Red Flag Warning 42, NWS North Platte, NE

270 
WWUS83 KLBF 040200
RFWLBF

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service North Platte NE
900 PM CDT Thu Sep 3 2026



NEZ204-040300-
/O.EXP.KLBF.FW.W.0042.000000T0000Z-260904T0200Z/
Eastern Panhandle/Crescent Lake NWR-
800 PM MDT Thu Sep 3 2026

...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR LOW
RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND GUSTY WINDS FOR THE NORTHEASTERN NEBRASKA
PANHANDLE AND NORTHWESTERN SANDHILLS...

Conditions are starting to improve with temperatures cooling this
evening and winds decreasing to around 5 to 10 mph, the Red Flag
Warning will be allowed to expire.

$$

Gomez

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service North Platte NE
1221 PM CDT Thu Sep 3 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- An isolated threat of showers and thunderstorms into early
  Thursday morning.

- Elevated fire weather concerns on Friday.

- Temperatures in the 90s continue through the weekend and into
  early next week.

- A more active weather pattern returns late this weekend
  through mid week. This will bring a return of precipitation
  chances, as well as more seasonal to slightly above seasonal
  temperatures.

&&

.SHORT TERM /THROUGH FRIDAY/...
Issued at 231 AM CDT Thu Sep 3 2026

The main concern in the short term are the thunderstorm chances
early this morning. Thunderstorms are expected to continue to
move east/northeast across the Nebraska Panhandle into portions
of western Nebraska and the Sandhills early this morning. The
environment the storms will be moving into will have DCAPE
values around 1000 to 1500 J/kg through sunrise and will support
the potential for strong, gusty winds should a storm strengthen
and sustain itself early this morning. There have already been
several reports on personal weather stations of 40 to 45 mph
wind gusts from with storms in this environment. The area of
greatest concern for stronger wind gusts will be west of HWY 83
and north of I-80. Convection should begin to taper off after
sunrise then expect the remainder of Thursday to be dry. The
upper level ridge will continue to build Thursday and Friday and
will see temperatures well above normal for this time of year,
around 10 to 15 degrees above, with highs in the 90s. Friday
will be the warmest day of the week with highs reaching the
upper 90s across southwest Nebraska. Will have to continue to
monitor if any heat headlines will be needed as highs approach
near 100 and dewpoints east of HWY 83 will be in the low 60s.

There will be elevated fire weather concerns on Friday for areas
west of HWY 83 where drier air will be in place and min RH will
range near 20 to 25 percent. Winds will also be breezy out of the
southeast around 15 to 20 mph sustained and gusts around 30 mph or
greater.

&&

.LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
Issued at 231 AM CDT Thu Sep 3 2026

Upper level ridging persists on Friday night, with a shortwave
tracking through the upper level flow. This is expected to push a
surface low across the region, which may kick up a few showers and
potentially some thunderstorms overnight. Ensemble guidance
continues to suggest that these showers will produce very little
rain, with ensembles still maintaining a less than 20 percent chance
of exceeding one tenth of an inch. However, these showers may bring
a few hundredths of an inch across portions of the region.

Saturday afternoon, still expecting very warm temperatures across
the region, with highs pushing into the 90s. Another shortwave may
track through the upper level flow, bringing low end precipitation
chances during the afternoon hours. However, by the evening into the
nighttime hours, precipitation chances will increase. Guidance
continues to trend to the more progressive trough solutions, which
is prompting the earlier and increasing trends in precipitation.
Ensembles are even coming into better consensus, now bringing a 30
percent chance of exceeding one tenth of an inch Saturday night
across portions of western and north central Nebraska.

The upper level trough continues to track east on Sunday, bringing a
fairly active weather pattern through at least mid week. As the
trough approaches on Sunday, expecting stronger upper level winds to
approach the region, placing an area of divergence aloft. This will
further help a surface low to deepen, increasing precipitation
chances Sunday evening into the overnight hours. Ensemble guidance
Sunday night brings a 40 percent chance of precipitation exceeding
one tenth of an inch, which continues to be a slight upward trend
from previous runs.

As the upper level trough continues to track to the northeast,
expecting to see slight ridging across the south, with the trough
riding the north end of the ridge. This is expected to place the
stronger upper level winds across South Dakota, with several
shortwaves tracking through the flow. With the stronger upper level
support, will see continued precipitation chances, especially in the
evening and overnight hours through at least mid week. With subtle
ridging remaining across the southern United States, expect to see
more seasonal to slightly above seasonal temperatures return. In
general, expecting the warmer temperatures to remain across the
southern portions of the region, but even then, this may be around 5
degrees above normal.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z FRIDAY/...
Issued at 1220 PM CDT Thu Sep 3 2026

VFR conditions will persist the next 24 hours across western and
north central Nebraska. Winds will remain light and variable at
the KLBF and KVTN terminal through tonight. By late morning
Friday, southerly winds will increase with gusts to 15KT after
16Z.

&&

.LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
None.

&&

SHORT TERM...Gomez
LONG TERM...Richie
AVIATION...Roberg

Hazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED
National Weather Service North Platte NE
1048 AM CDT Thu Sep 3 2026

NEZ004>010-022>029-035>038-056>059-069>071-094-041600-
Sheridan-Eastern Cherry-Keya Paha-Boyd-Brown-Rock-Holt-Garden-Grant-
Hooker-Thomas-Blaine-Loup-Garfield-Wheeler-Arthur-McPherson-Logan-
Custer-Deuel-Keith-Perkins-Lincoln-Chase-Hayes-Frontier-
Western Cherry-
1048 AM CDT Thu Sep 3 2026 /948 AM MDT Thu Sep 3 2026/

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of western and north
central Nebraska.

