FNUS53 KLBF 180955
FWFLBF
Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Western
and North Central for Nebraska
National Weather Service North Platte NE
355 AM CST Sun Jan 18 2026
.DISCUSSION...
Strong, gusty northwest winds are expected across the region
today. Sustained winds of 25 to 35 mph are expected, with gusts up
to and exceeding 50 mph. The strongest gusts begin to weaken after
sunset, but gusts of 20 to 25 mph are still possible overnight.
Afternoon minimum relative humidity values fall between 30 to 50
percent across most of the region. With these humidity values,
have opted to avoid fire weather headlines. However, these strong
gusts today will be concern for at least elevated fire weather
concerns, as any fire starts may quickly spread with these gusts.
Additional fire weather concerns return on Tuesday, as a
combination of warmer temperatures, low humidity, and gusty winds
may bring elevated to near critical fire weather conditions across
western and southwestern Nebraska. Throughout the rest of the
week, highly variable temperatures are expected, with a mostly dry
forecast. However, chances of snow are expected late week into the
weekend.
NEZ204-190030-
Eastern Panhandle/Crescent Lake NWR-
255 AM MST Sun Jan 18 2026
.TODAY...
Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny.
Max temperature.....38-43.
24 hr trend......16 degrees warmer.
Min humidity........36 percent.
24 hr trend......28 percent wetter.
20-foot winds.......Windy. Northwest 20 to 30 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Excellent.
Mixing height.......600-3800 ft AGL until 1200, then 3400-5700 ft
AGL.
Transport winds.....Northwest around 30 mph increasing to around 40
mph in the afternoon.
Chance of thunder...0 percent.
.TONIGHT...
Sky/weather.........Mostly cloudy.
Min temperature.....7-12.
24 hr trend......7 degrees cooler.
Max humidity........86 percent.
24 hr trend......17 percent wetter.
20-foot winds.......North 10 to 20 mph decreasing to 5 to 10 mph
after midnight.
Smoke dispersal.....Poor.
Mixing height.......1100-3300 ft AGL.
Transport winds.....North around 25 mph decreasing to around 15 mph
after midnight.
Chance of thunder...0 percent.
.MARTIN LUTHER KING JR DAY...
Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny.
Max temperature.....32-37.
24 hr trend......4 degrees cooler.
Min humidity........31 percent.
24 hr trend......10 percent drier.
20-foot winds.......Northwest 5 to 10 mph increasing to 10 to 20
mph in the afternoon.
Smoke dispersal.....Excellent.
Mixing height.......1000-5400 ft AGL.
Transport winds.....Northwest around 20 mph increasing to around 30
mph in the afternoon.
Chance of thunder...0 percent.
.FORECAST DAYS 3 THROUGH 7...
.TUESDAY...Partly cloudy. Lows around 13. Highs in the mid 40s.
Northwest winds 10 to 20 mph.
.WEDNESDAY...Partly cloudy. Lows around 18. Highs in the mid 30s.
Northwest winds 10 to 20 mph.
.THURSDAY...Not as cool. Partly cloudy. Lows around 13. Highs in
the upper 40s. West winds 5 to 15 mph.
.FRIDAY...Colder. Mostly cloudy with slight chance of snow. Lows
around 14. Highs in the upper 20s.
.SATURDAY...Colder. Mostly cloudy with chance of snow. Lows
around 2. Highs around 18.
$$
NEZ210-190030-
Frenchman Basin-
255 AM MST Sun Jan 18 2026
.TODAY...
Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny.
Max temperature.....44-49.
24 hr trend......25 degrees warmer.
Min humidity........30 percent.
24 hr trend......9 percent wetter.
20-foot winds.......Windy. Northwest 20 to 30 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Excellent.
Mixing height.......600-3500 ft AGL until 1200, then 3300-6100 ft
AGL.
Transport winds.....Northwest around 25 mph increasing to around 35
mph in the afternoon.
Chance of thunder...0 percent.
.TONIGHT...
Sky/weather.........Partly cloudy then becoming mostly cloudy.
Min temperature.....10-15.
24 hr trend......Unchanged.
Max humidity........80 percent.
24 hr trend......16 percent wetter.
20-foot winds.......North 5 to 15 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Poor.
Mixing height.......600-2900 ft AGL.
