Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Omaha/Valley, NE
Issued by NWS Omaha/Valley, NE
Versions:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
622 FXUS63 KOAX 192102 AFDOAX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE 302 PM CST Wed Nov 19 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... - Another round of fog/drizzle is expected overnight, with visibilities dropping to near one mile after 2 AM. - Another storm system will move into the region Friday, bringing a 20-60% chance for rain across southeast Nebraska and far southern Iowa. - Mild, dry weather returns over the weekend before a third system arrives on Monday. - Thanksgiving temperatures look slightly cooler than normal for this time of year (around 45 degrees for Omaha). && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 259 PM CST Wed Nov 19 2025 Today and Tomorrow: Water vapor imagery this afternoon shows a mid/upper low pushing further into the Colorado River Valley underneath amplified heights that transition into largely zonal flow over the eastern two- thirds of the CONUS. Zooming in locally, low stratus continues to erode from west to east, helping temperatures play catch-up to some extent as highs are forecast to reach the low-to-md 50s under the peeks of sun while the dreary eastern half of the forecast area stays in the 40s. Southerly winds with a few gusts of 20 mph in far northeast Nebraska will begin shifting overnight as a frontal passage begins pushing into the area. Overnight, visibility reductions are once again the main concern as the low-level profile moistens up behind the advancing cold front, while cooling ahead of the front along a local surface high pressure axis serves as a focal point for more shallow and patch fog formation. The better bet for widespread coverage between the two areas appears to be the lower visibility behind the front where enough lift will be present for drizzle, while the pre-frontal fog take on a more patchy look, relying on radiational cooling overnight. The drizzle will be more transient, and begin to move into northeast Nebraska between 12-2 AM before arriving to Omaha/Lincoln by 6-8 AM, with fog being on the table after 4 AM for areas ahead of the front. For the remainder of Thursday, low clouds and drizzle may be slow to erode, making high temperatures a game of how much sun will fill in behind the decreasing clouds. Highs as of now are forecast to hit the 50s, but still a tick below previous forecasts. Friday and Beyond: The aforementioned mid/upper low to the southwest is forecast to eject from the lee of the Rockies Friday, deepening a surface system and bringing meaningful rainfall to the Central Plains that only clips far southern Nebraska and Iowa -- leaving most of the forecast area dry. Expect plenty of cloud cover throughout the day, with temperatures taking a dip from Thursday`s highs down to around or just below 50 degrees. The maximum amount forecast rainfall-wise will occur near the Nebraska/Kansas border and will be close to half an inch, with no snowfall expected. Saturday and Sunday are poised to be dry, and warmer as mid/upper heights increase slightly ahead of another ejecting California low underneath subtle ridging. Highs are poised to reach into the upper 50s and low 60s, making for a great weekend to get together or do outside chores ahead of a busy holiday week. This ejecting system so far has a northern lean compared to Friday, with rain overspreading the forecast area Monday and lingering into Tuesday (no snow expected). Behind this system, extra help from a clipper system diving southeast from Canada should result in a big cool down in temperatures compared to where we`ve been lately. In addition, the bottom edge of the clipper system may try and bring a sprinkle or flurry to the area Wednesday or Thursday. Highs around Thanksgiving (outside of the oven) are looking cool and in the upper 30s to low 40s, but our normals for this time of year are close to 45 so nothing too abnormal for this time of year. && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY/... Issued at 1128 AM CST Wed Nov 19 2025 VFR conditions from this morning have given way this afternoon to increasingly widespread VFR conditions and leftover MVFR ceilings at KOMA/KLNK. Low clouds and restrictions will slowly erode from west to east this afternoon, leaving the area all VFR by 21z. Overnight, a wind shift will slowly move through the area, bringing areas of fog/drizzle behind it through the morning hours, lasting longer at KOMA/KLNK. The forecast right now represents more optimistic visibilities at 5SM, and if the signal for worse conditions holds, IFR to LIFR visibilities are on the table. && .OAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NE...None. IA...None. && $$ DISCUSSION...Petersen AVIATION...Petersen