early this morning, with increasing northwest
winds with its passage.

Today, the aforementioned upper shortwave will quickly eject
northeast out of New Mexico this morning, reaching northwest Kansas
by this afternoon. The associated surface low will move east across
southern Kansas today, and into northwestern Missouri by this
evening. As this surface low moves across Kansas, a deformation axis
will lift north into portions of south central Nebraska. Guidance
continues to suggest the bulk of this precipitation will remain off
to the east of the area, though portions of southwest and central
Nebraska east of HWY 83 will likely get a glancing blow of this
deformation band. Precipitation in these areas will likely
start as light rain this morning, transitioning to light snow by
this afternoon as colder air filters in from the northwest. The
system then begins to quickly exit off to the east by this
evening, with any precipitation ending from west to east. In
all, any rain and snow amounts will remain light, with total
liquid amounts of 

NWS LBF Office Area Forecast Discussion