Weekend Forecast: Pleasant weather expected for the holiday weekend

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (KNOP) SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb (KNEP)- We’ll watch out for some more isolated to scattered storms into Friday evening across western Nebraska, but past that chance for some scattered storms there isn’t a whole lot to worry about in the forecast. Pleasant weather is expected through most of the holiday weekend with the quiet weather continuing through most of the week next week.

Our next chance for storms will arrive into Friday afternoon, Friday evening and Friday night as a weak trough settles into the area. Combine that with upsloping flow across the High Plains and scattered showers and storms are expected to develop later this afternoon. There is enough energy in the atmosphere to support some strong to briefly severe storms across the area, though the best chances for those will likely stay centered over the I-25 corridor and into the Nebraska Panhandle where there is a marginal risk for severe weather. Large hail, damaging winds, and areas of locally heavy rain appear to the primary threats into Friday evening. After some recent heavy rains across the area, we won’t rule out the potential for some minor flooding.

Short term models have storms congealing into several clusters as they exit the Panhandle and try and slide into the Sandhills and southwestern Nebraska later this evening. As this happens, the primary threat would likely be some marginally severe hail, gusty winds, and heavy rain. Thunderstorm activity should begin to diminish by late tonight with rain gradually ending overnight tonight from northwest to southeast as high pressure settles into the region.

By Saturday morning, we should begin the day with partly cloudy skies and generally dry weather. Some patchy fog is possible. There’s still an outside chance that a spotty shower or two could still be ongoing, but most of the area should be dry. By the afternoon, skies should have cleared with skies becoming mostly sunny with cool and comfortable conditions. Temperatures by early Saturday should range from the low 50s to the low 60s and by the afternoon most areas should sit in the mid to upper 70s. Winds should be light and out of the north at around 10 MPH and dew points by Saturday afternoon should be quite comfortable. There is a small chance for an isolated thunderstorms over the southwest late Saturday into early Sunday, but all in all, not a bad start to the holiday weekend!

More sunshine is expected for Sunday with dry weather, though temperatures will be warmer as afternoon highs jump back into the lower and middle 80s across western Nebraska.

Temperatures look to continue their upward trend in Labor Day on Monday with temperatures likely reaching the upper 80s to low 90s across most of western Nebraska. This though, should be the peak in our temperatures for the next week as another cold front will bring temperatures back down to the lower 80s for Tuesday and Wednesday before we see another warm up by late next week and into next weekend. After our chance for rain Friday evening, rain chances over the next week are hard to come by as generally dry weather is expected for the next week across western Nebraska.

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