21°F
Updated:
1/30/2026
03:05:07am
Forecast Discussion
NWS Omaha/Valley, NE
223 FXUS63 KOAX 300400 AFDOAX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE 1000 PM CST Thu Jan 29 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - Light snow tonight into Friday morning (30% chance), mainly across east-central Nebraska. Accumulations are expected to remain below one inch. - Colder conditions today through Saturday, including Friday highs in the teens and Saturday morning wind chills from 10 to 20 degrees below zero. - Additional show chances (40-70%) return Saturday afternoon into early Sunday, followed by a warm-up toward near-normal temperatures by Monday. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 216 PM CST Thu Jan 29 2026 Tonight and Tomorrow... Water vapor imagery and objective analysis this afternoon depict broad troughing over the east-central CONUS, with ridging building into the western CONUS. Northwesterly flow aloft has kept high temperatures confined to the low 20s today. Shortwave energy pivoting across the Upper Midwest will continue to produce spotty flurries across the area today. Any additional accumulations will be limited to a dusting. Tonight into Friday morning, another round of light snow is possible across east-central Nebraska, mainly affecting the far western portions of the forecast area, as modest forcing for ascent overspreads a stalled boundary in central Nebraska. PoPs of 15-30% remain in place, with any additional accumulations again expected to be light, under one-half inch. Snow chances will diminish through the day Friday as surface high pressure pushes into the region. Through Friday, a tangled assortment of disturbances pivoting through the Upper Midwest will act to further amplify the parent trough and introduce a positive tilt. This evolving pattern will usher a cooler airmass into the region, with Friday morning lows falling into the single digits and wind chills of 5 to 15 degrees below zero. Afternoon highs are only expected to reach the teens. Saturday and Sunday... The colder airmass will remain firmly in place Saturday morning, with low temperatures falling into the single digits below zero and wind chills ranging from 10 to 20 degrees below zero. Afternoon highs on Saturday are expected to reach the 20s. Meanwhile, an additional shortwave disturbance moving into the northern Plains will induce surface cyclogenesis, with the low forecast to track along the US/Canada border through the weekend while dragging an associated frontal boundary southward. Along and ahead of this boundary, snow chances will return to the area from early Saturday afternoon into early Sunday, with PoPs in the 40-70% range. Uncertainty remains regarding snowfall amounts this weekend. EPS/EPS-AIFS continues to depict better moisture overall and a farther south solution across eastern Nebraska and western Iowa compared to most GEFS members. That said, GEFS guidance has trended slightly farther south with the snow axis, increasing confidence that snowfall will occur, though expected amounts remains uncertain. EPS/EPS-AIFS guidance indicates a 60-90% probability of at least once inch of snow across northeast Nebraska, decreasing to around 30% near the NE/KS border. In contrast, the GEFS probabilities peak at only 30- 40% in northeast Nebraska. Forecast confidence in snow amounts will continue to hinge on how these solutions converge as the system approaches, though areas of 1-2 inches appear likely. Snow is expected to exit the area during the first half of Sunday as a mid- to upper-level ridge builds into the region. Temperatures will respond quickly, with highs climbing into the 30s to potentially the lower 40s. This quick warmup may briefly allow for a rain-snow mix on the back edge of the departing precipitation shield before precipitation fully ends. Monday and Beyond... Mid- to upper-level ridging will persist into the start of the work week, supporting highs in the 30s to low 40s across the area. A mid- level low moving into the northern Plains late Tuesday into Wednesday will briefly dampen the ridge and bring low precipitation chances back to the area, with PoPs in the 15-30% range. Long-range guidance continues to show considerable spread in the track of this feature, resulting in lower confidence in precipitation timing and coverage at this time. Ridging is then expected to rebuild across the region by midweek, allowing a warmer airmass to return. Highs are forecast to climb into the 40s, with some locations potentially reaching the low 50s to end the work week. This warmer pattern appears likely to persist, as both the CPC 6-10 day and 8-14 day outlooks favor above-normal temperatures along with below-normal precipitation totals. && .AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z SATURDAY/... Issued at 1000 PM CST Thu Jan 29 2026 Light snow has moved into northeast Nebraska briefly, with additonal periods of light snow possible, mainly across east- central Nebraska down through southeast Nebraska which could impact KLNK. MVFR cigs now look to stay southwest of KOMA and KOFK, mainly impacting KLNK overnight with the 30% chance for occasional light snow. Winds overnight will remain light generally out of the north. Expect increasing winds on Friday with clearing skies into the afternoon. Clear skies hold overnight with winds around 10-12kt through the evening. && .OAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NE...None. IA...None. && $$ DISCUSSION...Wood AVIATION...McCoy
