Routine Fire Wx Fcst (With/Without 6-10 Day Outlook)
Issued by NWS North Platte, NE
Issued by NWS North Platte, NE
704
FNUS53 KLBF 030931
FWFLBF
Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Western
and North Central for Nebraska
National Weather Service North Platte NE
331 AM CST Sat Jan 3 2026
.DISCUSSION...
Mild temperatures return to much of the Sandhills and western
Nebraska today, with highs in the 50s. However, winds will remain
light today and keep fire concerns low.
Temperatures then climb to near record values Sunday, with highs
in the middle to upper 60s across western and north central
Nebraska. West winds strengthen Sunday afternoon as well, with
gusts of 25 to 35 miles per hour expected near and west of HWY 83.
The combination of near record highs, dry conditions, and gusty
west winds will lead to elevated to near-critical fire concerns
tomorrow. The greatest concern will be across western Nebraska,
where the strongest winds are expected.
The mild temperatures persist into next week, along with breezy
west winds each afternoon. Fire concerns may remain elevated
through the middle of next week, and this will need to be
monitored closely.
NEZ204-040045-
Eastern Panhandle/Crescent Lake NWR-
231 AM MST Sat Jan 3 2026
.TODAY...
Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny.
Max temperature.....52-57.
24 hr trend......10 degrees warmer.
Min humidity........40 percent.
24 hr trend......19 percent drier.
20-foot winds.......West 5 to 10 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Poor.
Mixing height.......400-2800 ft AGL.
Transport winds.....West 10 to 15 mph.
Chance of thunder...0 percent.
.TONIGHT...
Sky/weather.........Mostly cloudy.
Min temperature.....32-37.
24 hr trend......6 degrees warmer.
Max humidity........89 percent.
24 hr trend......14 percent drier.
20-foot winds.......South 5 to 10 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Poor.
Mixing height.......300-700 ft AGL.
Transport winds.....South 15 to 20 mph.
Chance of thunder...0 percent.
.SUNDAY...
Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny.
Max temperature.....60-65.
24 hr trend......7 degrees warmer.
Min humidity........26 percent.
24 hr trend......11 percent drier.
20-foot winds.......West 10 to 20 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Very good.
Mixing height.......400-3100 ft AGL until 1200, then 2100-6100 ft
AGL.
Transport winds.....West 20 to 25 mph.
Chance of thunder...0 percent.
.FORECAST DAYS 3 THROUGH 7...
.MONDAY...Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 30s. Highs in the
upper 50s. West winds 5 to 15 mph.
.TUESDAY...Mostly clear. Lows around 30. Highs in the mid 50s.
West winds 5 to 15 mph.
.WEDNESDAY...Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 20s. Highs in the
mid 50s. West winds 5 to 15 mph.
.THURSDAY...Colder. Mostly cloudy. Lows in the mid 20s. Highs
around 40.
.FRIDAY...Mostly cloudy. Chance of snow. Lows around 17. Highs in
the mid 30s.
$$
NEZ210-040045-
Frenchman Basin-
231 AM MST Sat Jan 3 2026
.TODAY...
Sky/weather.........Sunny.
Max temperature.....56-61.
24 hr trend......1 degree warmer.
Min humidity........38 percent.
24 hr trend......8 percent wetter.
20-foot winds.......Northwest around 5 mph shifting to the
southwest in the afternoon.
Smoke dispersal.....Poor.
Mixing height.......400-1100 ft AGL until 1200, then 500-3100 ft
AGL.
Transport winds.....Northwest around 15 mph becoming west around 5
mph in the afternoon.
Chance of thunder...0 percent.
.TONIGHT...
Sky/weather.........Mostly cloudy.
Min temperature.....29-34.
24 hr trend......6 degrees warmer.
Max humidity........92 percent.
24 hr trend......11 percent drier.
20-foot winds.......South 5 to 10 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Poor.
Mixing height.......400-600 ft AGL.
Transport winds.....South around 15 mph.
Chance of thunder...0 percent.
.SUNDAY...
Sky/weather.........Partly sunny then becoming sunny.
Max temperature.....64-69.
24 hr trend......7 degrees warmer.
Min humidity........23 percent.
24 hr trend......15 percent drier.
20-foot winds.......West 5 to 15 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Very good.
Mixing height.......300-2300 ft AGL until 1200, then 1200-5600 ft
AGL.
Transport winds.....West around 10 mph increasing to northwest
around 20 mph in the afternoon.
