228
FXUS63 KGID 192336
AFDGID
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
636 PM CDT THU MAR 19 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- UNSEASONABLE RECORD-BREAKING WARMTH CONTINUES THROUGH
SATURDAY.
- A FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR SATURDAY AND SATURDAY
NIGHT.
- DRY CONDITIONS ARE FAVORED TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE END OF
MARCH. ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES ALSO LIKELY FAVORED THROUGH
THE END OF THE MONTH.
DISCUSSION
ISSUED AT 246 PM CDT THU MAR 19 2026
MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES AND WELL ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES PREVAILED
ACROSS THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON. TEMPERATURES SO FAR HAVE BEEN
RUNNING 3-5 DEGREES ABOVE YESTERDAYS HOURLY READINGS, WITH
RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES FOR BOTH HASTINGS AND GRAND ISLAND THIS
AFTERNOON WELL WITHIN REACH.
WITH HIGH PRESSURE PERSISTING ALOFT, EXPECT WARM AND DRY
CONDITIONS TO CONTINUE THROUGH SATURDAY, WITH SIMILAR
TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE REGION TOMORROW (MAYBE 1-2 DEGREES
COOLER BASED ON 850MB TEMPS), FOLLOWED BY TEMPERATURES SURGING
ON SATURDAY AHEAD AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT. IN FACT, HIGH
TEMPERATURES SATURDAY WILL LIKELY SET NEW ALL TIME RECORD HIGH
TEMPERATURES - BY SEVERAL DEGREES - FOR THE ENTIRE MONTH OF
MARCH!
AS THE FRONT APPROACHES ON SATURDAY, EXPECT AN UPTICK IN WINDS
AS WELL, WHICH COMBINED WITH THE HOT AND DRY AIRMASS WILL RESULT
IN CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS. CURRENTLY THERE IS A FIRE
WEATHER WATCH FOR SATURDAY - BUT FULLY EXPECT THIS TO EVENTUALLY
BE UPGRADED TO A RED FLAG WARNING SOMETIME EITHER LATER TONIGHT
OR ON FRIDAY.
AS THE FRONT CROSSES THE AREA ON SUNDAY, EXPECT A FAIRLY NOTABLE
DROP IN TEMPERATURES FOR SUNDAY AND MONDAY, WITH HIGH
TEMPERATURES FORECAST TO ONLY TOP OUT IN THE 60S AND 70S, OR
STILL ABOUT 10 DEGREES ABOVE SEASONAL NORMS. IN FACT, EXPECT THE
UPPER LEVEL RIDGE TO RESTRENGTHEN ACROSS THE LOCAL AREA AGAIN
BEHIND THIS FRONT, WITH A POTENTIAL RETURN TO ADDITIONAL RECORD
HIGH TEMPERATURES BY NEXT WEDNESDAY.
IN SHORT, UNSEASONABLE WARM AND DRY CONDITIONS ARE FAVORED TO
FINISH OUT THE MONTH OF MARCH ACROSS THE LOCAL AREA, WITH
LITTLE SIGNAL IN MODEL ENSEMBLES FOR ANY SIGNIFICANT
PRECIPITATION CHANCE OR CHANCE OF A SIGNIFICANT COOL-DOWN
ACROSS THE LOCAL AREA FOR AT LEAST THE NEXT 10-14 DAYS.
AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z SATURDAY/
ISSUED AT 631 PM CDT THU MAR 19 2026
FOR KGRI/KEAR AIRPORTS:
VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS. WINDS WILL
WEAKEN THIS EVENING OUT OF GENERALLY THE SOUTHWEST. WINDS WILL
BECOME NORTHWEST TO NORTH BY 12Z AND WILL BECOME GUSTY AROUND
16Z. WINDS WILL WEAKEN SOME BY 21Z WITH GUSTS UNDER 15 KTS.
BRIEF WIND SHEAR IS POSSIBLE AROUND 10Z TO 11Z.
CLIMATE
ISSUED AT 1158 AM CDT THU MAR 19 2026
POTENTIAL RECORD WARM MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES:
TODAY, THURSDAY MARCH 19 FORECAST HIGH RECORD MAX/YEAR
HASTINGS 86 84 (1921)
GRAND ISLAND 85 86 (1921)
FRIDAY MARCH 20 FORECAST HIGH RECORD MAX/YEAR
HASTINGS 87 82 (1939)
GRAND ISLAND 86 84 (1921)
SATURDAY MARCH 21 FORECAST HIGH RECORD MAX/YEAR
HASTINGS 94 87 (1910)
GRAND ISLAND 93 83 (1988)
WEDNESDAY MARCH 25 FORECAST HIGH RECORD MAX/YEAR
HASTINGS 84 85 (1956)
GRAND ISLAND 85 88 (1910)
***NOTE: THE ALL-TIME MARCH MAX TEMPERATURE IS 90 DEGREES
AT BOTH GRAND ISLAND AND HASTINGS***
POTENTIAL RECORD WARM MINIMUM TEMPERATURES:
FRIDAY MARCH 20 FORECAST LOW RECORD WARM MIN/YEAR
HASTINGS 47 46 (2011)
GRAND ISLAND 46 50 (1921)
SATURDAY MARCH 21 FORECAST LOW RECORD WARM MIN/YEAR
HASTINGS 48 47 (2012)
GRAND ISLAND 47 54 (1911)
TEMPERATURE RECORDS FOR HASTINGS DATE BACK TO 1907 AND THEY
DATE BACK TO 1895 FOR GRAND ISLAND.
GID WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
NE...FIRE WEATHER WATCH FROM SATURDAY MORNING THROUGH LATE SATURDAY
NIGHT FOR NEZ039>041-046>049-060>064-072>077-082>087.
KS...FIRE WEATHER WATCH FROM SATURDAY MORNING THROUGH LATE SATURDAY
NIGHT FOR KSZ005>007-017>019.
DISCUSSION...ROSSI
AVIATION...SCHULDT
CLIMATE...NWS HASTINGS
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