181
FXUS63 KLBF 062006
AFDLBF

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service North Platte NE
306 PM CDT Sat Jun 6 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Near critical to critical fire weather conditions are
  expected across the eastern Panhandle and western Sandhills
  through this evening. Additional concerns are expected Sunday
  afternoon.

- Strong to severe thunderstorms are possible both Sunday
  evening and Monday evening across the region. A Marginal Risk
  (Level 1 of 5) has been issued for both days, with large hail
  and severe winds as the main concerns.

- Hot temperatures are expected Tuesday, with highs over 90
  expected, and highs over 100 possible. Temperatures may remain
  hot Wednesday, though confidence is lower.

- Along with hot temperatures next week, breezy conditions and
  low humidity may create additional fire weather concerns.

&&

.SHORT TERM /THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/...
Issued at 305 PM CDT Sat Jun 6 2026

An upper level trough is located across the Pacific Northwest,
bringing ridging over western and north central Nebraska. The upper
level trough is also strengthening a low pressure system across
southeastern Montana. This system is bringing widespread southerly
to southeasterly winds across the region, and with the deepening
low, causing some gusty conditions. The system is expected to
gradually track to the east-northeast over the next several days, as
the upper level trough lifts northeast. With this system`s slower
speed, expect stronger wind gusts to last through most of the night,
and into the day tomorrow.

Sunday, a surface trough to the lee of the Rockies will set up a
slight temperature gradient across the region. As this extends
slightly into the atmosphere, it will contribute to warmer 850 mb
temperatures across the west and slightly cooler 850 mb temperatures
to the east. All of this will allow s narrow corridor of warmer
temperatures to track across eastern Colorado into western Nebraska.
Most notably, this narrow corridor of higher temperatures will clip
portions of the eastern Panhandle into the western Sandhills. Lower
humidity is also expected to the west of the surface trough, which
may again set up near critical to critical fire weather concerns
across the western Sandhills and eastern Panhandle. While warmer
temperatures and lower humidity may contribute to these conditions,
the largest concern will be gusty southerly winds across western
Nebraska. Peak afternoon gusts up to 40 mph will be possible,
especially across the western Sandhills. Have decided to not issue
any fire weather headlines at this time, but will be keeping a close
eye on the rest of today`s conditions as well as the short term
forecast trends.

By Sunday evening, attention turns to a potential severe weather
threat across portions of northwest Nebraska. As the low over
southeast Montana tracks across North Dakota, the cold front is
expected to shift the surface trough east. While the bigger severe
threat will be in vicinity of the surface low across the eastern
Dakotas, there is still a severe threat across northwest Nebraska
into the Sandhills. To the east of the surface trough, higher
dewpoints, potentially into the mid 50s, are expected through the
afternoon and evening. With mostly clear skies throughout the day,
CAM guidance suggests the potential for 2,000-3,000 J/kg of surface
based CAPE across northwest Nebraska, though deep layer shear
appears more limited, generally less than 20 knots. While this may
limit a more widespread concern for organized convection, a few
strong updrafts are still possible, with stronger thunderstorms
capable of producing large hail and severe wind gusts. Forecast
soundings are currently suggesting an inverted-V pattern in the
lower layers, furthering the wind concern Sunday evening. Given the
set up, SPC has put portions of northwest Nebraska into a Marginal
Risk (Level 1 of 5) for Sunday. Though the higher risk appears to be
to the north, make sure to remain weather aware Sunday, especially
if you have outdoor plans!

&&

.LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
Issued at 305 PM CDT Sat Jun 6 2026

As the low continues tracking east, expecting the cold front
eventually tracks across western Nebraska on Monday. Temperature-
wise, this will provide little relief, as highs are still expected
to climb into the mid to upper 80s, with southwest portions of
Nebraska reaching again into the lower 90s. However, the cold front
brings better forcing across the region, increasing the chances for
showers and thunderstorms. Latest guidance again suggests potential
for greater than 2,500 J/kg of surface based CAPE, along with more
substantial deep layer shear, along the order of 40-50 knots. The
higher shear values support a more organized convection threat, and
likely brings the risk for large hail again across the region. As a
low level jet tracks into the region Monday night, also can`t rule
out the risk for some stronger winds with potential thunderstorms.
Given the current set up, SPC has issued a Marginal Risk (Level 1 of
5) for southwest and western Nebraska Monday. Based on current
guidance, Monday does look to be potentially active, especially late
afternoon into the evening. Will continue to track forecast trends,
especially as smaller scale features become resolved, to continue to
refine the severe weather forecast. However, Monday looks to be
another active weather day, so keep up to date on the latest
forecast and remain weather aware!