Transport winds.....North 15 to 20 mph.
Chance of thunder...0 percent.
.MARTIN LUTHER KING JR DAY...
Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny.
Max temperature.....36-41.
24 hr trend......7 degrees cooler.
Min humidity........30 percent.
24 hr trend......Unchanged.
20-foot winds.......Northwest 5 to 15 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Very good.
Mixing height.......800-3500 ft AGL until 1200, then 2100-5700 ft
AGL.
Transport winds.....Northwest around 15 mph increasing to around 25
mph in the afternoon.
Chance of thunder...0 percent.
.FORECAST DAYS 3 THROUGH 7...
.TUESDAY...Warmer. Partly cloudy. Lows around 13. Highs in the
lower 50s. West winds 5 to 15 mph.
.WEDNESDAY...Partly cloudy. Lows around 17. Highs in the lower
40s. Northwest winds 5 to 15 mph.
.THURSDAY...Partly cloudy. Lows around 14. Highs in the lower
50s. Southwest winds 5 to 15 mph.
.FRIDAY...Colder. Mostly cloudy. Lows around 16. Highs in the mid
30s.
.SATURDAY...Colder. Mostly cloudy with slight chance of snow.
Lows around 5. Highs in the lower 20s.
$$
NEZ206-190030-
Sandhills/Valentine NWR/Nebraska National Forest-
355 AM CST Sun Jan 18 2026
.TODAY...
Sky/weather.........Partly sunny. Chance of flurries late in the
morning. Slight chance of snow early in the
afternoon.
Max temperature.....37-42.
24 hr trend......22 degrees warmer.
Min humidity........40 percent.
24 hr trend......15 percent wetter.
20-foot winds.......Windy. Northwest 20 to 30 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Excellent.
Mixing height.......700-3700 ft AGL until 1200, then 3900-5500 ft
AGL.
Transport winds.....Northwest around 30 mph increasing to around 40
mph in the afternoon.
Chance of thunder...0 percent.
.TONIGHT...
Sky/weather.........Partly cloudy.
Min temperature.....5-10.
24 hr trend......5 degrees cooler.
Max humidity........80 percent.
24 hr trend......6 percent drier.
20-foot winds.......North 10 to 20 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Poor.
Mixing height.......1300-3900 ft AGL.
Transport winds.....North around 30 mph decreasing to around 20 mph
after midnight.
Chance of thunder...0 percent.
.MARTIN LUTHER KING JR DAY...
Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny.
Max temperature.....29-34.
24 hr trend......6 degrees cooler.
Min humidity........32 percent.
24 hr trend......11 percent drier.
20-foot winds.......Northwest 5 to 15 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Very good.
Mixing height.......1300-3300 ft AGL until 1200, then 2300-5400 ft
AGL.
Transport winds.....Northwest 20 to 25 mph.
Chance of thunder...0 percent.
.FORECAST DAYS 3 THROUGH 7...
.TUESDAY...Not as cool. Partly cloudy. Lows around 12. Highs in
the mid 40s. West winds 5 to 15 mph.
.WEDNESDAY...Partly cloudy. Lows around 18. Highs in the mid 30s.
Northwest winds 10 to 20 mph.
.THURSDAY...Partly cloudy. Lows around 12. Highs in the mid 40s.
Southwest winds 10 to 15 mph.
.FRIDAY...Colder. Mostly cloudy with slight chance of snow. Lows
around 12. Highs in the mid 20s.
.SATURDAY...Colder. Mostly cloudy with chance of snow. Lows near
zero. Highs around 15.
$$
NEZ219-190030-
Loess Plains-
355 AM CST Sun Jan 18 2026
.TODAY...
Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny.
Max temperature.....43-48.
24 hr trend......28 degrees warmer.
Min humidity........32 percent.
24 hr trend......8 percent wetter.
20-foot winds.......Breezy. Northwest 15 to 25 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Excellent.
Mixing height.......500-3300 ft AGL until 1200, then 3200-5900 ft
AGL.
Transport winds.....Northwest around 25 mph increasing to around 35
mph in the afternoon.
Chance of thunder...0 percent.
.TONIGHT...
Sky/weather.........Partly cloudy then becoming mostly cloudy.
Min temperature.....8-13.
24 hr trend......1 degree warmer.