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

Isolated showers and thunderstorms will continue until early
afternoon across eastern portions of north central Nebraska. Gusty
winds will be possible.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday.

There will be a threat for isolated to widely scattered
thunderstorms beginning Friday night and continuing through Tuesday.
At this time, the severe threat appears to be low.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service North Platte NE
836 AM CDT Thu Sep 3 2026

NEZ006-007-031415-
Keya Paha NE-Boyd NE-
836 AM CDT Thu Sep 3 2026

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT NORTHEASTERN KEYA PAHA AND
NORTHERN BOYD COUNTIES THROUGH 915 AM CDT...

At 836 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from 9 miles west of Naper to 12 miles north of
Stuart. Movement was east at 60 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects.

Locations impacted include...
Butte, Naper, Gross, Anoka, Nets Peak, Mills, and Brocksburg.

This includes the following highways...
 Highway 281 between mile markers 217 and 223.
 Highway 12 between mile markers 73 and 107, and between mile markers
113 and 114.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

&&

LAT...LON 4289 9842 4292 9896 4281 9933 4300 9952
      4300 9850
TIME...MOT...LOC 1336Z 263DEG 53KT 4299 9929 4278 9913

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH

NWS LBF

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service North Platte NE
846 AM CDT Thu Sep 3 2026

NEZ005-094-031430-
Eastern Cherry NE-Western Cherry NE-
846 AM CDT Thu Sep 3 2026

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHEASTERN CHERRY COUNTY
THROUGH 930 AM CDT...

At 845 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 8
miles north of Seneca, or 15 miles northwest of Thedford, moving
northeast at 45 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and half inch hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
         possible.

Locations impacted include...
Brownlee, Giant Hill, Highway 83 crossing Goose Creek, and Highway 83
crossing the North Loup River.

This includes Highway 83 between mile markers 162 and 180.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

&&

LAT...LON 4209 10073 4214 10091 4250 10044 4226 10019
TIME...MOT...LOC 1345Z 234DEG 41KT 4216 10076

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH

NWS LBF

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service North Platte NE
926 AM CDT Thu Sep 3 2026

NEZ005-008-031515-
Brown NE-Eastern Cherry NE-
926 AM CDT Thu Sep 3 2026

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT SOUTHEASTERN CHERRY AND
SOUTHWESTERN BROWN COUNTIES THROUGH 1015 AM CDT...

At 925 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a cluster of strong
thunderstorms 10 miles southeast of Brownlee, or 17 miles north of
Thedford, moving northeast at 35 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and penny size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
         possible.

Locations impacted include...
Johnstown, Elsmere, Raven, Moon Lake, Willow Lake State Wildlife
Management Area, Long Lake State Wildlife Management Area, and
Highway 83 crossing the North Loup River.

This includes the following highways...
 Highway 20 between mile markers 231 and 234.
 Highway 83 between mile markers 162 and 171.
 Highway 7 between mile markers 21 and 31.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

&&

LAT...LON 4210 10049 4226 10060 4260 10003 4223 9979
TIME...MOT...LOC 1425Z 243DEG 31KT 4222 10045

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH

CLB

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service North Platte NE
1106 AM CDT Thu Sep 3 2026

NEZ006-007-010-031645-
Holt NE-Keya Paha NE-Boyd NE-
1106 AM CDT Thu Sep 3 2026

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHWESTERN HOLT...EASTERN KEYA
PAHA AND NORTHWESTERN BOYD COUNTIES THROUGH 1145 AM CDT...

At 1106 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 7
miles south of Naper, or 21 miles west of Spencer, moving northeast
at 35 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph and penny size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
         possible.

Locations impacted include...
Butte, Naper, Dustin, Anoka, and Hull Lake State Wildlife Management
Area.

This includes the following highways...
 Highway 281 between mile markers 220 and 223.
 Highway 12 between mile markers 90 and 116.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

&&

LAT...LON 4299 9862 4273 9914 4291 9928 4300 9912
      4300 9863
TIME...MOT...LOC 1606Z 233DEG 31KT 4286 9913

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...55 MPH

CLB

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service North Platte NE
1118 AM CDT Thu Sep 3 2026

NEZ006-007-009-010-031700-
Holt NE-Rock NE-Keya Paha NE-Boyd NE-
1118 AM CDT Thu Sep 3 2026

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHERN ROCK...WEST CENTRAL
HOLT...EAST CENTRAL KEYA PAHA AND SOUTHWESTERN BOYD COUNTIES THROUGH
NOON CDT...

At 1118 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Bassett, moving northeast at 45 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and nickel size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
         possible.

Locations impacted include...
Bassett, Stuart, Newport, and Mariaville.

This includes the following highways...
 Highway 183 between mile markers 172 and 185.
 Highway 20 between mile markers 254 and 285.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

&&

LAT...LON 4240 9952 4254 9967 4285 9923 4257 9900
TIME...MOT...LOC 1618Z 233DEG 38KT 4253 9950

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH

CLB