FNUS53 KLBF 080909 FWFLBF Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Western and North Central Nebraska National Weather Service North Platte NE 409 AM CDT Wed Jul 8 2026 .DISCUSSION... Fire weather concerns remain low over the next few days. Though daytime highs will remain near to slightly above seasonal normals, increased low-level mugginess will keep humidity levels above 30 percent. Periodic rain and thunderstorm chances will dot the forecast over the net 48 hours but widespread wetting rains appear unlikely. Spotty wetting rains, particularly central into eastern Nebraska Wednesday night and west of Highway 61 Thursday afternoon/evening, are possible. Much warmer temperatures return by late weekend with daytime highs climbing to the 90s and even some low 100s. This heat will likely coincide with dry conditions and is expected to persist through the first half of next week. Strong winds appear probable too, with more reserved members of the NBM suggesting 30+ mph gusts for much of our western zones by Sunday. These increase further on Monday where probabilities for approaching 40 mph gusts increase to 80%+ west of Highway 83. This will likely lead to increased fire weather concerns with more precise details uncertain at this time. Heat will continue through the middle of the week until ridge breakdown occurs sometime around late Wednesday into Thursday of next week. NEZ204-082315- Eastern Panhandle/Crescent Lake NWR- 309 AM MDT Wed Jul 8 2026 .TODAY... Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny. Max temperature.....85-90. 24 hr trend......7 degrees cooler. Min humidity........41 percent. 24 hr trend......23 percent wetter. 20-foot winds.......Northeast 5 to 10 mph. Smoke dispersal.....Good. Mixing height.......400-3100 ft AGL until 1200, then 2900-6800 ft AGL. Transport winds.....Northeast around 10 mph. Chance of thunder...0 percent. .TONIGHT... Sky/weather.........Mostly cloudy. Chance of showers and thunderstorms in the evening. Slight chance of showers after midnight. Min temperature.....59-64. 24 hr trend......5 degrees cooler. Max humidity........100 percent. 24 hr trend......19 percent wetter. 20-foot winds.......Northeast 5 to 10 mph. Smoke dispersal.....Poor. Mixing height.......500-6400 ft AGL until 2400, then 400-1100 ft AGL. Transport winds.....Northeast around 15 mph shifting to the east after midnight. Chance of thunder...50 percent. .THURSDAY... Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny. Slight chance of showers and thunderstorms late in the afternoon. Max temperature.....81-86. 24 hr trend......2 degrees cooler. Min humidity........42 percent. 24 hr trend......5 percent drier. 20-foot winds.......Southeast 5 to 10 mph. Smoke dispersal.....Good. Mixing height.......400-3400 ft AGL until 1200, then 3700-6400 ft AGL. Transport winds.....Southeast around 10 mph. Chance of thunder...20 percent. .FORECAST DAYS 3 THROUGH 7... .FRIDAY...Mostly cloudy. Showers likely and chance of thunderstorms. Lows in the upper 50s. Highs in the mid 80s. South winds 5 to 10 mph. .SATURDAY...Mostly clear. Slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 60s. Highs in the lower 90s. Southeast winds 5 to 15 mph. .SUNDAY...Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 60s. Highs in the mid 90s. South winds 5 to 15 mph. .MONDAY...Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 60s. Highs in the mid 90s. .TUESDAY...Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 60s. Highs in the mid 90s. $$ NEZ210-082315- Frenchman Basin- 409 AM CDT Wed Jul 8 2026 /309 AM MDT Wed Jul 8 2026/ .TODAY... Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny. Max temperature.....90-95. 24 hr trend......2 degrees warmer. Min humidity........37 percent. 24 hr trend......6 percent wetter. 20-foot winds.......South around 5 mph shifting to the northeast in the afternoon. Smoke dispersal.....Fair. Mixing height.......400-2600 ft AGL until 1200, then 3100-6500 ft AGL. Transport winds.....West around 10 mph shifting to the northeast in the afternoon. Chance of thunder...0 percent. .TONIGHT... Sky/weather.........Mostly cloudy. Chance of showers and thunderstorms in the evening. Slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after midnight. Min temperature.....Around 62. 24 hr trend......4 degrees cooler. Max humidity........100 percent. 24 hr trend......27 percent wetter. 20-foot winds.......Northeast 5 to 10 mph. Smoke dispersal.....Poor. Mixing height.......500-6500 ft AGL until 2400, then 500-1000 ft AGL. Transport winds.....Northeast 10 to 15 mph. Chance of thunder...40 percent. .THURSDAY... Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny. Chance of showers in the afternoon. Max temperature.....Around 87. 24 hr trend......7 degrees cooler. Min humidity........47 percent. 24 hr trend......10 percent wetter. 