


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Omaha/Valley, NE
Issued by NWS Omaha/Valley, NE
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396 FXUS63 KOAX 062036 AFDOAX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE 336 PM CDT Fri Jun 6 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... - An area of showers and thunderstorms will move across much of the area tonight into Saturday morning. Severe weather is unlikely (less than 5% chance). The greatest chance for a strong storm or rainfall up to an inch are along and south of a line from Albion to Omaha to Clarinda. - Light showers are possible again on Sunday (40% chance), although any rainfall will be light. - Expect a warming trend next week, with highs approaching 90 by Wednesday and Thursday. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 227 PM CDT Fri Jun 6 2025 A rather benign, weak low-level flow pattern is in place over the area with light winds mainly out of the north today. There is a fair amount of mid level moisture and cloud cover, but a rather stable atmosphere this afternoon. The closest thing to a front (arguably) is well south in north Texas and Oklahoma. There are some showers in central and western Nebraska drifting east in a zone of better quality moisture and jet diffluence aloft, and these may bring a sprinkle or light rain shower into the region this evening although it should be for the most part dry. The feature of greater interest is a pretty healthy short wave trough moving east across Wyoming this afternoon. There is ample lightning over the high terrain with this system, and it will move into the Nebraska Panhandle and then across the southeastern part of the state by Saturday morning and Missouri by the afternoon. Despite the impressive appearance of this system, the atmosphere ahead of it is offering very little in the way of instability due to weak lapse rates. The lower 2 km of the wind profile are also very weak with minimal speed or directional shear. So, while there is enough instability to support thunderstorms with the system, the potential for organized strong storms is quite low at this time. If a strong storm were to develop, it would be within a narrow window of availability of sufficient instability and barely sufficient deep layer shear, and probably south of an Albion to Omaha to Clarinda line in the 5-10 AM window. Aside from that, many folks in this southern region can expect a quarter inch to an inch of rain through noon or so. Most of the rain from the morning system will pass to the southeast by noon or so, but some lingering shallow instability could support popcorn thunderstorms amid sunshine and daytime heating in the mid/late afternoon hours. A bit of lightning would be the main hazard with anything that develops, and overall coverage is expected to be pretty sparse...but something to keep in mind for any outdoor activities on Saturday. Saturday night into Sunday, a strong longer-wave trough will drop from Canada into Minnesota with a glancing blow from a cool front (although more westerly flow than northerly locally). One feature of interest with this system will be a zone of mid level moisture and ascent gradually dropping south across the forecast area on Sunday. NBM indicated less than 10% chance of precip, but the combination of forcing and moisture suggest that a band of scattered showers will likely develop and gradually drop south during the day, with individual showers moving easterly within the band. Instability is again limited and lightning potential appears low, but something to watch again if you have outdoor plans Sunday. Monday through Wednesday is looking dry with a warming trend by mid week as upper ridging develops into the Plains. Highs may approach 90 by Wednesday and Thursday with scattered storm chances returning by the end of the week and weekend as moisture and instability increase into the region with some weakly forced opportunities for storm development. && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY/... Issued at 1228 PM CDT Fri Jun 6 2025 There is a scattered to broken cloud deck in the 2500-3500 ft range at 17Z, and this will persist while gradually lifting toward 4500 feet at all sites this afternoon. Winds will remain light and somewhat variable, but have focused on the most likely wind direction at any given time in the TAF. Expect an area of shra and tsra to move across the region late tonight into early Saturday, and while VFR is most likely, could see periods of MVFR cig/vis in the heaviest activity. Best chance for this would be at LNK, but at least a small chance of a period of a bit heavier TSRA at OMA and OFK as well. && .OAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NE...None. IA...None. && $$ DISCUSSION...Barjenbruch AVIATION...Barjenbruch