492  
FXUS63 KGID 161153  
AFDGID  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE  
653 AM CDT WED APR 16 2025  
   
KEY MESSAGES  
 
- 10-20 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES TODAY AND THURSDAY  
(UPPER 70S TO LOW 90S) WITH NEAR TO JUST BELOW NORMAL  
TEMPERATURES FOR THE WEEKEND (MID 50S TO MID 60S FRI THROUGH  
SUN AFTERNOON).  
 
- A FEW STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT (20-40%) AND  
THURSDAY AFTERNOON (20-60%). A FEW OF THESE STORMS HAVE THE  
POTENTIAL TO BECOME SEVERE.  
 
- NEXT WIDESPREAD SHOWER/STORM POTENTIAL (30-50%) WILL FALL  
SATURDAY NIGHT AND INTO EASTER SUNDAY.  
 
 
   
DISCUSSION  
 
ISSUED AT 450 AM CDT WED APR 16 2025  
 
SHORT TERM ... TODAY AND THURSDAY  
 
SOUTHERLY WINDS THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING WILL HOLD UP THE STEADY  
WARM AIR ADVECTION PATTERN ACROSS THE REGION. THIS SHOULD HELP KEEP  
HIGHS IN THE UPPER 70S TO UPPER 80S TODAY AND POTENTIALLY UP TO THE  
LOW 90S FOR A FEW SOUTHEASTERN SPOTS THURSDAY. PLEASE REFER TO THE  
FIRE WEATHER SECTION DOWN BELOW FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE FIRE  
WEATHER POTENTIAL FOR WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY AFTERNOONS.  
 
AN AIR QUALITY ALERT REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10AM FOR SOME LOW-LEVEL  
SMOKE THAT HAS ADVECTED NORTH AND INTO PARTS OF THE AREA. THIS SMOKE  
COULD LIMIT AIR QUALITY DOWN TO MODERATE LEVELS. THIS LOWERED AIR  
QUALITY MAY AFFECT MORE SENSITIVE GROUPS.  
 
ALOFT, A RIDGE CONTINUES TO BUILD ACROSS THE CENTRAL U.S. WITH A  
POSITIVELY TILTING SHORTWAVE TROUGH PREPPING TO MERGE WITH A  
SOUTHWESTERN U.S. UPPER-LEVEL LOW. THIS MERGING WAVE WILL BEGIN TO  
PRIME THE REGION FOR CONVECTIVE POTENTIAL FOR SOME DEVELOPING  
STORMS, PRIMARILY LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY AFTERNOON.  
 
A HANDFUL OF STORMS LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY THURSDAY MORNING  
COULD BREAK OUT AHEAD OF A KANSAS DRYLINE AS A NOCTURNAL LOW-LEVEL  
JET GETS ACTIVE. A MARGINAL RISK (LEVEL 1 OF 5) FOR SEVERE WEATHER  
IS IN PLACE ACROSS OUR EASTERN FRINGES, THOUGH ANY STORMS THAT  
DEVELOP COULD HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME MARGINALLY SEVERE. FAIRLY  
DECENT MID-LEVEL LAPSE RATES (6-8 *C/KM) WITH CAPE NEAR 500-1,000J  
COULD SUPPORT ANY STORM THE OPPORTUNITY TO GROW HAIL UP TO THE SIZE  
OF QUARTERS.  
 
THUNDERSTORM COVERAGE IS EXPECTED TO STAY FAIRLY LIMITED OVERNIGHT  
WEDNESDAY AS MOST STORMS WILL BE IN THEIR EARLIER STAGES OF LIFE  
ACROSS THE LOCAL AREA. SOME UNCERTAINTY LIMITS CONFIDENCE AS THE  
POSITIONAL PLACEMENT OF STORMS ARE NOT WELL IN CONCISENESS BETWEEN  
MODELS. GENERALLY THE BEST POTENTIAL (30-40%) WILL FALL ACROSS OUR  
KS COUNTIES AND THE EASTERN HALF OF OUR NE COUNTIES (MAINLY ALONG  
AND EASY OF HWY-281).  
 
A MORE FAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR SEVERE STORMS WILL SET UP THURSDAY  
AFTERNOON, THOUGH STORMS MAY AGAIN REMAIN LIMITED IN AREAL EXTENT. A  
COLD FRONT PASSING THROUGH IN THE EARLY AFTERNOON WILL SERVE AS A  
RELIABLE FORCING MECHANISM TO INITIATE CONVECTION. A MODEST CAP IN  
PLACE (STRONG LOW-LEVEL INVERSION) COULD LIMIT THE NUMBER OF STORMS  
TO A DEGREE, WITH THE BEST POTENTIAL NORTH OF HWY-6. A FEW  
SUPERCELLS MAY BE EVEN BE ABLE TO POP OUT WHERE THE DRYLINE  
INTERACTS ALONG THE COLD FRONT AND GIVEN THE ESTIMATED 50-55KT OF 0-  
6KM BULK SHEAR. THE PRIMARY CONCERNS WILL BE BE IN REGARDS TO HAIL  
UP TO THE SIZE OF GOLFBALLS AS WELL AS 60 MPH THUNDERSTORM WIND  
GUSTS AS STRONGER INSTABILITY LOOKS TO REACH FURTHER UP INTO MID-  
LEVELS. A SLIGHT RISK (LEVEL 2 OF 5) FOR SEVERE WEATHER RESTS IN  
PLACE ACROSS OUR NORTHERN AREAS.  
 
