636
FXUS63 KOAX 231744
AFDOAX

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE
1244 PM CDT Fri Oct 23 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Warm weather continues into the weekend across much of our
  area with highs in the mid 70s to low 80s.

- Winds gusting to around 40-45 mph on Friday will be a concern
  for some limited fire impacts in northeast Nebraska.

- Shower and storm chances increase this weekend into next week
  (60-80%). Expect a cooling trend from Sunday onward with
  highs reaching the 50s to low 60s by Tuesday.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 1100 PM CDT Thu Oct 22 2026

Ridging across the central High Plains lead to high temps in the
lower-80s along and south of I-80 this afternoon and in
localized spots in northeast Nebraska, too.

Wind speeds have not fallen off after dark and are expected to
remain at about 10-20 mph through the night. The southerly flow
should help saturate what is currently a pretty dry layer from
H8 to H7. Deterministic global models and CAMs have been
consistently producing isolated light showers along the NE/SD
state line overnight thanks to the WAA/moisture advection. Have
maintained 15-25% PoPs there from 4am to 9am. The remainder of
the area should be dry. A few hundred kJ/g of CAPE means some
thunder may be heard. The vast majority (or total) of the area
will remain dry.

.FRIDAY...

The sfc pressure gradient remains tight and breezy southerly
winds will hit their stride in the afternoon. Gusts of up to 45
mph are possible with max obs expected to be reported from areas
northeast of Columbus/Norfolk.

High temps should rival those of Wednesday/Thursday, but there
is some uncertainty with increased cloud cover, especially north
of the Platte River.

That`s the same location that will be flirting with RED FLAG
WARNING criteria as the strong winds will be accompanied by RH
values as low as 30% in northeast Nebraska. Thankfully, the
driest air (25% RH) will be along the KS state line where wind
speeds will peak closer to 25-30 mph. Deeper mixing would mean
lower RH values and the necessitation of a RFW with autumn
curing as far along as it is (35% chance). Those harvesting
should be aware of the ease of fire development and spread.

A few showers (30%) may develop after 10pm in northeast/central
Nebraska behind the stalled front as the LLJ develops again.

.SATURDAY...

As a sfc lee cyclone streaks northeast, the cold front should
push into northeast Nebraska. High temperatures on Saturday will be
dependent on how far south the cold front is able to push into
the CWA. Max temps may differ by 20 degrees from CWA top to
bottom with some locations (including OMA) managing close to
80F for a fourth consecutive day.

Northeast Nebraska will be relegated to the 60s in part due to
the increasing chances of showers forecast there in the
afternoon (40-60%). Those rain chances change very little
overnight and into Sunday.

.SUNDAY AND BEYOND...

PoPs have been reduced in this CWA as the QPF signal has
migrated west over the past 24 hours. (80% in Niobrara quickly
fades to 15% in Omaha). It has been vacillating east and west
all week. Regardless, best PoPs remain west of this forecast
area on Sunday and into next week as the upper low lifts and
ejects northeast across the Central Plains.

NBM probabilities suggest a 80% chance of 1" of rain over the
course of the weekend in vicinity of Antelope/Knox County (NE
Nebraska) and about 5% chance in Omaha and Lincoln where less
than 0.2" are presently forecast.

By Tuesday, high temps should be closer to seasonal norms with
widespread 60s (they`re still a bit too high) as the wave
departs and the last of the showers wrap up. It`s at this point
of the forecast that solutions begin to diverge considerably.
The overall gist, though, is zonal or slight southwesterly H5
flow will keep the pattern active. Chance PoPs (25-40%) each day
round out days 4-8 and temps are expected to remain autumnal.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY/...
Issued at 1244 PM CDT Fri Oct 23 2026

VFR conditions prevail at all TAF sites for the duration of the
cycle. Mid to high based cloud cover will gradually increase
over the next few hours. Gusty 30 kt southerly winds remain in
place this afternoon, but should decrease in speed at most sites
late tonight into tomorrow morning, lingering a little longer
at KOFK. Winds then turn northwesterly behind an approaching
front toward the end of the TAF period. Low level wind shear
overspreads terminals this evening, lasting through 13-14z.
Models suggest a band of showers moving toward KOFK closer to
12z, but chances that the terminal will be impacted are less
than 30%.

&&

.OAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NE...None.
IA...None.

&&

$$

DISCUSSION...Nicolaisen
AVIATION...Castillo

NWS OAX Office Area Forecast Discussion