000
FXUS63 KLBF 200818
AFDLBF

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service North Platte NE
318 AM CDT Sat Apr 20 2024

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Light snow with minimal accumulations is possible across the
southeastern panhandle and portions of far southwestern Nebraska
this morning.

- A warmup in temperatures will begin Sunday with a return to
60s/lower 70s during the work week next week.

- Best precipitation chances are Monday night into Tuesday morning
and Thursday night into Friday night.

&&

.SYNOPSIS...
Issued at 318 AM CDT Sat Apr 20 2024

H5 analysis tonight has a closed low over northeastern Ontario.
A trough extended to the southwest of the low into northern
Minnesota, then west into northwestern Montana. South of this
trough, another shortwave trough was located over southern
California. Downstream of this feature, weak embedded
disturbances extended to the northeast, to the Four Corners and
southern Rockies. Another shortwave was located over the Big
Bend of Texas. Further west, ridging was present from off the
coast of Oregon, north into western British Columbia. Overnight
an area of mid level frontogenesis which extended from Colorado
into northwestern Kansas and southwestern Nebraska, has led to
the development of light snow. This area of snow was present
from northeastern Colorado into far northwestern Kansas. The
northern flank of this area of snow is having a hard time
pushing north into southwestern Nebraska overnight. This is a
result of dry boundary layer air which was present along and
north of Interstate 80. At the surface, high pressure was
present over northern Montana and southern portions of Alberta
and Saskatchewan. This feature extended southeast into the
Northern Plains tonight. Winds were generally northerly along
and north of Interstate 80 overnight while winds were calm or
had a southerly component south of this route. Skies were
generally cloudy along the I-80 corridor southward, while skies
were clear to partly cloudy north of this route. Temperatures as
of 3 AM CT, ranged from 19 degrees at Gordon to 38 degrees at
Imperial.

&&

.SHORT TERM /THROUGH SUNDAY/...
Issued at 318 AM CDT Sat Apr 20 2024

A band of mid level frontogenesis will persist from
northeastern Colorado into far SW Nebraska and NW Kansas this
morning. This area will slowly shift to the south later this
afternoon into the evening hours, as an elongated trough of low
pressure, dives south from Montana into far northern Nebraska.
The northern edge of the band of precipitation will be well
defined today as dry air is forced through the Sandhills to the
I80 corridor. QPF`s will be very light and confined to far SW
Nebraska today. This will limit any snow accumulations to a
dusting to an inch, mainly on grassy surfaces this morning. By
afternoon, even with overcast skies and temperatures in the
middle to upper 30s, the high April sun angle will limit any
accumulations to grassy surfaces. As for highs this afternoon,
readings will range from around 40 in far SW Nebraska to around
50 over the eastern Sandhills and north central Nebraska. The H5
trough will pass through the forecast area tonight with
clearing skies transitioning from north to south across the
area. Lows tonight will be chilly with readings in the lower 20s
in the north, to around 30 in the south. Low amplitude ridging
will build into the forecast area on Sunday with southwesterly
winds developing by afternoon. H85 temps will approach 11C in
the SW with temps around 6C in the northeast. With good mixing
noted to H85 Sunday afternoon, highs should reach into the lower
60s across the area.

&&

.LONG TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY/...
Issued at 318 AM CDT Sat Apr 20 2024

Highs Monday will be slightly warmer with readings in the
middle 60s to lower 70s. This will be in advance of a Pacific
cold front which will track through the forecast area Monday
night. Weak forcing behind the front may lead to some light rain
showers Monday night. A warmer and more active pattern will
develop later in the week. A trough of low pressure will deepen
over the western CONUS toward the middle of next week. The
latest EC soln tonight, develops a lee side trough of low
pressure Thursday with a lead shortwave crossing the forecast
area Thursday into Thursday night. A second round of
precipitation, in association with a stronger trough, will
impact the area Friday night into Saturday. If good low level
moisture materializes, we could see a decent threat for
thunderstorms Friday night, with more widespread precipitation
Saturday.

&&

.AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z SUNDAY/...
Issued at 1228 AM CDT Sat Apr 20 2024

VFR conditions will prevail across much of western and north
central Nebraska through the period. The exception will be
across south central and southwest Nebraska, where MVFR CIGs
and light precipitation will be possible tonight into Saturday
morning. Otherwise, winds will be light at generally less than
15 kts.

&&

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

&&

$$

SYNOPSIS...Buttler
SHORT TERM...Buttler
LONG TERM...Buttler
AVIATION...Viken

NWS LBF Office Area Forecast Discussion