865
FXUS63 KLBF 091742
AFDLBF

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service North Platte NE
1142 AM CST Fri Jan 9 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Some light snow will return on Saturday across areas mainly north
of Highway 2.

- Temperatures remain near normal today and Saturday before
gradually increasing through next week.

- Outside of some isolated showers Tuesday night, dry conditions
also return to the region through next Thursday.

&&

.SHORT TERM /THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/...
Issued at 403 AM CST Fri Jan 9 2026

Surface high pressure will build into the region today bringing a
return to dry conditions. Mostly cloudy skies will keep temperatures
near normal (upper 30s to low 40s) across the region. However, this
dry period will be brief as the next upper level low develops across
the northern Plains. This disturbance will bring some light snow to
portions of northern Nebraska, mainly north of Highway 2 on
Saturday. With temperatures on Saturday remaining near freezing,
precipitation will fall as all snow. Accumulations will be light
with only around a half inch expected across extreme northern
Nebraska with lesser amounts as one heads south. Although, the
latest probabilities do suggest near 45 to 50 percent chance of
seeing over a half inch across northern Nebraska. Therefore, could
not be surprised to see accumulations increase a bit over the next
forecast cycle. Despite the rather minimal accumulations expected,
northwest winds are expected to gust up to 25 to 30 mph which may
cause some blowing snow as well as visibility concerns. Those
traveling on Saturday should allow for extra time and be prepared
for rapidly changing conditions. Further to the south, precipitation
is not anticipated at this time and with some scattering out of
clouds during the day on Saturday, temperatures will actually rise
above normals into the mid to upper 40s.

&&

.LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...
Issued at 403 AM CST Fri Jan 9 2026

Strong upper level ridging across the western US will allow for
surface high pressure to build across the Great Plains starting on
Sunday. This will bring dry conditions through much of next week as
well as a gradual increase in temperatures. With 850 mb temperatures
generally in the 8 to 12 C range, surface highs will easily be able
to climb back above normals into the 50s by the beginning of next
week. Some locations across southwest Nebraska could even see some
highs in the low 60s early next week.

While the majority of the week is expected to remain dry, there is
some low end precipitation chances across northern Nebraska on
Tuesday night as a trough digs across the western Great Lakes. The
bulk of the precipitation will remain off to the east over Minnesota
and Iowa, but some weak forcing to the southwest could result in
some light precipitation. With the warmer temperatures expected
through next week, current expectation is that precip type will
remain all rain, with only a brief window where it could become a
mix late Tuesday night. At this time accumulations are uncertain,
but with the warmer temperatures and rain falling before changeover
to snow, not expecting accumulations to be significant.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY/...
Issued at 1134 AM CST Fri Jan 9 2026

Lower cigs across the northern Sandhills, including KVTN
terminal will create MVFR conditions, this will gradually move
out of the area over the next couple hours with a return to VFR
conditions by late afternoon through the forecast period. Winds
will be breezy out of the northwest today around 10 to 15 kts
sustained with gust up to 25 kts, greatest across the northern
Sandhills. Winds will become lighter this evening and overnight
around 5 to 10 kts out of the northwest. Winds will begin to
increase again by late morning out of the northwest around 15
kts sustained with gust of 25 kts.



&&

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

&&

$$

SHORT TERM...Kulik
LONG TERM...Kulik
AVIATION...Gomez

NWS LBF Office Area Forecast Discussion