Chance of thunder...0 percent.
.FORECAST DAYS 3 THROUGH 7...
.MONDAY...Partly cloudy. Lows around 30. Highs in the lower 60s.
West winds 5 to 10 mph.
.TUESDAY...Mostly clear. Lows around 30. Highs in the upper 50s.
West winds 5 to 10 mph.
.WEDNESDAY...Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 20s. Highs in the mid
50s. Southwest winds 5 to 10 mph.
.THURSDAY...Colder. Mostly cloudy. Lows in the upper 20s. Highs
in the mid 40s.
.FRIDAY...Mostly cloudy. Chance of snow and slight chance of
rain. Lows around 20. Highs in the upper 30s.
$$
NEZ206-040045-
Sandhills/Valentine NWR/Nebraska National Forest-
331 AM CST Sat Jan 3 2026
.TODAY...
Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny. Patchy fog early in the morning.
Max temperature.....48-53.
24 hr trend......16 degrees warmer.
Min humidity........48 percent.
24 hr trend......26 percent drier.
20-foot winds.......West up to 5 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Poor.
Mixing height.......400-1700 ft AGL.
Transport winds.....Northwest around 10 mph.
Chance of thunder...0 percent.
.TONIGHT...
Sky/weather.........Mostly cloudy.
Min temperature.....28-33.
24 hr trend......6 degrees warmer.
Max humidity........100 percent.
24 hr trend......Unchanged.
20-foot winds.......South 5 to 10 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Poor.
Mixing height.......300-700 ft AGL.
Transport winds.....South 15 to 20 mph.
Chance of thunder...0 percent.
.SUNDAY...
Sky/weather.........Partly sunny then becoming sunny.
Max temperature.....59-64.
24 hr trend......11 degrees warmer.
Min humidity........28 percent.
24 hr trend......24 percent drier.
20-foot winds.......Southwest 5 to 15 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Very good.
Mixing height.......400-2400 ft AGL until 1200, then 1200-5200 ft
AGL.
Transport winds.....Southwest around 15 mph shifting to the west in
the afternoon.
Chance of thunder...0 percent.
.FORECAST DAYS 3 THROUGH 7...
.MONDAY...Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 30s. Highs in the
lower 60s. West winds 5 to 10 mph.
.TUESDAY...Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 30s. Highs in the mid
50s. West winds 5 to 15 mph.
.WEDNESDAY...Mostly clear. Lows around 30. Highs in the upper
50s. Southwest winds 5 to 15 mph.
.THURSDAY...Colder. Mostly cloudy. Lows in the upper 20s. Highs
in the lower 40s.
.FRIDAY...Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of snow. Lows around 20.
Highs in the upper 30s.
$$
NEZ219-040045-
Loess Plains-
331 AM CST Sat Jan 3 2026
.TODAY...
Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny.
Max temperature.....53-58.
24 hr trend......20 degrees warmer.
Min humidity........39 percent.
24 hr trend......30 percent drier.
20-foot winds.......West up to 5 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Poor.
Mixing height.......300-1600 ft AGL.
Transport winds.....Northwest 5 to 10 mph.
Chance of thunder...0 percent.
.TONIGHT...
Sky/weather.........Partly cloudy then becoming mostly cloudy.
Min temperature.....Around 31.
24 hr trend......8 degrees warmer.
Max humidity........98 percent.
24 hr trend......4 percent drier.
20-foot winds.......Southeast 5 to 10 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Poor.
Mixing height.......300-600 ft AGL.
Transport winds.....South 10 to 15 mph.
Chance of thunder...0 percent.
.SUNDAY...
Sky/weather.........Partly sunny then becoming sunny.
Max temperature.....62-67.
24 hr trend......7 degrees warmer.
Min humidity........26 percent.
24 hr trend......15 percent drier.
20-foot winds.......South 5 to 10 mph shifting to the west in the
afternoon.
Smoke dispersal.....Good.
Mixing height.......300-700 ft AGL until 1200, then 600-4000 ft
AGL.
Transport winds.....South around 10 mph shifting to the northwest
in the afternoon.
Chance of thunder...0 percent.
.FORECAST DAYS 3 THROUGH 7...
.MONDAY...Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 30s. Highs in the
lower 60s. West winds 5 to 10 mph.
.TUESDAY...Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 30s. Highs in the
upper 50s. West winds 5 to 10 mph.
