Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS North Platte, NE
Issued by NWS North Platte, NE
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844 FXUS63 KLBF 262324 AFDLBF Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service North Platte NE 624 PM CDT Thu Sep 26 2024 .KEY MESSAGES... - Fire weather concerns will be the main forecast challenge the next several days. Sunday into Monday look to be the most concerning with a strong frontal passage expected. - Above normal temperatures will prevail through the weekend. Then a shot of cooler air behind a cold front on Tuesday. - Mainly dry weather will continue for the foreseeable future. && .SHORT TERM /THROUGH FRIDAY/... Issued at 147 PM CDT Thu Sep 26 2024 Upper level ridging will remain in place from the desert southwest northeastward though the central great plains through the weekend. Continued dry and above normal temperatures are expected beneath the ridging. The ridging dampens a bit Friday as a weak shortwave tracks across the Dakotas. A weak area of low pressure across South Dakota will develop across South Dakota today ahead of a the wave. As the low tracks eastward late tonight and Friday, a cold front will track southeastward across the area switching winds to the north- northeast. Temperatures behind the front will only be slightly cooler Friday as CAA behind the front is very weak. Humidity will be a touch higher than today behind the front as well. It appears that elevated fire weather concerns will continue Friday, but with the slightly higher humidity and timing of the stronger wind gusts during the morning hours, near-critical/critical fire weather conditions are not expected. As mentioned, the stronger winds are expected to be during the morning hours. Appears gusts should average in the 20- 25 mph range, with 90th percentile gusts generally remaining below 30 mph. A sample of area Bufkit soundings also support gusts generally in the 20-25 mph range. By afternoon, surface high pressure begins to nose in from the northwest and winds should be on the decrease. Surface high pressure ridge axis shifts eastward across the area during the day Saturday. A return southerly low-level flow develops, especially by afternoon west of Hwy 83. With afternoon high temperatures approaching 90F along and west of Hwy 83 humidity will once again be very low. For now, winds look to remain in check and prevent and near-critical/critical fire weather conditions. This will have to be monitored though. If the ridge axis moves off the to the east more quickly than forecast winds could be stronger. Sunday looks to be more of a concern in regards to fire weather. A strong shortwave will be moving into the northern Rockies. A leeward trough will deepen across eastern Wyoming into Colorado with a tightening surface pressure gradient developing across Nebraska. Southerly low-level flow will increase with decent a decent probability of wind gusts exceeding 25 mph, especially west of Hwy 83. Ensembles are in good agreement that afternoon humidity will drop to near 15% so Red Flag conditions are certainly a possibility. A strong frontal passage is also expected early Monday shifting winds to the northwest. Gusts over 35 mph look common Monday behind the front. This may be a case where a Red Flag is issued Sunday and carried into Monday due to the strong frontal passage and continued low humidity. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... Issued at 147 PM CDT Thu Sep 26 2024 Ridging aloft flattens somewhat Tuesday with the flow becoming more zonal to southwest by midweek. This occurs as ensembles show broad troughing across the western CONUS. Conditions still look to remain dry though Wednesday and fire weather concerns will continue. Wednesday could be another enhanced day as stronger south winds develop ahead of the troughing expected to develop across the western CONUS. A brief cool down is expected Tuesday behind Monday`s strong cold frontal passage. A quick return to warmer temperatures is expected Wednesday as low-level WAA increases on southerly low-level flow. && .AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z SATURDAY/... Issued at 621 PM CDT Thu Sep 26 2024 VFR conditions prevail across western and north central Nebraska through the period. Gusty southerly winds continue across north central Nebraska, including the VTN terminal, where gusts up to 30 kts are expected. These gusty winds will subside later this evening ahead of a frontal boundary expected to advance northwest to southeast across the area. A wind shift towards the north and northeast is expected behind the frontal passage. && .LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && $$ SHORT TERM...Taylor LONG TERM...Taylor AVIATION...Viken