Routine Fire Wx Fcst (With/Without 6-10 Day Outlook)
Issued by NWS North Platte, NE
Issued by NWS North Platte, NE
299
FNUS53 KLBF 180851
FWFLBF
Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Western
and North Central Nebraska
National Weather Service North Platte NE
351 AM CDT Tue Aug 18 2026
.DISCUSSION...
Temperatures remaining near to slightly below average through
midweek, along with increased humidity, is expected to keep fire
weather concerns low over the next few days. Though temperatures
warm back into the upper 80s to low 90s for late week and the
weekend, humidity values are expected to remain at or above 35
percent each afternoon. That said, southeasterly winds increase
across the area Saturday afternoon, with gusts as high as 35 to 40
miles per hour possible.
Near daily threats for thunderstorms continue into late week, and
this could lead to widespread wetting moisture across much of
western and north central Nebraska.
NEZ204-182315-
Eastern Panhandle/Crescent Lake NWR-
251 AM MDT Tue Aug 18 2026
.TODAY...
Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny. Slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms late in the afternoon.
Max temperature.....82-87.
24 hr trend......8 degrees cooler.
Min humidity........42 percent.
24 hr trend......4 percent wetter.
20-foot winds.......North 5 to 10 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Good.
Mixing height.......400-2000 ft AGL until 1200, then 2300-6100 ft
AGL.
Transport winds.....North around 10 mph.
Chance of thunder...10 percent.
.TONIGHT...
Sky/weather.........Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of thunderstorms
early in the evening. Chance of showers through
the night. Chance of thunderstorms in the late
evening and overnight.
Min temperature.....57-62.
24 hr trend......2 degrees cooler.
Max humidity........100 percent.
24 hr trend......Unchanged.
20-foot winds.......East 5 to 10 mph shifting to the south after
midnight.
Smoke dispersal.....Poor.
Mixing height.......500-5000 ft AGL until 2400, then 400-700 ft
AGL.
Transport winds.....East around 10 mph shifting to the south after
midnight.
Chance of thunder...50 percent.
.WEDNESDAY...
Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny. Chance of showers and
thunderstorms in the morning. Slight chance of
showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon.
Max temperature.....80-85.
24 hr trend......1 degree warmer.
Min humidity........39 percent.
24 hr trend......3 percent drier.
20-foot winds.......Southwest 5 to 10 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Good.
Mixing height.......400-2600 ft AGL until 1200, then 3000-8200 ft
AGL.
Transport winds.....West around 10 mph.
Chance of thunder...40 percent.
.FORECAST DAYS 3 THROUGH 7...
.THURSDAY...Mostly clear. Slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms. Lows in the upper 50s. Highs in the upper 80s.
Southwest winds 5 to 10 mph.
.FRIDAY...Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 60s. Highs around 90.
East winds 5 to 10 mph.
.SATURDAY...Partly cloudy. Slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 60s. Highs in the upper 80s.
Southeast winds 10 to 20 mph.
.SUNDAY...Partly cloudy. Chance of showers and slight chance of
thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 60s. Highs around 90.
.MONDAY...Partly cloudy. Chance of showers and thunderstorms.
Lows in the lower 60s. Highs in the upper 80s.
$$
NEZ210-182315-
Frenchman Basin-
251 AM MDT Tue Aug 18 2026
.TODAY...
Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny.
Max temperature.....86-91.
24 hr trend......4 degrees cooler.
Min humidity........46 percent.
24 hr trend......11 percent wetter.
20-foot winds.......Northeast 5 to 10 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Good.
Mixing height.......400-1700 ft AGL until 1200, then 2100-5300 ft
AGL.
Transport winds.....North 10 to 15 mph.
Chance of thunder...0 percent.
.TONIGHT...
Sky/weather.........Mostly cloudy. Chance of showers and
thunderstorms through the night.
Min temperature.....Around 61.
24 hr trend......2 degrees cooler.
Max humidity........100 percent.
24 hr trend......3 percent wetter.
20-foot winds.......Northeast 5 to 10 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Poor.
Mixing height.......500-5100 ft AGL until 2400, then 400-500 ft
AGL.
Transport winds.....East around 10 mph.
Chance of thunder...50 percent.
.WEDNESDAY...
Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny. Chance of showers and slight
chance of thunderstorms.
Max temperature.....82-87.
24 hr trend......4 degrees cooler.
Min humidity........49 percent.
24 hr trend......3 percent wetter.
20-foot winds.......Southeast up to 5 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Poor.
Mixing height.......300-2800 ft AGL until 1200, then 3000-5300 ft
AGL.
Transport winds.....Southwest around 10 mph.
Chance of thunder...20 percent.
.FORECAST DAYS 3 THROUGH 7...
.THURSDAY...Mostly clear. Slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms. Lows around 60. Highs around 90. South winds 5 to
10 mph.
.FRIDAY...Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 60s. Highs in the lower
90s. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph.
.SATURDAY...Mostly clear. Slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 60s. Highs in the lower 90s.
