629
FXUS63 KGID 200814
AFDGID
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
ISSUED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE
314 AM CDT MON APR 20 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT 12-9PM TODAY DUE TO THE COMBINATION
OF SOUTHERLY WINDS GUSTING 20-30MPH AND LOW AFTERNOON RELATIVE
HUMIDITY.
- ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THURSDAY WITH
HIGHS IN THE UPPER 70S TO LOW 90S.
- NEAR-CRITICAL TO CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE
ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE AREA WEDNESDAY-FRIDAY.
- LOW CHANCE (15-25%) FOR PRECIPITATION ARRIVES WEDNESDAY NIGHT
(WEST OF HIGHWAY 183) AND THURSDAY AFTERNOON/EVENING (HIGHWAY
81 AND EAST).
- COOLER WEATHER ARRIVES FRIDAY BEHIND A COLD FRONT, WITH
ADDITIONAL CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION (20-45%) THIS WEEKEND.
DISCUSSION
ISSUED AT 307 AM CDT MON APR 20 2026
SKIES ARE CLEAR ACROSS THE AREA THIS MORNING. WHERE WINDS REMAIN
ELEVATED (GUSTING 20MPH) TEMPERATURES ARE STILL IN THE 40S,
WITH TEMPERATURES DROPPING INTO THE 30S WHERE WINDS ARE LIGHTER.
ALOFT NORTHWESTERLY FLOW SITS OVER THE AREA WITH A RIDGE OVER
THE WESTERN ROCKIES AND TROUGHING OVER THE EASTERN U.S.
SOUTHERLY FLOW AT THE SURFACE DEVELOPS OVER THE AREA TODAY AHEAD
OF AN APPROACHING SHORTWAVE TROUGH. HIGHS TODAY WILL CLIMB INTO
THE UPPER 70S TO MID 80S. BREEZY SOUTHERLY WINDS GUSTING
20-30MPH ARE EXPECTED TODAY ACROSS THE AREA. LOW AFTERNOON
RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES (10-20%) COMBINED WITH THE BREEZY WINDS
WILL RESULT IN WIDESPREAD NEAR-CRITICAL TO CRITICAL FIRE
WEATHER CONDITIONS ACROSS THE AREA. IN COLLABORATION WITH
NEIGHBORS, A RED FLAG WARNING WAS ISSUED FROM 12PM TO 9PM FOR
THE ENTIRE AREA. LOWS TONIGHT WILL BE IN THE 40S AND 50S
WARMTH CONTINUES ON TUESDAY AS RIDGING BUILDS OVER THE AREA. HIGHS
WILL SOAR INTO THE 80S AND LOW 90S, WARMEST ACROSS SOUTHWESTERN
PORTIONS OF THE AREA. LIGHT WINDS AND SUNNY SKIES MAKE FOR AN
OVERALL WARM BUT PLEASANT DAY. HIGHS ON WEDNESDAY WILL BE IN THE
80S. GUSTY SOUTHERLY WINDS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE AREA ON
WEDNESDAY, WITH GUSTS OF 35-45MPH. THE GUSTY WINDS COULD RESULT
IN NEAR-CRITICAL TO CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS (SEE FIRE
WEATHER SECTION FOR MORE DETAILS).
A TROUGH MOVES INTO THE PLAINS WEDNESDAY EVENING-NIGHT, WITH SCATTERED
THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT POSSIBLE ALONG A DRYLINE IN WESTERN
NEBRASKA. THESE STORMS COULD MOVE INTO FAR WESTERN PORTIONS OF
THE AREA WEDNESDAY NIGHT, THOUGH THE BEST CHANCES REMAIN WEST OF
THE AREA. ADDITIONAL CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION ARRIVE THURSDAY
AFTERNOON ALONG THE COLD FRONT/DRYLINE BUT THIS LOOKS TO BE
LIMITED TO FAR EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA (HIGHWAY 81 AND
EAST).
AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z TUESDAY/
ISSUED AT 130 AM CDT MON APR 20 2026
FOR KGRI/KEAR AIRPORTS:
VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH TAF PERIOD. EAST-SOUTHEAST
WINDS WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. AFTER SUNRISE
WINDS SHIFT TO THE SOUTHEAST THEN SOUTH BY THE LATE MORNING
HOURS. SOUTHERLY WINDS SUSTAINED 10-15KTS AND GUSTING AROUND
20KTS ARE EXPECTED FROM THE AFTERNOON HOURS THROUGH THE END OF
THE TAF PERIOD. AROUND 3-5Z LLWS IS FORECAST TO DEVELOP AS THE
LLJ STRENGTHENS.
FIRE WEATHER
ISSUED AT 307 AM CDT MON APR 20 2026
HIGHS TODAY WILL CLIMB INTO THE UPPER 70S TO MID 80S ACROSS THE
AREA. THIS WILL RESULT IN AFTERNOON RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES
DROPPING TO 20% OR LESS, DRIEST ALONG/WEST OF HIGHWAY 183. AS
THE ATMOSPHERE MIXES THIS AFTERNOON, SOUTHERLY WINDS GUSTING
20-30MPH ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE AREA. THERE REMAINS SOME
UNCERTAINTY ON WHETHER OR NOT THE AREA WILL REACH TRUE CRITICAL
CONDITIONS WITH GUSTS OVER 25MPH, BUT AT LEAST WIDESPREAD NEAR-
CRITICAL CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED. GIVEN DRY FUELS, LOW HUMIDITY
AND WINDS NEAR CRITICAL CRITERIA, A RED FLAG WARNING WAS ISSUED
FOR THE ENTIRE AREA 12-9PM.
WARM WEATHER CONTINUES ON TUESDAY, WITH HIGHS IN THE 80S TO LOW
90S. INCREASING MOISTURE ADVECTION KEEPS RELATIVE HUMIDITY
VALUES AT OR ABOVE 25% ACROSS SOUTHEASTERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA
(SOUTHEAST OF THE TRI-CITIES). THE LOWEST DEWPOINTS LOOK TO BE
ALONG AND NORTHWEST OF THE TRI-CITIES AT 10-20%. WINDS WILL BE
LIGHTER ON TUESDAY ACROSS MOST OF THE AREA, WITH GUSTS BELOW
20MPH. THE STRONGEST WINDS (GUSTS 20-25MPH) LOOK TO BE
ALONG/SOUTHEAST OF A LINE FROM OSBORNE, KS TO GENEVA, NE. WITH
THE STRONGEST WINDS EXPECTED TO OVERLAP WITH THE HIGHEST RH,
FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS ARE LOW ON TUESDAY.
MOISTURE ADVECTION INCREASES FURTHER ON WEDNESDAY, KEEPING RELATIVE
HUMIDITY VALUES AT OR ABOVE 25% ACROSS THE AREA DESPITE HIGHS
IN THE 80S. DESPITE THE HIGHER RH, SOUTHERLY WINDS GUSTING
35-45MPH WILL RESULT IN AT LEAST ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS
TO THE AREA. IF THE ATMOSPHERE MIXES GREATER THAN CURRENTLY
FORECAST (LOWER RH) AN AREA OF NEAR-CRITICAL TO CRITICAL
CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP GIVEN THE STRONG/GUSTY WINDS.
A DRYLINE MOVES THROUGH THE AREA WEDNESDAY NIGHT WITH THE AREA
UNDER A DRIER AIRMASS IN PLACE ON THURSDAY. AFTERNOON RELATIVE
HUMIDITY VALUES ON THURSDAY WILL FALL TO 10-20%, LOWEST ACROSS
NORTHWESTERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA. BREEZY WINDS GUSTING 20-30MPH
COULD RESULT IN AN AREA OF NEAR-CRITICAL TO CRITICAL FIRE
WEATHER CONDITIONS, THOUGH THE EXACT AREA OF STRONGEST WINDS IS
UNCERTAIN AT THIS TIME.
GID WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
NE...RED FLAG WARNING FROM NOON TODAY TO 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR
NEZ039>041-046>049-060>064-072>077-082>087.
KS...RED FLAG WARNING FROM NOON TODAY TO 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR
KSZ005>007-017>019.
DISCUSSION...DAVIS
AVIATION...DAVIS
FIRE WEATHER...DAVIS
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