LONG TERM ... FRIDAY AND BEYOND  
 
A COOLDOWN WILL BE IN LINE FOR THE WEEKEND AS COOLER AIR SETTLES  
DOWN AND IN BEHIND TURSDAY'S COLD FRONT. STEADY 15-20 MPH NORTHERLY  
WINDS MAY GUST AS HIGH AS 30 MPH FRIDAY AS THE SURFACE LOW EXITS THE  
AREA, MAINTAINING THE COLD AIR ADVECTION PATTERN INTO THE DAY  
FRIDAY. HIGHS WILL DROP DOWN TO THE MID 50S TO MID 60S, LIKELY  
STAYING THROUGH EASTER DAY. HIGH SURFACE PRESSURE MOVING IN SATURDAY  
SHOULD LIGHTEN WINDS SOME AS THE MERGING TROUGH ALOFT BEGINS TO  
SWIVEL OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS, SETTING UP THE NEXT MID-LATITUDE  
SYSTEM. PRECIPITATION CHANCES RETURN SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND INTO  
SUNDAY (30-50%) AS THE LOCAL AREA LOOKS TO FALL UNDERNEATH THE  
SYSTEM'S COLD SIDE PRECIPITATION REGION. SHOWERS WILL BE THE FAVORED  
PRECIPITATION TYPE WITH THE BEST OVERALL CHANCES WEIGHTED TOWARDS  
THE SOUTH AND EAST.  
 
BEYOND SUNDAY, SLIGHTLY WARMER TEMPERATURES WITH A FEW BRIEF  
SHORTWAVE DISTURBANCE LOOK TO KEEP THE EXTENDED PERIOD ACTIVE.  
INCREASING PRECIPITATION CHANCES MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK COULD EARN THE  
MONTH ITS "APRIL SHOWERS" NICKNAME.  
 
 
   
AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z THURSDAY/  
 
ISSUED AT 634 AM CDT WED APR 16 2025  
 
FOR KGRI/KEAR AIRPORTS:  
 
VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO MAINTAIN THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD  
WITH LIGHT WINDS UP TO 10-15KTS OUT OUT THE SOUTH. LLWS, FROM  
THE INFLUENCE OF A NOCTURNAL JET, IS POSSIBLE BETWEEN 4Z AND 9Z  
OF AROUND 45KTS FROM 200 DEGREES. A FEW MID-TO-HIGH LEVEL  
CLOUDS WILL BUILD INTO THE THE AFTERNOON TO EVNING (BASES AS  
LOW AS 10,000FT).  
 
 
   
FIRE WEATHER  
 
ISSUED AT 450 AM CDT WED APR 16 2025  
 
DESPITE SOUTHERLY WINDS FUELING A SURGE OF MOISTURE THIS  
AFTERNOON, DEWPOINTS WILL STILL BE EXPECTED TO LAG BEHIND THE  
TEMPERATURE (ESPECIALLY OUT WEST) LIMITING THE RELATIVE HUMIDITY  
DOWN TO AS LOW AS 10-25%. FIRE WEATHER IS EXPECTED TO ONLY  
REACH NEAR-CRITICAL IN A FEW EASTERN SPORTS (MAINLY EAST OF  
HWY-281) AS WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN LIMITED (10-20 MPH).  
 
STRONGER SOUTHERLY WINDS THURSDAY WITH WARMING TEMPERATURES WILL  
BROADEN OUT NEAR-CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS TO AREAS MAINLY  
SOUTHWEST OF THE TRI-CITIES. THOUGH STRONG MOISTURE ADVECTION WILL  
BRING UP DEWPOINTS AREA-WIDE, RH VALUES WILL STILL BE EXPECTED TO  
REACH CRITICAL VALUES ACROSS OUR KS AREAS THURSDAY AFTERNOON. A FIRE  
WEATHER WATCH WILL BE IN PLACE FOR OUR KANSAS COUNTIES BETWEEN 1PM  
AND 9PM.  
 
 
   
GID WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES  
 
NE...NONE.  
KS...FIRE WEATHER WATCH FROM THURSDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH THURSDAY  
EVENING FOR KSZ005>007-017>019.  
 
 
 
 
 
DISCUSSION...STUMP  
AVIATION...STUMP  
FIRE WEATHER...STUMP  
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