Southeast winds 5 to 15 mph.
.SUNDAY...Partly cloudy. Chance of showers and slight chance of
thunderstorms. Lows in the mid 60s. Highs in the lower 90s.
.MONDAY...Partly cloudy. Chance of showers and thunderstorms.
Lows in the lower 60s. Highs around 90.
$$
NEZ206-182315-
Sandhills/Valentine NWR/Nebraska National Forest-
351 AM CDT Tue Aug 18 2026
.TODAY...
Sky/weather.........Partly sunny.
Max temperature.....80-85.
24 hr trend......6 degrees cooler.
Min humidity........49 percent.
24 hr trend......13 percent wetter.
20-foot winds.......Northeast 5 to 10 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Fair.
Mixing height.......500-1900 ft AGL until 1200, then 2300-5100 ft
AGL.
Transport winds.....North around 10 mph.
Chance of thunder...0 percent.
.TONIGHT...
Sky/weather.........Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms in the evening, then chance of
showers and thunderstorms after midnight.
Min temperature.....57-62.
24 hr trend......1 degree cooler.
Max humidity........100 percent.
24 hr trend......Unchanged.
20-foot winds.......East up to 5 mph shifting to the south after
midnight.
Smoke dispersal.....Poor.
Mixing height.......400-4600 ft AGL until 2400, then 400-500 ft
AGL.
Transport winds.....Northeast around 10 mph shifting to the south
after midnight.
Chance of thunder...40 percent.
.WEDNESDAY...
Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny. Chance of showers and
thunderstorms.
Max temperature.....78-83.
24 hr trend......Unchanged.
Min humidity........51 percent.
24 hr trend......Unchanged.
20-foot winds.......South 5 to 10 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Fair.
Mixing height.......400-2400 ft AGL until 1200, then 2600-6000 ft
AGL.
Transport winds.....Southwest around 10 mph.
Chance of thunder...50 percent.
.FORECAST DAYS 3 THROUGH 7...
.THURSDAY...Mostly clear. Slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms. Lows in the upper 50s. Highs in the upper 80s.
Southwest winds 5 to 10 mph.
.FRIDAY...Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 60s. Highs in the upper
80s. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph.
.SATURDAY...Mostly clear. Slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 60s. Highs in the mid 80s.
Southeast winds 10 to 15 mph.
.SUNDAY...Partly cloudy. Chance of showers and slight chance of
thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 60s. Highs in the mid 80s.
.MONDAY...Partly cloudy. Slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 60s. Highs in the mid 80s.
$$
NEZ219-182315-
Loess Plains-
351 AM CDT Tue Aug 18 2026
.TODAY...
Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny. Slight chance of showers early in
the afternoon.
Max temperature.....86-91.
24 hr trend......5 degrees cooler.
Min humidity........44 percent.
24 hr trend......8 percent wetter.
20-foot winds.......Southeast around 5 mph shifting to the
northeast in the afternoon.
Smoke dispersal.....Fair.
Mixing height.......500-1900 ft AGL until 1200, then 2100-4800 ft
AGL.
Transport winds.....South around 10 mph shifting to the northeast
in the afternoon.
Chance of thunder...0 percent.
.TONIGHT...
Sky/weather.........Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of showers in the
evening. Slight chance of thunderstorms through
the night. Chance of showers after midnight.
Min temperature.....Around 63.
24 hr trend......2 degrees cooler.
Max humidity........100 percent.
24 hr trend......Unchanged.
20-foot winds.......Northeast 5 to 15 mph decreasing to up to 5 mph
after midnight.
Smoke dispersal.....Poor.
Mixing height.......500-4600 ft AGL until 2400, then 400-500 ft
AGL.
Transport winds.....East 10 to 15 mph.
Chance of thunder...20 percent.
.WEDNESDAY...
Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny. Slight chance of thunderstorms
early in the morning. Slight chance of showers
through the day. Slight chance of thunderstorms
in the afternoon.
Max temperature.....81-86.
24 hr trend......2 degrees cooler.
Min humidity........48 percent.
24 hr trend......3 percent wetter.
20-foot winds.......Northeast up to 5 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Fair.
Mixing height.......400-2800 ft AGL until 1200, then 3100-5400 ft
AGL.
Transport winds.....Southeast around 10 mph shifting to the
southwest in the afternoon.
Chance of thunder...20 percent.
.FORECAST DAYS 3 THROUGH 7...
.THURSDAY...Mostly clear. Chance of showers and thunderstorms.
Lows around 60. Highs around 90. South winds 5 to 10 mph.
.FRIDAY...Mostly clear. Slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 60s. Highs in the lower 90s.
South winds 5 to 10 mph.
.SATURDAY...Mostly clear. Chance of showers and thunderstorms.
Lows in the lower 60s. Highs in the lower 90s. Southeast winds
5 to 15 mph.
.SUNDAY...Partly cloudy. Chance of showers and slight chance of
thunderstorms. Lows in the mid 60s. Highs in the lower 90s.