NWS OAX Office Area Forecast Discussion
Forecast Discussion
NWS Hastings, NE
956 FXUS63 KGID 300534 AFDGID Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Hastings NE 1134 PM CST Thu Jan 29 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - Light snow possible Friday as a band of snow moves southwest across the area. Accumulations of 1" or less are expected. - Frigid weather expected Saturday morning with temperatures below zero and wind chills in the negative 10s. - Another round of light snow is possible Saturday afternoon/evening. Accumulations of 1" or less expected. - Above normal temperatures return Sunday onwards with highs in the 40s/50s and lows in the 10s/20s. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 235 PM CST Thu Jan 29 2026 This afternoon/evening... Temperatures are currently sitting in the 20s to 30s this afternoon. A few lingering snow showers are dissipating across southeastern portions of the area. A few additional snow showers may develop/impact areas mainly along/north of Interstate 80 through the evening hours. Little if any accumulation (up to a couple of tenths) is expected with these showers. Tonight-Saturday... Another round of snow showers/bands develops overnight across northern Nebraska as troughing deepens over the central U.S. This snow will enter northern portions of the area during the early morning hours on Friday. Around sunrise, areas most favored to see snow will be along and northeast of the Tri-Cities. Snow will steadily shift southwest across the area Friday morning- afternoon as an arctic high moves into the area. Any remaining snow is favored to exit far southwestern portions of the area during the late afternoon-early evening hours. Cloud coverage and increasing cold air advection Friday afternoon will confine highs to the teens (northeast) and 20s (southwest). Skies clear and winds decrease Friday night-Saturday morning under the high pressure system. This will result in favorable conditions for temperatures to drop below zero Saturday morning. Light winds should keep wind chills in the negative teens, and just shy of "official" advisory criteria. Stronger winds look to arrive in the mid-late morning hours, just past the coldest temperatures and avoiding more frigid wind chills. Southerly flow strengthens on Saturday ahead of an approaching clipper system, allowing highs to reach the 20s despite the cold start. As the clipper system moves into the area Saturday afternoon, it will bring another chance for light snow to the area. This band of snow will moves west to east across the area. There remains some uncertainty in regards to how widespread and how far south this band of snow develops. The 12z ECMWF shows a more robust band that impacts all of our Nebraska counties and portions of north-central Kansas, whereas the NAM and GFS keep snow across northern portions of the area or even north of the area entirely. Either way, any snow that falls in this band will be light, with accumulations generally under an inch. Any lingering snow would exit eastern portions of the area by the late evening hours. Sunday Onwards... Ridging builds over the Rockies and Plains on Sunday and Monday allowing temperatures to climb above above normal, in the 40s and 50s. A passing disturbance brings a low (15-20%) chance for precip on Tuesday, though the best chances look to be east of the area at this time. Otherwise northwesterly flow-ridging is expected through the end of the forecast period/end of next week. Highs will generally be in the 40s and 50s, with lows in the 10s/20s. && .AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z SATURDAY/... Issued at 1127 PM CST Thu Jan 29 2026 For KGRI/KEAR Airports: MVFR and possibly IFR ceilings are expected to impact the area by around 09z and continue until around 15z to 19z. Light snow showers may impact the area overnight but the highest chance of snow will be from 13z to 19z. The snow and low ceilings are expected to be out of the area by 21z. && .GID WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NE...None. KS...None. && $$ DISCUSSION...Davis AVIATION...Schuldt
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