Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS North Platte, NE
Issued by NWS North Platte, NE
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395 FXUS63 KLBF 180940 AFDLBF Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service North Platte NE 340 AM CST Tue Nov 18 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... - As Monday`s system exits the area, dry conditions and mild temperatures return for today and Wednesday. - Another storm system approaches the area Thursday into Friday. Accumulating rain is possible for areas south of I-80, though confidence in this remains low. - Dry conditions return for the weekend and early next week, with highs in the 50s to near 60 degrees. && .SHORT TERM /THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... Issued at 338 AM CST Tue Nov 18 2025 Currently, surface low pressure has begun to exit the area into eastern Nebraska, with precipitation having exited the area earlier this morning. Fog persists across much of the northern Sandhills and central Nebraska. Temperatures range from the middle 30s in northwest Nebraska to the upper 40s in southwest Nebraska. For today, expect quieter conditions in the wake of the exiting surface low. Weak cold advection persists into this afternoon, as northerly winds continue ahead of approaching surface high pressure. This, combined with continued cloudiness, will keep highs in the low to middle 40s along and east of Highway 183. Further west, breaks in the low cloud deck should allow highs to climb into the 50s. By tonight, surface high pressure settles into eastern Kansas, with light south winds developing across the area on the western periphery of this feature. The light winds, combined with skies beginning to clear, could lead to patchy fog south of I-80 early Wednesday morning as temperatures fall into the low 30s. Warm advection strengthens Wednesday, as surface low pressure deepens across eastern Wyoming.By Wednesday afternoon, this surface low will move east into south central South Dakota, dragging a surface trough to near Highway 83. Ahead of this trough, southwest winds allow temperatures to return to the upper 50s to near 60. Behind this trough, westerly downslope winds boost highs into the lower to middle 60s across much of the Sandhills. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... Issued at 338 AM CST Tue Nov 18 2025 Attention then turns to the next system expected to approach the area Thursday into Friday. Aloft, an upper low will begin to eject out of the Four Corners Thursday afternoon, reaching southwest Kansas by Friday morning. At the surface, low pressure is expected to drift across far southern Kansas through the day Friday. Unfortunately, guidance has continued to come into better agreement with respect to this late week precipitation. Both deterministic and ensemble means point towards significant rain along and south of I- 70 across Kansas, with accumulations quickly dropping with northward extent. This restricts amounts locally to <0.50" along the HWY 6 corridor and <0.25" from I-80 to HWY 6. Little to no accumulations would be expected north of I-80 should this track continue to be preferred. Guidance also suggests this precip will all fall as rain, negating any wintry impacts across the area. Drier conditions are then expected into the weekend, as northwest flow establishes aloft. Persistent warm advection boosts highs back into the upper 50s to low 60s and should lead to a pleasant weekend across the area. Confidence then wanes into early next week, largely driven by the evolution of a southern stream trough. This upper low could lead to additional precipitation across the area early to middle next week. With increasing holiday travel, this will need to be monitored closely. && .AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z WEDNESDAY/... Issued at 1208 AM CST Tue Nov 18 2025 Fog and expanding low stratus will hamper aviation operations through the overnight. Expect periodic VFR with degrading conditions to MVFR and eventually IFR for most terminals across the forecast area. Believe northern Nebraska will see LIFR conditions as well which should persist through daybreak. During the day Tuesday, CIGs should improve slightly though it appears likely that MVFR conditions will dominate. Perhaps southwest Nebraska could see a return to VFR though confidence in this is low. Winds will vary considerably through the next 24 hours as low pressure lifts north and east through the area. Even so, speeds are likely to remain limited to 10 to 15 knots outside of brief gusts at LBF closer to 20 knots. && .LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Dense Fog Advisory until 7 AM CST this morning for NEZ026>029- 038. && $$ SHORT TERM...Brown LONG TERM...Brown AVIATION...NMJ