658  
FXUS63 KGID 210037  
AFDGID  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE  
637 PM CST WED NOV 20 2024  
   
..SHORT TERM AND KEY MESSAGES UPDATE
 
 
   
KEY MESSAGES
 
 
-DRY WEATHER IS EXPECTED THROUGH THE WEEKEND WITH FAIRLY  
SEASONABLE HIGHS IN THE 40S AND 50S.  
 
-A DECREASE IN TEMPERATURES MONDAY-WEDNESDAY IS CURRENTLY  
EXPECTED TO LIMIT HIGH TEMPS TO THE MID 30S-LOWER 40S (NOT  
OVERLY-COLD, BUT SOMETHING WE ARE DEFINITELY NOT USED TO).  
 
-A GRADUALLY-INCREASING SIGNAL FOR THE AREA'S FIRST SEASONAL  
SNOWFALL HAS BEGUN TO APPEAR ON THE HORIZON MAINLY AT THE DAY  
7-10 RANGE. STILL TONS OF UNCERTAINTY AND IS MOSTLY JUST  
BEYOND OUR CURRENT 7-DAY FORECAST, BUT WILL NEED TO KEEP A WARY  
EYE ON THANKSGIVING ITSELF).  
 

 
   
UPDATE
 
 
ISSUED AT 637 PM CST WED NOV 20 2024  
 
-- REGARDING THE ON-TIME EXPIRATION OF RED FLAG WARNING:  
 
THE COMBINATION OF DIMINISHED WINDS (GUSTS DROPPING UNDER 25  
MPH) AND INCREASING RELATIVE HUMIDITY/RH (RISING SOLIDLY ABOVE  
20-25 PERCENT) ALLOWED FOR THE "ON TIME" EXPIRATION OF THE RED  
FLAG WARNING VALID FOR ALL OF OUR NEBRASKA COVERAGE AREA (CWA)  
AT 6 PM.  
 
FORTUNATELY, WE ARE NOT AWARE OF ANY WILDFIRE IGNITIONS TODAY IN  
OUR CWA (WE NEVER HEARD OF ANY FROM PARTNERS AND DID NOT DETECT  
ANY VIA SATELLITE TOOLS). THIS WAS FORTUNATE, CONSIDERING THAT  
THE "RAW" METEOROLOGICAL COMBINATION OF WIND GUSTS OFTEN 40+ MPH  
AND VERY LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY (MOST OF THE WARNING AREA  
PLUNGED AS LOW AS 15-22% FOR AT LEAST A FEW HOURS) WAS FAIRLY  
CONCERNING.  
 

 
   
DISCUSSION
 
 
ISSUED AT 432 PM CST WED NOV 20 2024  
 
TONIGHT(NEAR-TERM)...  
 
WE PICK UP THE FORECAST TODAY WITH STRONG WINDS BLOWING OUT OF THE  
WEST-NORTHWEST 15 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS GENERALLY 35 TO 50 MPH. THE  
STRONGEST WINDS ARE CONCENTRATED TO THE NORTH, ESPECIALLY NORTH OF I-  
80 (A FEW LOCATIONS HAVE EVEN GUSTED UP TO 50-58 MPH). WE HAVE  
SEEMED TO PASS OVER OUR PEAK GUSTS FOR THE DAY AS WINDS ARE NOW  
ON THE DOWNWARD TREND AND EXPECTED TO SHARPLY DROP OFF OVER THE  
NEXT FEW HOURS.  
 
THE STRONG WINDS MIXED WITH LOWER RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES (15-25%)  
PROMPTED THE OUT-OF-CAUTION RED FLAG WARNING (RFW) ACROSS ALL OF OUR  
NEBRASKA COUNTIES TODAY THROUGH 6 PM. THOUGH THE RECENT RAIN  
EVENT EARLIER THIS WEEK DEPOSITED BETWEEN 0.5 TO 2 INCHES  
AREAWIDE WITH SOME SIGNS OF MOISTURE RETENTION IN THE SOILS AND  
RELATIVELY COOLER TEMPERATURES (MID 40S TO LOW 50S), THE  
HEIGHTENED WINDS WITH THE ISOLATED POSSIBILITY OF A BREAKOUT  
FAST SPREADING FIRE WARRANTED A PRECAUTIONARY RFW.  
 
THESE STRONG WINDS HAVE BEEN PARTIALLY POWERED FROM THE STRONG  
PRESSURE GRADIENT CAUSED PARTLY FROM THE OCCLUDED CYCLONE, WHICH  
PREVIOUSLY TOOK A TRIP THROUGH THE AREA ON MONDAY. THIS LOW PRESURE  
CENTER IS NOW HOVERING JUST NORTH OF MINNESOTA AND WILL BE ON ITS WAY  
TOWARDS THE NORTHEAST U.S.  
 
THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY (SHORT-TERM)...  
 