.WEDNESDAY...Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 20s. Highs in the
mid 50s. South winds 5 to 10 mph.
.THURSDAY...Cooler. Mostly cloudy. Lows in the upper 20s. Highs
in the mid 40s.
.FRIDAY...Mostly cloudy. Chance of snow and slight chance of
rain. Lows around 20. Highs in the upper 30s.
$$
NEZ208-040045-
Niobrara Valley/Fort Niobrara NWR/Samuel R McKelvie National
Forest-
331 AM CST Sat Jan 3 2026
.TODAY...
Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny. Patchy fog early in the morning.
Max temperature.....42-47.
24 hr trend......22 degrees warmer.
Min humidity........55 percent.
24 hr trend......21 percent drier.
20-foot winds.......West up to 5 mph shifting to the north in the
afternoon.
Smoke dispersal.....Poor.
Mixing height.......300-1700 ft AGL.
Transport winds.....Northwest around 10 mph shifting to the north
in the afternoon.
Chance of thunder...0 percent.
.TONIGHT...
Sky/weather.........Partly cloudy then becoming mostly cloudy.
Min temperature.....26-31.
24 hr trend......3 degrees warmer.
Max humidity........100 percent.
24 hr trend......Unchanged.
20-foot winds.......Southeast 5 to 10 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Poor.
Mixing height.......300-700 ft AGL.
Transport winds.....Southeast around 10 mph increasing to south
around 20 mph after midnight.
Chance of thunder...0 percent.
.SUNDAY...
Sky/weather.........Partly sunny then becoming sunny.
Max temperature.....56-61.
24 hr trend......14 degrees warmer.
Min humidity........31 percent.
24 hr trend......35 percent drier.
20-foot winds.......Southwest 10 to 15 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Good.
Mixing height.......600-3600 ft AGL.
Transport winds.....Southwest around 20 mph.
Chance of thunder...0 percent.
.FORECAST DAYS 3 THROUGH 7...
.MONDAY...Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 30s. Highs in the
upper 50s. Southwest winds 5 to 10 mph.
.TUESDAY...Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 30s. Highs in the mid
50s. West winds 5 to 10 mph.
.WEDNESDAY...Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 30s. Highs in the
upper 50s. Southwest winds 5 to 10 mph.
.THURSDAY...Colder. Mostly cloudy. Lows in the upper 20s. Highs
in the lower 40s.
.FRIDAY...Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of snow. Lows in the lower
20s. Highs in the mid 30s.
$$
NEZ209-040045-
Loup Rivers Basin-
331 AM CST Sat Jan 3 2026
.TODAY...
Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny. Patchy fog early in the morning.
Max temperature.....45-50.
24 hr trend......24 degrees warmer.
Min humidity........55 percent.
24 hr trend......19 percent drier.
20-foot winds.......Northwest up to 5 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Poor.
Mixing height.......300-1500 ft AGL.
Transport winds.....West around 10 mph shifting to the north in the
afternoon.
Chance of thunder...0 percent.
.TONIGHT...
Sky/weather.........Mostly cloudy.
Min temperature.....26-31.
24 hr trend......4 degrees warmer.
Max humidity........100 percent.
24 hr trend......Unchanged.
20-foot winds.......Southeast 5 to 10 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Poor.
Mixing height.......300-700 ft AGL.
Transport winds.....Southeast 10 to 15 mph.
Chance of thunder...0 percent.
.SUNDAY...
Sky/weather.........Partly sunny then becoming sunny.
Max temperature.....56-61.
24 hr trend......2 degrees warmer.
Min humidity........36 percent.
24 hr trend......16 percent drier.
20-foot winds.......Southwest 5 to 15 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Fair.
Mixing height.......500-1300 ft AGL until 1200, then 600-3900 ft
AGL.
Transport winds.....South around 20 mph shifting to the west in the
afternoon.
Chance of thunder...0 percent.
.FORECAST DAYS 3 THROUGH 7...
.MONDAY...Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 30s. Highs around 60.
Southwest winds 5 to 10 mph.
.TUESDAY...Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 30s. Highs in the mid
50s. West winds 5 to 10 mph.
.WEDNESDAY...Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 30s. Highs in the
upper 50s. Southwest winds 5 to 10 mph.
.THURSDAY...Colder. Mostly cloudy. Lows around 30. Highs in the
mid 40s.
.FRIDAY...Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of snow and rain. Lows in
the lower 20s. Highs in the upper 30s.
$$