979 FXUS63 KGID 110945 AFDGID Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Hastings NE 445 AM CDT Fri Apr 11 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... - Sunny skies, light winds and mild temperatures (70s) will make for a very nice afternoon across the local area today. - Breezy/Windy over the weekend with warm temperatures Saturday (widespread 80s) and a cold front brining a cooler airmass to the local area Sunday afternoon (especially northwest of the tri-cities). - Next week starts off cool in the 60s (widespread lows in the 30s Tuesday AM), but warmer 70s-80s should return for the second half of the week. - Drier-than-normal conditions continue with only a low chance (20- 30%) for rain Sunday night, and again Wednesday night into next Thursday. Much of the local area will likely remain dry with no measurable precipitation over the course of the next week. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 353 AM CDT Fri Apr 11 2025 Clear skies and light winds have led to a seasonably cool start across the local area this morning. While most locations remain in the middle 30s as of 4 AM CDT, a few of the typically cooler spots have fallen below freezing, and would not be surprised to see temperatures fall another degree or two just prior to sunrise. For this afternoon, a pretty spectacular day is expected across the area as mostly sunny skies, very mild temperatures and light winds are anticipated. Winds will begin to increase a bit late in the day as the surface high across central Nebraska this morning shifts eastward, which combined with the warm and dry conditions, could result in a few hours of elevated to near critical fire weather concerns for areas generally along and west of Highway 183. High pressure aloft will then slide east across the local area on Saturday, with afternoon temperatures expected to peak in the 80s area-wide. This, combined with increasing southerly flow, will likely result in widespread near-critical fire weather conditions Saturday afternoon. A cold front will then cross the region on Sunday, bringing a cooler airmass to the region to end the weekend and start next week. Despite this cooler airmass, fire weather conditions will remain a concern both Sunday and Monday afternoons as strong northwesterly winds and minimum relative humidity values near or below 25 percent are anticipated both days. In addition, could see some very light precip behind the cold front Sunday evening, but with little moisture to work with, most areas will remain dry. Temperatures will rebound over the middle of next week, rapidly climbing into the mid to upper 70s by Wednesday afternoon, with another small chance for precip as a disturbance emerging out of the Rockies crosses the Central Plains Wednesday evening into Thursday. This does not look like a very impressive system, and once again, most of the local area will remain dry. && .AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z SATURDAY/... Issued at 1214 AM CDT Fri Apr 11 2025 For KGRI/KEAR Airports: High confidence VFR conditions through the period. Mostly clear skies and light winds will continue through the morning hours Friday as an area of surface high pressure remains centered across the local area. Expect this area of high pressure to shift east into the Missouri River valley through the daytime hours Friday, with southerly winds increasing to around 10-12 KTS by midday. At the same time could see a few high clouds stream across the area, with winds eventually decoupling around sunset and some modest LLWS developing across the area around 12/03Z. && .FIRE WEATHER... Issued at 445 PM CDT Thu Apr 10 2025 Elevated fire weather conditions are expected across the area today as mild temperatures will combine with a dry airmass to result in minimum relative humidity values falling below 20 percent, with light winds being the limiting factor for more concerning conditions. That said, areas along and west of highway 183 could see some near- critical conditions for an hour or two this afternoon as winds will be strongest across this area...with gusts to around 20 mph possible. Southerly winds increase area-wide on Saturday, and temperatures will soar into the 80s. Minimum relative humidity values remain a little more uncertain, and they could remain above 25% across some areas. Even so, widespread near-critical fire conditions look probable. A cold front moves through the area on Sunday, ushering in northwesterly winds gusting 25-35 MPH, with widespread near- critical fire weather concerns once again looking likely. Northwesterly winds continue Monday, as drier air advects into the area, leading to yet another day of heightened fire weather concerns. && .GID WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NE...None. KS...None. && $$ DISCUSSION...Rossi AVIATION...Rossi FIRE WEATHER...Rossi