849
FXUS63 KGID 182329
AFDGID
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
629 PM CDT WED MAR 18 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- NEAR-CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONTINUES INTO THE EVENING HOURS
- WELL ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES CONTINUE THROUGH SATURDAY WITH HIGHS
IN THE 70S/80S THURSDAY/FRIDAY AND IN THE 80S/90S SATURDAY.
- FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS RETURN SATURDAY DUE TO WARM WEATHER,
BREEZY AFTERNOON WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY.
- LARGELY DRY WEATHER EXPECTED THROUGHOUT THE FORECAST PERIOD.
DISCUSSION
ISSUED AT 322 PM CDT WED MAR 18 2026
TEMPERATURES THIS AFTERNOON ARE IN THE MID TO UPPER 70S UNDER PATCHY
CIRRUS. NEAR-CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE THIS
AFTERNOON WHERE GUSTS REACH 20-25MPH, BUT CRITICAL CONDITIONS ARE
NOT EXPECTED (OTHER THAN BRIEFLY WITH THE STRONGEST GUSTS). ALOFT
THE AREA SITS UNDER THE EASTERN EDGE OF AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE THAT IS
CENTERED OVER THE WESTERN UNITED STATES WITH A TROUGH OVER THE EAST
COAST. LOWS TONIGHT WILL BE IN THE UPPER 30S TO MID 40S UNDER PARTLY
CLOUDY SKIES.
WARMTH CONTINUES TOMORROW UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF RIDGING ALOFT.
HIGHS WILL BE IN THE MID 70S TO LOW 80S, WARMEST ACROSS
SOUTHWESTERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA. WINDS REMAIN LIGHT DURING THE
DAYTIME HOURS, KEEPING GUSTS AT OR BELOW 20MPH. THIS LIMITS
FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS DESPITE AFTERNOON RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES
FALLING AT OR BELOW 25%. RIDGING BUILDS/MOVES OVER THE AREA ON
FRIDAY, RESULTING IN ANOTHER STEP UP IN WARMTH/ABOVE NORMAL
TEMPERATURES. HIGHS IN THE 80S ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE AREA.
GRAND ISLAND AND HASTINGS COULD CHALLENGE RECORD HIGHS, SEE
CLIMATE SECTION FOR MORE DETAILS. WINDS REMAIN LIGHT, KEEPING
FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS LOWER.
SATURDAY REMAINS THE WARMEST DAY ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA UNDER THE
CENTER OF THE RIDGE. HIGHS SOAR INTO THE UPPER 80S TO LOW 90S. GRAND
ISLAND AND HASTINGS LOOK TO CHALLENGE BOTH THE DAILY AND MONTHLY
RECORD HIGH (MONTHLY RECORD 90 DEGREES), SEE CLIMATE SECTION
FOR MORE DETAILS. BREEZY AFTERNOON WINDS, GUSTING 25+MPH BRINGS
CONCERNS FOR FIRE WEATHER. AFTERNOON RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES OF
10-20% WOULD BRING CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS OF WINDS
ARE STRONG ENOUGH.
A SHORTWAVE TROUGH MOVES INTO THE AREA SATURDAY NIGHT, PUSHING A
COLD FRONT THROUGH THE AREA. THIS FRONT COULD BRING SOME VERY LIGHT
PRECIPITATION, THOUGH THE BEST CHANCES LOOK TO BE NORTH/NORTHEAST OF
THE FORECAST AREA. COOLER BUT STILL SEASONABLY WARM WEATHER IS
EXPECTED ON SUNDAY AND MONDAY, WITH HIGHS IN THE MID 50S TO LOW 60S.
RIDGING BUILDS BACK OVER THE AREA TUESDAY AND HIGHS CLIMB BACK TO
THE 70S/80S.
AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z FRIDAY/
ISSUED AT 625 PM CDT WED MAR 18 2026
FOR KGRI/KEAR AIRPORTS:
VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS. WINDS WILL
WEAKEN THIS EVENING AND BE MOSTLY VARIABLE UNTIL AROUND 09Z.
WINDS WILL BE OUT OF THE NORTHWEST AT 09Z THEN BECOME WESTERLY
BY 18Z-21Z THEN SOUTHWEST BY 00Z FRIDAY.
CLIMATE
ISSUED AT 245 AM CDT WED MAR 18 2026
AS TEMPERATURES CLIMB INTO THE 80S LATER FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, A
FEW RECORD WARM TEMPERATURES COULD BE IN JEOPARDY ACROSS THE
LOCAL AREA.
FRIDAY MARCH 20 FORECAST HIGH RECORD MAX/YEAR
HASTINGS 82 82 (1939)
GRAND ISLAND 82 84 (1921)
SATURDAY MARCH 21 FORECAST HIGH RECORD MAX/YEAR
HASTINGS 91 87 (1910)
GRAND ISLAND 92 83 (1988)
IN ADDITION, RECORD WARM MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WILL ALSO BE
POSSIBLE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY.
FRIDAY MARCH 20 FORECAST LOW RECORD WARM MIN/YEAR
HASTINGS 46 46 (2011)
GRAND ISLAND 47 50 (1921)
SATURDAY MARCH 21 FORECAST LOW RECORD WARM MIN/YEAR
HASTINGS 48 47 (2012)
GRAND ISLAND 48 54 (1911)
TEMPERATURE RECORDS FOR HASTINGS DATE BACK TO 1907 AND THEY
DATE BACK TO 1895 FOR GRAND ISLAND.
GID WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
NE...NONE.
KS...NONE.
DISCUSSION...DAVIS
AVIATION...SCHULDT
CLIMATE...NWS HASTINGS
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