060  
FXUS63 KOAX 182313  
AFDOAX  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE  
613 PM CDT SUN OCT 18 2026  
   
KEY MESSAGES  
 
- GUSTY SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL PERSIST ACROSS THE AREA TODAY.  
HIGHS WARM TO THE MID TO UPPER 60S UNDER MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES.  
 
- WARMER TEMPERATURES RETURN THIS WEEK. DRY CONDITIONS CONTINUE  
WITH OUR NEXT CHANCE OF RAIN NOT UNTIL LATE FRIDAY-SATURDAY  
(20-40%).  
 
- STRONG WINDS GUSTING 30-40 MPH ALSO ARRIVE FRIDAY, INCREASING  
FIRE DANGER FOR AREAS WITH STANDING CROPS.  
 
 
   
DISCUSSION  
 
ISSUED AT 110 PM CDT SUN OCT 18 2026  
 
TODAY AND TOMORROW:  
 
WATER VAPOR IMAGERY CONTINUES TO FEATURE A MID/UPPER SHORTWAVE  
RIDING THE NORTHERN SIDE OF ZONAL FLOW SET UP ALONG THE US/CANADIAN  
BORDER WHILE ANOTHER SHORTWAVE EJECTS NORTHEASTWARD INTO THE FOUR  
CORNERS REGION. AHEAD OF THOSE FEATURES, A LARGE-SCALE MASS RESPONSE  
IS UNDERWAY WITH SOUTH-SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS UP AND DOWN THE GREAT  
PLAINS, WITH THOSE SOUTHERLY WINDS HELPING TO REBOUND  
TEMPERATURES FROM THE 40S THIS MORNING WELL INTO THE 50S ON  
THEIR WAY TO THEIR HIGHS IN THE MID-TO-UPPER 60S. MUCH OF THAT  
FLOW IS SOURCED FROM THE HIGH PLAINS INTO CENTRAL TEXAS, LEAVING  
LITTLE MOISTURE FOR THE INCOMING SOUTHWESTERN WAVE TO WORK  
WITH. WE'LL SEE INCREASING CLOUD COVER MOVING IN THIS EVENING,  
LASTING THROUGH MUCH OF THE DAY TOMORROW AS HIGHS TOP OUT IN THE  
MID 60S. WINDS WILL DECREASE IN SPEED HEADING INTO TOMORROW AS  
WELL, AS THE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT DECREASES AND THE  
INCOMING FRONT TO THE NORTHWEST STALLS OUT BEFORE ARRIVING.  
 
TUESDAY AND BEYOND:  
 
WE'LL SEE TEMPERATURES WARM THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK AS  
MID/UPPER RIDGING INCREASES IN AMPLITUDE, PROPPED UP BE A DEEPENING  
TROUGH OFF THE PACIFIC COAST. HIGHS WILL TOP OUT THURSDAY/FRIDAY IN  
THE MID 70S, WITH INCREASING FLOW ONCE AGAIN IN ANTICIPATION OF  
THE MAIN SYSTEM ASSOCIATED WITH THE INCOMING TROUGH. EPS  
MEMBERS GIVE NORTHEAST NEBRASKA GREATER THAN A 70% CHANCE TO SEE  
DRY CONDITIONS ALONGSIDE WINDS OF 35 MPH OR GREATER. THOSE  
SOUTHERN WINDS WILL BE BRINGING IN BETTER MOISTURE COMPARED TO  
THE EARLY WEEK, MEANING HUMIDITY VALUES WON'T BE CRITICALLY  
LOW. WITH THAT SAID, AREA LAND MANAGERS AND FIRE EXPERTS HAVE  
OBSERVED EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR WITH STRONG WINDS OF 40 MPH OR  
GREATER WITH RH VALUES OF 50% OR LESS. THE BEST CHANCES OF THAT  
HAPPENING WILL BE ACROSS OUR DRIEST AREAS OF NORTHEAST NEBRASKA,  
WHERE THERE ARE STILL PLENTY OF STANDING, FULLY CURED CROPS  
WAITING TO BE HARVESTED. WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE FORECAST  
TRENDS, BUT VERY HIGH TO EXTREME FIRE DANGER IS ON THE TABLE  
FRIDAY AFTERNOON. RAIN CHANCES ARRIVE SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY, WITH  
THE MAIN CORE OF THE UPPER SYSTEM SHOOTING VERY QUICKLY TO THE  
NORTH. THIS WILL DECREASE THE FORCING LOCALLY AND LIMIT THE  
MAGNITUDE OF THE ANTICIPATED RAINFALL. EITHER WAY, WE'LL TAKE  
IT SO WE DOING DRY OUT TOO MUCH DURING THE PEAKING FALL FIRE  
SEASON.  
 
 
   
AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z TUESDAY/  
 
ISSUED AT 613 PM CDT SUN OCT 18 2026  
 
VFR CONDITIONS PREVAIL AT ALL TERMINALS FOR THE DURATION OF THE  
TAF CYCLE. GUSTY SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL DECREASE OVER THE NEXT  
HOUR AND REMAIN LESS THAN 12 KTS THROUGHOUT THE PERIOD. WILL SEE  
SOME HIGH BASED CLOUDS RANGING FROM 18,000 TO 25,000 FEET FILTER  
IN FROM THE SOUTHWEST AFTER 03Z AND PERSIST FOR MOST OF THE  
PERIOD.  
 
 
   
OAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES  
 
NE...NONE.  
IA...NONE.  
 
 
 
 
 
DISCUSSION...PETERSEN  
AVIATION...CASTILLO  
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