Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Hastings, NE
Issued by NWS Hastings, NE
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101 FXUS63 KGID 161139 AFDGID Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Hastings NE 639 AM CDT Sun Aug 16 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - Rain and storms will move into the area overnight. Some of the storms could be strong to severe. - Wind gusts up to around 60 MPH, hail up to around quarter size, and localized flooding will be possible with the strongest storms overnight. - Mostly dry conditions are expected this afternoon into tonight. - High temperatures today will generally range from the upper 70s to low/mid 80s. - Severe storms may impact the area Monday afternoon and Monday night and again Tuesday afternoon and Tuesday night. && .UPDATE... Issued at 111 AM CDT Sun Aug 16 2026 Currently watching rain and thunderstorms in western Nebraska and western Kansas as well as central Kansas. This activity is mostly moving westward and northward. These storms are beginning to move into portions of north central Kansas. These storms are expected to continue to move into our north central Kansas counties and into portions of south central Nebraska overnight. There is a threat for some of these storms to become strong to marginally severe with wind gusts up to around 60 MPH, hail up to around quarter size, and localized flash flooding. Those areas that have received quite a bit of rainfall within the past 48 hours will be most at risk for flash flooding. Overnight low temperatures will mainly be in the 60s. There is a low chance (around 20%) of fog development overnight but it is not expected to be dense if it does develop and will likely be hindered by the rain and storms. Showers and storms will be lingering across portions (mainly southern) of the forecast area after sunrise and through much of the morning. These storms are not expected to be severe. The showers and storms are expected to be mostly out of the area by this afternoon. Tonight is expected to be mostly dry except for a few showers that may develop. High temperatures today will generally range from the upper 70s to low/mid 80s behind a cold front. Some isolated rain showers and storms may develop tonight (mainly across northern portions of the forecast area) but chances are low (15% to 20%). There is a marginal to slight risk of severe storms late Monday afternoon into Monday night ahead of a cold front. Large hail, damaging winds, and heavy rainfall will be the main threats. There is again potential for severe storms Tuesday afternoon into Tuesday night. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 415 PM CDT Sat Aug 15 2026 A weak upper disturbance (MCV) left over from last night`s convection continues to gradually shear out/weaken as it slides NE into the Siouxland region. There has been just enough lift on the tail end of this wave to spark some isolated to widely scattered showers over N zones. Another area of isolated development has been along/E of a weak convergent zone (subtle mixing boundary?) mainly E of Hwy 281 where atmosphere is quite juicy with temps in upper 80s and dew points in mid 70s. Hard to see either area really taking off next few hours in terms of coverage or intensity given what should be gradually increasing subsidence as what`s left of the aforementioned upper wave moves even further away. Upper pattern remains generally unchanged from 24-48 hours ago...so expect at least scattered convection to develop all along the Front Range this afternoon, then move E onto the Plains this evening and overnight. Recent CAMs (including 12Z HREF and 18Z HRRR) have been placing the highest chances and strongest activity across KS - closer to the main baroclinic zone evident in sfc obs - running SW to NE across the state. This boundary, along with overnight LLJ, should help focus one or two MCSs overnight and into early Sunday morning. Similar to past few nights, appears the most robust activity will tend to favor areas W and SW of the local area, but still...lingering MUCAPE and system organization (additional MCVs?) should carry at least a low-end damaging wind threat into mainly our KS zones after midnight tonight. Believe we`re seeing the beginning of such MCS development over SE Colorado now. Besides perhaps some lingering showers in SE zones early in the morning, the brunt of the daytime hours Sunday appear dry and pleasant...besides the usual/seasonable humidity. Should see decreasing clouds through the day and highs top out in a very comfortable range in the upper 70s to mid 80s. Very nice way to end the weekend! Upper pattern looks to make a slight transition from mainly SW/zonal as it is weekend to mainly zonal/NW for at least the first half of next week. This will be in response to a deepening upper low around the Hudson Bay in Canada and moderate ridging again asserting itself over the Desert SW. This will favor frequent chances for storms as the Canadian low forces a cold front into the region late Mon/Tue that then stalls out somewhere over the Central Plains through midweek. Frequent weak waves interacting with this front...along with the upslope flow along the Front Range behind the front...should provide the necessary lift for at least scattered storms each afternoon that then roll E during the evening and overnight - perhaps aided at times by a nocturnal low level jet. This is the BROAD idea of what the pattern should look like, but of course, the "devil is in the details". Monday daytime hours should be mainly dry for most, if not all, locations as the primary area for development looks to be over north central Nebraska. Some of this activity could slide SE into the local area during the late evening and overnight and pose a Marginal Risk (level 1 of 5) for strong to severe wind gusts (50-60 MPH). Tuesday looks to be the warmest day of the week, but specifics will depend on timing and placement of the cold front. KS zones have the best chance to remain ahead of the front through peak heating, and the latest forecast there is for very warm highs in the upper 90s. Tuesday looks to feature the best chances for late afternoon and evening development overhead along the boundary, and the latest SPC Day 4 outlook implies Slight Risk level severe probabilities (level 2 of 5). This threat will obviously be refined in the coming days. Wednesday currently looks to be the coolest day of the week behind the front and perhaps in quite a bit of lingering cloud cover. Ensembles generally indicate declining rain chances late next week and gradually recovering temperatures - though confidence on specifics this far out is quite low. && .AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z MONDAY/... Issued at 634 AM CDT Sun Aug 16 2026 For KGRI/KEAR Airports: Showers are expected for at least the next couple of hours. Ceilings will gradually improve this morning and should be VFR by 18z. There is some fog potential tonight but there is not enough confidence to include at this time. North to northeast winds will become easterly by/around 00z then light and variable by 06z. && .GID WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NE...None. KS...None. && $$ UPDATE...Schuldt DISCUSSION...Thies AVIATION...Schuldt