.MONDAY...Partly cloudy. Slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms. Lows in the mid 60s. Highs in the upper 80s.
$$
NEZ208-182315-
Niobrara Valley/Fort Niobrara NWR/Samuel R McKelvie National
Forest-
351 AM CDT Tue Aug 18 2026
.TODAY...
Sky/weather.........Partly sunny. Chance of thunderstorms and
slight chance of showers early in the morning.
Max temperature.....79-84.
24 hr trend......6 degrees cooler.
Min humidity........49 percent.
24 hr trend......13 percent wetter.
20-foot winds.......Southwest up to 5 mph shifting to the north
around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Smoke dispersal.....Poor.
Mixing height.......400-2000 ft AGL until 1200, then 2500-4700 ft
AGL.
Transport winds.....North around 10 mph.
Chance of thunder...10 percent.
.TONIGHT...
Sky/weather.........Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of thunderstorms
in the evening. Chance of showers through the
night. Chance of thunderstorms after midnight.
Min temperature.....58-63.
24 hr trend......1 degree cooler.
Max humidity........100 percent.
24 hr trend......Unchanged.
20-foot winds.......East up to 5 mph shifting to the southwest
after midnight.
Smoke dispersal.....Poor.
Mixing height.......400-4400 ft AGL until 2400, then 400-500 ft
AGL.
Transport winds.....West around 5 mph.
Chance of thunder...40 percent.
.WEDNESDAY...
Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny. Slight chance of thunderstorms
until late afternoon. Chance of showers through
the day. Chance of thunderstorms late in the
afternoon.
Max temperature.....78-83.
24 hr trend......2 degrees cooler.
Min humidity........52 percent.
24 hr trend......6 percent wetter.
20-foot winds.......Southwest 5 to 10 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Good.
Mixing height.......400-2800 ft AGL until 1200, then 2500-7600 ft
AGL.
Transport winds.....Southwest around 10 mph.
Chance of thunder...50 percent.
.FORECAST DAYS 3 THROUGH 7...
.THURSDAY...Mostly clear. Slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms. Lows in the upper 50s. Highs in the upper 80s.
Southwest winds 5 to 10 mph.
.FRIDAY...Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 60s. Highs in the upper
80s. East winds 5 to 10 mph.
.SATURDAY...Mostly clear. Slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 60s. Highs in the mid 80s.
Southeast winds 10 to 15 mph.
.SUNDAY...Partly cloudy. Chance of showers and slight chance of
thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 60s. Highs in the mid 80s.
.MONDAY...Partly cloudy. Slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 60s. Highs in the mid 80s.
$$
NEZ209-182315-
Loup Rivers Basin-
351 AM CDT Tue Aug 18 2026
.TODAY...
Sky/weather.........Partly sunny. Chance of showers and
thunderstorms early in the morning. Slight
chance of showers in the late morning and early
afternoon.
Max temperature.....79-84.
24 hr trend......8 degrees cooler.
Min humidity........61 percent.
24 hr trend......10 percent wetter.
20-foot winds.......Southeast up to 5 mph shifting to the northeast
in the afternoon.
Smoke dispersal.....Poor.
Mixing height.......500-2100 ft AGL until 1200, then 2200-4100 ft
AGL.
Transport winds.....West around 10 mph shifting to the north in the
afternoon.
Chance of thunder...30 percent.
.TONIGHT...
Sky/weather.........Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms in the late evening and
overnight.
Min temperature.....Around 61.
24 hr trend......1 degree cooler.
Max humidity........100 percent.
24 hr trend......Unchanged.
20-foot winds.......Northeast up to 5 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Poor.
Mixing height.......400-3800 ft AGL until 2400, then 400-500 ft
AGL.
Transport winds.....North around 5 mph.
Chance of thunder...20 percent.
.WEDNESDAY...
Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny. Chance of showers until late
afternoon. Slight chance of thunderstorms
through the day. Slight chance of showers late
in the afternoon.
Max temperature.....77-82.
24 hr trend......2 degrees cooler.
Min humidity........60 percent.
24 hr trend......3 percent drier.
20-foot winds.......South up to 5 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Poor.
Mixing height.......400-2000 ft AGL until 1200, then 2400-5300 ft
AGL.
Transport winds.....South around 5 mph.
Chance of thunder...20 percent.
.FORECAST DAYS 3 THROUGH 7...
.THURSDAY...Mostly clear. Chance of showers and thunderstorms.
Lows in the upper 50s. Highs in the mid 80s. South winds 5 to
10 mph.
.FRIDAY...Mostly clear. Slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 60s. Highs in the mid 80s.
Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph.
.SATURDAY...Partly cloudy. Slight chance of showers and
thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 60s. Highs in the lower 80s.
Southeast winds 10 to 15 mph.
.SUNDAY...Partly cloudy. Chance of showers and slight chance of
thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 60s. Highs in the lower 80s.
.MONDAY...Partly cloudy. Chance of showers and slight chance of
thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 60s. Highs in the lower 80s.
$$