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000
FXUS63 KGID 191928
AFDGID

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Hastings NE
228 PM CDT Tue Sep 19 2017

.SHORT TERM...(Today and tonight)
Issued at 321 AM CDT Tue Sep 19 2017

The main issue in the short term is the passage of a cold front
tonight across the area.

Prior to the front, the Red Flag Warning will continue through
8 pm for the far southwest forecast area. While nearby counties
could also touch extremely low RH values, likely won`t be for
long enough period to be included with the current warning area.

The models have been supportive/similar/solid in frontal timing,
roughly through the Tri-Cities around 05-06Z and through the
forecast area by morning. The main sensible weather change will be
much drier air for Wednesday/Wednesday night. Frankly, Wednesday is
a heck of a nice day with sunshine, low dewpoints, mild but warm
temperatures and north winds becoming light as they shift to the
south in the afternoon.

.LONG TERM...(Wednesday night through Tuesday)
Issued at 225 PM CDT Tue Sep 19 2017

The long term is highlighted by a very warm start as the week
ends, followed by what appears to be widespread rain event the
latter half of the weekend and early next week.

As for the warm weather, that will be thanks to strong southerly
flow ahead of western U.S. trough. Low level moisture surges north
during the day Thursday a somewhat humid feel, though not quite a
humid as today. Moisture continues to increase through Saturday.
Warm temperatures highlight the pre-rainfall period with highs in
the 80s and lower 90s Thursday/Friday before showing signs of
cooling Saturday, especially in the northwest forecast area. May be
warm enough Friday for a calendar day "record high minimum
temperature". Current record warm minimum temperatures for Grand
Island and Hastings are 67 and 65 degrees, and we may not drop below
70 for the day Friday.

While we do have shower/storm chances in the forecast as early
as Friday afternoon in the northwest, the honest truth is this
rain event will likely be delayed/later than advertised for most
areas due to the blocky/stagnate high pressure to our east. However
the current forecast does reflect the greatest rainfall potential
from Saturday night through Monday, and that does look reasonable.
GFS/EC remain focused on a feed of moisture from the southwest ahead
of the Great Plains trough. GEFS depicts 2X above normal
precipitable water flowing up into the are by Sunday. That moisture
rides along the slowing frontal boundary and several rounds of
showers and some thunderstorms roll southwest to northeast across
the area. Through Sunday, the heavier amounts look to be west of
U.S. Highway 281 after which the eastern areas start seeing
increased rain chances Sunday night and moisture. It is certainly
possible some 3+ inch type rain amounts will fall, maybe not
everywhere, but its certainly on the table. It appears even if
everyone doesn`t see heavy rain almost everyone will see some rain.
Mid level lapse by Sunday are pretty marginal for thunderstorms,
though there is some CAPE to work with. This looks more like a rain
and isolated thunderstorm event and have focused more on the rain
showers Monday and Tuesday. As one would expect, temperatures will
cool was the rain and front move into the area with highs in the 60s
and lower 70s by Monday.

&&

.AVIATION...(For the 18Z KGRI/KEAR TAFS through 18Z Wednesday)
Issued at 1217 PM CDT Tue Sep 19 2017

VFR conditions are forecast for both KGRI and KEAR this period,
although there is some weather to talk about. The main weather
is the passage of a cold front about 05-06z tonight. Model timing
has been solid in that time frame and along with this a
shifting and briefly gusty north wind behind the front. Prior to
the front, strong southerly flow will continue this afternoon
but as winds drop off for a time this evening as the front
approaches, we have a strong H850 jet from about 02Z to 05Z. This
will result in 2 to 3 hours of non-convective low level wind shear
just prior to the frontal passage.


&&

.GID WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NE...Red Flag Warning until 8 PM CDT this evening for NEZ082.

KS...Red Flag Warning until 8 PM CDT this evening for KSZ005-017.

&&

$$

SHORT TERM...NOAA/NWS/Moritz
LONG TERM...NOAA/NWS/Moritz
AVIATION...NOAA/NWS/Moritz