


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS North Platte, NE
Issued by NWS North Platte, NE
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702 FXUS63 KLBF 090544 AFDLBF Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service North Platte NE 1244 AM CDT Wed Jul 9 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... - Isolated thunderstorms remain possible this evening across western Nebraska. A few storms could be strong to severe, with large hail and damaging winds as the primary hazards. - A threat for strong to severe thunderstorms persist into Wednesday and Thursday across much of western and north central Nebraska. At this time, the primary threats will be large hail and damaging winds. - A cold front ushers in well below average temperatures for Friday and Saturday (highs in upper 70s to low 80s). Temperatures then warm back to near average by Sunday (highs in upper 80s/low 90s) and early next week. && .SHORT TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY/... Issued at 345 PM CDT Tue Jul 8 2025 Currently, convection has begun to fire across far southeastern Wyoming, within an upslope regime along/ahead a surface trough. Additional thunderstorms have initiated along the Black Hills in southwestern SD. The primary concern for the short term will revolve around the threat for strong to severe thunderstorms this evening and tonight. The exact evolution of convection remains low confidence, with a wide variance in recent high-resolution guidance solutions. This is most likely tied to how long updrafts can sustain this evening, with very dry LFC-LCL relative humidity (30-40%) and limited shear (20-30kts) to suggest issues with dry air entrainment. This points to updrafts struggling as they move east into western Nebraska, though the mid-levels do look to slightly moisten with time. Cannot totally rule out a stronger storm or two this evening, with damaging winds and hail as the primary threats. Another low confidence scenario exists in guidance with upscale growth and renewed convective initiation overnight. This would be in association with a subtly increasing southerly low level jet. Should this occur, thunderstorms could linger through much of the overnight hours, before beginning to exit into eastern Nebraska towards sunrise. Yet another threat for severe thunderstorms exist tomorrow afternoon and evening, with a similar evolution possible. Convection off the high terrain could grow upscale with time into western and north central Nebraska, posing a risk for damaging winds and hail. Unlike today, upper level winds will be slightly stronger, and lead to better deep layer shear. This could promote better updraft organization and longevity tomorrow afternoon and evening. Temperatures climb into the lower to middle 90s across portions of western Nebraska tomorrow, and will lead to deep inverted-v thermodynamic profiles and a threat for damaging winds in any sustained thunderstorms. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... Issued at 345 PM CDT Tue Jul 8 2025 A cold front is then expected to slowly push across the area Thursday afternoon, providing a focus for scattered to widespread thunderstorm development, especially along and east of HWY 61. A shortwave trough will cross the Rockies late Thursday afternoon, increasing mid-level flow. This should lead to the stronger deep layer shear than in previous days, and lead to a greater threat for strong to severe storms. Hodographs point towards at least some threat for a mix of multicells and supercells, which could grow upscale with time. Large hail and damaging winds will again be the primary threat, though will have to at least monitor a threat for a tornado or two. Any tornado threat will be tied to any sustained supercells, especially towards late evening as east-southeasterly low level flow begins to strengthen. The cold front clears the area by Friday morning, and ushers in below average temperatures (highs in the upper 70s to low 80s) for Friday and Saturday. This cooldown looks to be short lived however, as southerly flow returns by Sunday and brings a return of highs in the upper 80s to 90s. Zonal flow returns aloft into midweek, with guidance hinting at a few shortwaves traversing the northern Plains. This would suggest a return of more active weather, and at least some threat for thunderstorms across western and north central Nebraska. && .AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z THURSDAY/... Issued at 1244 AM CDT Wed Jul 9 2025 Isolated showers and thunderstorms are expected to develop early this morning across portions of north central Nebraska. At this time, any storms are expected to remain south of KVTN and northeast of KLBF with minimal impacts to both terminals. Otherwise, VFR conditions remain in effect through Wednesday afternoon. Some increasing clouds and lowering ceilings are anticipated by Wednesday afternoon, however, ceilings remain above 10 kft through the evening. && .LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && $$ SHORT TERM...Brown LONG TERM...Brown AVIATION...Kulik