By Tuesday, upper level ridging remains established over western
Nebraska, and anomalous 850 mb temperatures are expected aloft. This
set up will bring a hot afternoon across the region, with highs in
the 90s expected across most of the region. In fact, guidance
continues to suggest the possibility of several locations across
western and north central Nebraska breaking into the lower 100s. NBM
guidance has been trending ever so slightly cooler, but remains well
into the upper 90s and lower 100s across the region. Probabilistic
guidance shows very high confidence (greater than 90 percent) of
highs in the 90s, with around a 40 to 50 percent chance of seeing
highs in the 100s. Either way, confidence is fairly high that
Tuesday will be hot.

By Wednesday, starting to see greater consensus in model guidance
that the upper level trough begins to track across the region.
Furthering confidence in this is the latest cluster analysis, with
most clusters bringing the trough across western Nebraska with
little deviation. This will favor cooler temperatures arriving
faster than previous forecasts. In fact, latest NBM guidance has
dropped significantly in the last few runs, dropping nearly 10
degrees for North Platte alone. Despite the recent agreement in
models, ensembles still highlight some outliers that keep higher
temperatures across the region. In fact, there is still a 50 percent
chance that highs exceed 90 degrees south of an Ogallala to
Springview line Wednesday, and still around a 40 percent chance of
highs exceeding 100 south of Interstate 80. All this to say, that
even though deterministic models and the NBM are trending cooler,
there is still some uncertainty on highs Wednesday afternoon across
the region.

While uncertainty remains on Wednesday, there is greater consensus
on temperatures cooling off by the end of the week. While highs by
the end of the week are still on the warmer side, around the 75th
percentile of local climatology, this is only a few degrees warmer
than normal for mid June. Typically, highs across western Nebraska
for mid June are in the lower 80s, and current forecast highs are in
the lower to middle 80s.

While the hear remains one of the top concerns next week, this may
also usher in a return of fire weather concerns across portions of
the region. With highs remaining above average Tuesday and
Wednesday, and slightly above average to end the week, afternoon
humidity values may remain low each day. The heat and lower humidity
are expected to be accompanied by fairly breezy conditions. Will
certainly continue to keep an eye on these forecast trends, but the
return of hit, dry, windy conditions may deplete some of the recent
moisture and bring a near daily return of fire weather concerns.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SUNDAY/...
Issued at 1230 PM CDT Sat Jun 6 2026

VFR conditions are expected to prevail today and tonight across
western and north central Nebraska. Gusty southeasterly to southerly
winds will persist throughout the afternoon and into the overnight
hours across the region. By the evening, expecting cloud cover to
increase across southwest and central Nebraska. Confidence in
ceilings remains on the lower side for KLBF, so for now, will keep
ceiling VFR, however, this may change in follow on forecasts.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...
Issued at 305 PM CDT Sat Jun 6 2026

Near critical to critical fire weather concerns continue this
evening across the eastern Panhandle and western Sandhills. Hot
temperatures, combined with low humidity and gusty southerly to
southeasterly winds are expected to remain through the evening.
Overnight, expecting winds to remain gusty, with gusts of 30 to 35
mph possible throughout the night. Humidity recovery appears more
limited across the Panhandle, where humidity is expected to recover
around 60 to 70 percent. Across the western Sandhills, better
humidity recovery is expected, with recovery around 80 percent.

Sunday, additional near critical to critical fire weather conditions
are possible, with greatest concerns remaining across the eastern
Panhandle and western Sandhills. During the afternoon, highs climb
into the 90s across western Nebraska, with afternoon humidity around
20 to 25 percent across the eastern Panhandle. While this is above
critical fire weather thresholds, again expect stronger southerly
winds gusting up to 40 mph. These stronger gusts, combined with
higher hear, and near critical humidity may create additional fire
weather concerns. Given the more marginal set up, have decided
against issuing a headline at this time. However, given how close
conditions are expected to get, fire weather headlines may be needed
later this evening. Will continue to keep a close eye on today`s
conditions and the near term forecast trends before making this
call, though.

&&

.LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Red Flag Warning until 9 PM MDT this evening for NEZ204.

&&

$$

SHORT TERM...Richie
LONG TERM...Richie
AVIATION...Richie
FIRE WEATHER...Richie

NWS LBF Office Area Forecast Discussion