A COLD FRONT CURRENTLY SITUATED OVER THE NORTH CENTRAL AND EAST  
PORTIONS OF NEBRASKA, IS EXPECTED TO EVENTUALLY DROP ON DOWN THROUGH  
THE NIGHT, SETTING UP THE SCENARIO FOR OVERNIGHT LOWS TO DROP TO  
THEIR COLDEST POINT SO FAR THIS SEASON (LOW TO MID 20S). WIND CHILLS  
THURSDAY MORNING WILL REACH INTO THE TEENS FOR A MAJORITY OF THE  
AREA AND EVEN CLOSER TO THE SINGLE DIGITS IN OUR FURTHEST NORTHERN  
EXTENT (NEAR VALLEY COUNTY).  
 
THE CONTINUATION OF NORTHWEST FLOW THURSDAY WILL ALLOW THE COLD AIR  
ADVECTION PATTERN TO RETAIN. THESE LOW-LEVEL WINDS WILL HELP SERVE  
HIGHS IN THE LOW 40S (NORTHEAST AREAS) TO LOW 50S (SOUTHWEST AREAS).  
A SLIVER OF HIGHER PRESSURE WILL NUDGE IN BEHIND THE COLD FRONT  
CONTRIBUTING TO CALMER WINDS AND GENERALLY QUIET WEATHER. THE  
PATTERN ALOFT WILL SUPPORT MID-LEVEL SINKING AIR FROM THE ONSET OF A  
RIDGE, KEEPING SKIES CLEAR AND DRY.  
 
THE NORTHWEST FLOW AT THE SURFACE WILL FINALLY REACH ITS END FRIDAY  
WHEN SURFACE PRESSURE FALLS NEAR THE EAST SIDE OF THE ROCKIES, WILL  
BEGIN TO OVERPOWER THE NORTHEAST U.S. BOUND LOW, THE SYSTEM THAT HAS  
BEEN CONTROLLING WINDS SINCE MONDAY. SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL BEGIN TO  
ESTABLISH A WEAK WARM AIR ADVECTION PATTERN. AS A RESULT, THE HIGHS  
WILL BUILD THROUGH SATURDAY BACK INTO THE LOWER TO MID 50S.  
 
SUNDAY AND BEYOND (LONG-TERM)...  
 
ZONAL UPPER LEVEL FLOW IS EXPECTED TO RIDE OUT THROUGH THE FIRST HALF  
OF NEXT WEEK. THOUGH THERE IS A SMALL CHANCE (30-40%) FOR A WEAK  
SHORTWAVE TROUGH TO EMERGE OUT OF THE ZONAL FLOW, POTENTIALLY  
ADDING SOME COMPLEXION TO THE FORECAST, A GENERAL DISAGREEMENT FROM  
THE LONGER RANGE FORECAST MODELS REVOLVES AROUND ITS LOCATION AND  
MAGNITUDE. THIS UNCERTAINTY KEEPS THE PRECIPITATION POTENTIAL LOW.  
THE ELEMENT THAT HAS BECOME MORE CLEAR IS WITH THE EXPECTED DROP IN  
TEMPERATURES STARTING MONDAY THAT COULD LIMIT HIGHS TO THE MID 30S  
TO LOWER 40S.  
 
THIS EXPECTED DROP IN TEMPERATURE WILL LIKELY BE CAUSED FROM A NORTH  
ORIENTING WIND FIELD ON THE BACKSIDE OF A WEAK PASSING CYCLONE  
SUNDAY. THE NEXT BEST CHANCE (10-20%) FOR PRECIPITATION AND  
POTENTIALLY THE FIRST SNOWFALL OF THE SEASON COULD COME ON  
WEDNESDAY. WITH THIS EVENT BEING 7 DAYS OUT AND WITH LOW CONFIDENCE  
OF THE PLACEMENT OF THE SYNOPTIC LEVEL DRIVING FORCES, THE POPS  
REMAIN LOW. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT A STRONGER SIGNAL 7-10 DAYS  
OUT IN LONG RANGE MODEL GUIDANCE SUGGEST THAT SIGNS OF SNOW COULD BE  
GETTING CLOSER TO FINALLY BECOMING A REALITY.  
 

 
   
AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z FRIDAY/
 
 
ISSUED AT 501 PM CST WED NOV 20 2024  
 
SFC WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO TAPER OFF THIS EVENING, BUT WINDS  
ALOFT WILL BE FAIRLY STRONG, SO KEPT THE MENTION FOR LLWS DURING  
THE OVERNIGHT PERIOD. TOMORROW THE GRADIENT IS EXPECTED TO  
RELAX, SO EXPECTING SFC WINDS IN THE 7-12KTS RANGE PER GUIDANCE.  
VFR IS EXPECTED THROUGH THE PERIOD.  
 

 
   
GID WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
 
 
NE...NONE.  
KS...NONE.  
 

 
 

 
 
UPDATE...PFANNKUCH  
DISCUSSION...STUMP  
AVIATION...BEDA  
 
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