20-foot winds.......East 5 to 10 mph. Smoke dispersal.....Fair. Mixing height.......600-2800 ft AGL until 1200, then 3300-5100 ft AGL. Transport winds.....Northeast around 10 mph shifting to the southeast in the afternoon. Chance of thunder...0 percent. .FORECAST DAYS 3 THROUGH 7... .FRIDAY...Mostly cloudy. Showers likely and chance of thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 60s. Highs in the mid 80s. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph. .SATURDAY...Mostly clear. Slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 60s. Highs around 90. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph. .SUNDAY...Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 60s. Highs in the lower 90s. Southeast winds 10 to 15 mph. .MONDAY...Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 60s. Highs in the mid 90s. .TUESDAY...Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 60s. Highs in the mid 90s. $$ NEZ206-082315- Sandhills/Valentine NWR/Nebraska National Forest- 409 AM CDT Wed Jul 8 2026 /309 AM MDT Wed Jul 8 2026/ .TODAY... Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny. Slight chance of showers and thunderstorms early in the afternoon. Max temperature.....87-92. 24 hr trend......4 degrees cooler. Min humidity........43 percent. 24 hr trend......14 percent wetter. 20-foot winds.......Northwest up to 5 mph shifting to the northeast in the afternoon. Smoke dispersal.....Fair. Mixing height.......400-3100 ft AGL until 1200, then 3400-5700 ft AGL. Transport winds.....West around 10 mph shifting to the northeast in the afternoon. Chance of thunder...10 percent. .TONIGHT... Sky/weather.........Partly cloudy then becoming mostly cloudy. Chance of showers and thunderstorms in the evening. Slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after midnight. Min temperature.....Around 62. 24 hr trend......5 degrees cooler. Max humidity........100 percent. 24 hr trend......22 percent wetter. 20-foot winds.......Northeast 5 to 10 mph. Smoke dispersal.....Poor. Mixing height.......500-5500 ft AGL until 2400, then 500-1100 ft AGL. Transport winds.....Northeast around 10 mph. Chance of thunder...30 percent. .THURSDAY... Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny. Max temperature.....Around 85. 24 hr trend......4 degrees cooler. Min humidity........41 percent. 24 hr trend......Unchanged. 20-foot winds.......East 5 to 10 mph. Smoke dispersal.....Fair. Mixing height.......500-3300 ft AGL until 1200, then 3700-6500 ft AGL. Transport winds.....East around 10 mph shifting to the southeast in the afternoon. Chance of thunder...0 percent. .FORECAST DAYS 3 THROUGH 7... .FRIDAY...Mostly cloudy. Chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 60s. Highs in the mid 80s. South winds 5 to 10 mph. .SATURDAY...Partly cloudy. Chance of showers and slight chance of thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 60s. Highs in the upper 80s. Southeast winds 10 to 15 mph. .SUNDAY...Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 60s. Highs in the lower 90s. South winds 5 to 15 mph. .MONDAY...Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 60s. Highs in the mid 90s. .TUESDAY...Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 60s. Highs in the mid 90s. $$ NEZ219-082315- Loess Plains- 409 AM CDT Wed Jul 8 2026 .TODAY... Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny. Max temperature.....90-95. 24 hr trend......1 degree warmer. Min humidity........37 percent. 24 hr trend......7 percent wetter. 20-foot winds.......South 5 to 10 mph shifting to the east in the afternoon. Smoke dispersal.....Fair. Mixing height.......500-2600 ft AGL until 1200, then 3000-6900 ft AGL. Transport winds.....South around 10 mph shifting to the east in the afternoon. Chance of thunder...0 percent. .TONIGHT... Sky/weather.........Partly cloudy then becoming mostly cloudy. Slight chance of showers and thunderstorms early in the evening, then chance of showers and thunderstorms late in the evening. Slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after midnight. Min temperature.....Around 64. 24 hr trend......6 degrees cooler. Max humidity........100 percent. 24 hr trend......27 percent wetter. 20-foot winds.......Northeast 5 to 10 mph. Smoke dispersal.....Poor. Mixing height.......500-6700 ft AGL until 2400, then 600-1300 ft AGL. Transport winds.....Northeast around 15 mph. Chance of thunder...40 percent. .THURSDAY... Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny. Max temperature.....Around 86. 24 hr trend......7 degrees cooler. Min humidity........45 percent. 24 hr trend......9 percent wetter. 20-foot winds.......Northeast 5 to 10 mph. Smoke dispersal.....Fair. Mixing height.......700-2800 ft AGL until 1200, then 3200-4900 ft AGL. Transport winds.....Northeast around 10 mph shifting to the east in the afternoon. Chance of thunder...0 percent. .FORECAST DAYS 3 THROUGH 7... .FRIDAY...Mostly cloudy. Showers likely and chance of thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 60s. Highs in the mid 80s. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph. .SATURDAY...Partly cloudy. Chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 60s. Highs in the upper 80s. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph. .SUNDAY...Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 60s. Highs in the lower 90s. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph. .MONDAY...Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 60s. Highs in the lower 90s. .TUESDAY...Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 60s. Highs in the mid 90s. $$ NEZ208-082315- Niobrara Valley/Fort Niobrara NWR/Samuel R McKelvie National Forest- 409 AM CDT Wed Jul 8 2026 /309 AM MDT Wed Jul 8 2026/ .TODAY... Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny. Slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Max temperature.....85-90. 24 hr trend......8 degrees cooler. Min humidity........48 percent. 24 hr trend......15 percent wetter. 20-foot winds.......North 5 to 10 mph. Smoke dispersal.....Fair. Mixing height.......500-2700 ft AGL until 1200, then 3000-5100 ft AGL. Transport winds.....North around 10 mph. Chance of thunder...20 percent. .TONIGHT... Sky/weather.........Partly cloudy then becoming mostly cloudy. Slight chance of showers and thunderstorms in the late evening and early morning. Min temperature.....60-65. 24 hr trend......6 degrees cooler. Max humidity........100 percent. 24 hr trend......16 percent wetter. 20-foot winds.......Northeast 5 to 10 mph. Smoke dispersal.....Poor. Mixing height.......500-4900 ft AGL until 2400, then 400-900 ft AGL. Transport winds.....Northeast around 10 mph. Chance of thunder...20 percent. .THURSDAY... Sky/weather.........Partly sunny. Max temperature.....85-90. 24 hr trend......Unchanged. Min humidity........39 percent. 24 hr trend......15 percent drier. 20-foot winds.......East up to 5 mph. Smoke dispersal.....Good. Mixing height.......400-3500 ft AGL until 1200, then 4000-8000 ft AGL. Transport winds.....East 5 to 10 mph. Chance of thunder...0 percent. .FORECAST DAYS 3 THROUGH 7... .FRIDAY...Mostly cloudy. Chance of showers and slight chance of thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 60s. Highs in the upper 80s. South winds 5 to 10 mph. .SATURDAY...Partly cloudy. Slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the mid 60s. Highs in the lower 90s. South winds 5 to 15 mph. .SUNDAY...Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 60s. Highs in the mid 90s. South winds 5 to 15 mph. .MONDAY...Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 60s. Highs in the upper 90s. .TUESDAY...Mostly clear. Lows around 70. Highs in the upper 90s. $$ NEZ209-082315- Loup Rivers Basin- 409 AM CDT Wed Jul 8 2026 .TODAY... Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny. Slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Max temperature.....86-91. 24 hr trend......2 degrees cooler. Min humidity........46 percent. 24 hr trend......13 percent wetter. 20-foot winds.......Southwest 5 to 10 mph shifting to the northeast in the afternoon. Smoke dispersal.....Fair. Mixing height.......500-2900 ft AGL until 1200, then 3300-6100 ft AGL. Transport winds.....Southwest around 10 mph shifting to the north in the afternoon. Chance of thunder...20 percent. .TONIGHT... Sky/weather.........Partly cloudy then becoming mostly cloudy. Chance of showers in the evening. Chance of thunderstorms through the night. Slight chance of showers after midnight. Min temperature.....Around 64. 24 hr trend......5 degrees cooler. Max humidity........100 percent. 24 hr trend......24 percent wetter. 20-foot winds.......Northeast 5 to 10 mph. Smoke dispersal.....Poor. Mixing height.......500-4700 ft AGL until 2400, then 500-1200 ft AGL. Transport winds.....Northeast around 10 mph. Chance of thunder...40 percent. .THURSDAY... Sky/weather.........Partly sunny. Max temperature.....82-87. 24 hr trend......4 degrees cooler. Min humidity........45 percent. 24 hr trend......9 percent drier. 20-foot winds.......Northeast 5 to 10 mph. Smoke dispersal.....Fair. Mixing height.......500-3100 ft AGL until 1200, then 3600-7000 ft AGL. Transport winds.....Northeast around 10 mph. Chance of thunder...0 percent. .FORECAST DAYS 3 THROUGH 7... .FRIDAY...Mostly cloudy. Chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 60s. Highs in the mid 80s. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph. .SATURDAY...Partly cloudy. Chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 60s. Highs in the upper 80s. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph. .SUNDAY...Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 60s. Highs in the lower 90s. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph. .MONDAY...Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 60s. Highs in the lower 90s. .TUESDAY...Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 60s. Highs in the mid 90s. $$