FXUS63 KLBF 120526 AFDLBF Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service North Platte NE 1126 PM CST Thu Dec 11 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... - Light accumulating snow expected Friday night into Saturday morning across portions of northern Nebraska. - Very cold Saturday into Sunday morning. - A return to warm weather is expected the first half of next week. && .SHORT TERM /THROUGH SATURDAY/... Issued at 248 PM CST Thu Dec 11 2025 Warmer temperatures have returned today across central and western Nebraska to the west of a warm front. In fact, have seen several record highs set. Elevated fire weather concerns will continue until around sunset with gusty west winds combing with the lower humidity and warm temperatures. East of the warm front temperatures have really struggled out of the 30s - but have warmed enough that any light icing from this mornings freezing rain has melted. The warm front will become nearly stationary this evening, and then begin to back southwest and be located from eastern WY to southern KS by Friday morning. A weak area of mid-level FGEN will be in place across northern Nebraska overnight. Overall forcing is weak and little in the way of precipitation is expected tonight. A reinforcing cold front settles southward into northern Nebraska Friday. FGEN starts to increase with the reinforcing boundary and could lead to some light snow for areas generally along and north of Hwy 20. Little accumulation is expected during the day Friday. Conditions will become more favorable for snow Friday night into at least the first half of Saturday across northern Nebraska. Strong arctic high pressure will settle southward through the Dakotas with an arctic cold front moving southward through Nebraska during the day Saturday. Meanwhile, strong WAA aloft develops Friday evening and continues through Saturday morning. Initially, snow develops across portions of northern Nebraska in a northwest to southeast oriented band Friday evening. This band will gradually lift northeastward into SD by Saturday morning. This is where the overall heavier snow amounts are expected. As far as snowfall amounts, the probability of 1" or more of snowfall is mainly along and north of Hwy 20. There is a near 80% chance of this occurring across portions of Boyd county, and then decreasing south and westward from there. When looking at 2" the chance decreases significantly - so fairly confident in a 1-2" snowfall event for the above mentioned areas Friday night into Saturday morning. Very cold Saturday behind the arctic front, with quite a range in temperatures. Highs may struggle to hit 10 degrees across eastern portions of north central Nebraska. Meanwhile, highs in the lower 40s should be realized across far southwest Nebraska. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... Issued at 248 PM CST Thu Dec 11 2025 Bitter cold expected across portions of north central Nebraska Saturday night into Sunday morning. Skies will begin to clear as arctic surface high pressure slides southeastward down the Missouri River Valley. Winds will be light, but with lows approaching -5F, even light winds will create wind chills around -15F. The high slides off to the east Sunday with return southerly low- level flow developing. Low-level WAA develops with the return southerly flow. A quick warm up beneath west to northwest flow aloft through the middle of next week. Highs back into the 60s, especially across western Nebraska both Tuesday and Wednesday. && .AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z SATURDAY/... Issued at 1126 PM CST Thu Dec 11 2025 For the KLBF terminal: Expect overcast ceilings over the next 24 hours. Ceilings will fall off to 800 to 1500 FT AGL overnight, improving somewhat to 1200 to 1600 FT AGL by late morning Friday, remaining at those levels through 06z Saturday. For the KVTN terminal: Expect IFR and LIFR ceilings overnight through Friday morning with ceilings ranging from 400 to 800 FT AGL. Ceilings will improve some Friday afternoon, ranging from 1100 to 1600 FT AGL Friday afternoon into Friday evening. Light snow is possible Friday evening and will handle this with a prob30 group for now. && .LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && $$ SHORT TERM...Taylor LONG TERM...Taylor AVIATION...Buttler