Max humidity........72 percent.
24 hr trend......Unchanged.
20-foot winds.......North 5 to 15 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Poor.
Mixing height.......500-2400 ft AGL.
Transport winds.....North 15 to 20 mph.
Chance of thunder...0 percent.
.MARTIN LUTHER KING JR DAY...
Sky/weather.........Partly sunny then becoming sunny.
Max temperature.....35-40.
24 hr trend......9 degrees cooler.
Min humidity........26 percent.
24 hr trend......7 percent drier.
20-foot winds.......Northwest around 5 mph shifting to the west 10
to 15 mph in the afternoon.
Smoke dispersal.....Very good.
Mixing height.......500-3200 ft AGL until 1200, then 2100-5600 ft
AGL.
Transport winds.....Northwest around 10 mph increasing to west
around 25 mph in the afternoon.
Chance of thunder...0 percent.
.FORECAST DAYS 3 THROUGH 7...
.TUESDAY...Warmer. Partly cloudy. Lows around 11. Highs around
50. West winds 5 to 15 mph.
.WEDNESDAY...Partly cloudy. Lows around 16. Highs in the mid 40s.
Northwest winds 5 to 15 mph.
.THURSDAY...Partly cloudy. Lows around 11. Highs around 50.
Southwest winds 5 to 15 mph.
.FRIDAY...Colder. Mostly cloudy. Lows around 14. Highs in the
lower 30s.
.SATURDAY...Colder. Mostly cloudy with slight chance of snow.
Lows around 3. Highs around 19.
$$
NEZ208-190030-
Niobrara Valley/Fort Niobrara NWR/Samuel R McKelvie National
Forest-
355 AM CST Sun Jan 18 2026
.TODAY...
Sky/weather.........Partly sunny. Chance of flurries early in the
morning, then slight chance of snow late in the
morning. Chance of flurries in the afternoon.
Max temperature.....32-37.
24 hr trend......22 degrees warmer.
Min humidity........50 percent.
24 hr trend......10 percent wetter.
20-foot winds.......Windy. Northwest 20 to 30 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Excellent.
Mixing height.......800-3400 ft AGL until 1200, then 3300-5100 ft
AGL.
Transport winds.....Northwest around 30 mph increasing to around 40
mph in the afternoon.
Chance of thunder...0 percent.
.TONIGHT...
Sky/weather.........Mostly cloudy then becoming partly cloudy.
Min temperature.....1-6.
24 hr trend......Unchanged.
Max humidity........75 percent.
24 hr trend......16 percent drier.
20-foot winds.......North 10 to 20 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Poor.
Mixing height.......1400-4000 ft AGL.
Transport winds.....Northwest 25 to 30 mph.
Chance of thunder...0 percent.
.MARTIN LUTHER KING JR DAY...
Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny.
Max temperature.....25-30.
24 hr trend......6 degrees cooler.
Min humidity........38 percent.
24 hr trend......16 percent drier.
20-foot winds.......Northwest 5 to 15 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Very good.
Mixing height.......1200-4600 ft AGL.
Transport winds.....Northwest 20 to 25 mph.
Chance of thunder...0 percent.
.FORECAST DAYS 3 THROUGH 7...
.TUESDAY...Not as cool. Mostly cloudy. Lows around 8. Highs in
the upper 30s. West winds 10 to 15 mph.
.WEDNESDAY...Mostly cloudy. Lows around 18. Highs in the lower
30s. Northwest winds 10 to 20 mph.
.THURSDAY...Partly cloudy. Lows around 10. Highs in the lower
40s. Southwest winds 5 to 10 mph.
.FRIDAY...Colder. Mostly cloudy with slight chance of snow. Lows
around 9. Highs in the lower 20s.
.SATURDAY...Colder. Mostly cloudy with chance of snow. Lows
around 4 below. Highs around 10.
$$
NEZ209-190030-
Loup Rivers Basin-
355 AM CST Sun Jan 18 2026
.TODAY...
Sky/weather.........Partly sunny. Chance of flurries late in the
morning. Slight chance of snow early in the
afternoon, then chance of flurries late in the
afternoon.
Max temperature.....36-41.
24 hr trend......26 degrees warmer.
Min humidity........43 percent.
24 hr trend......6 percent wetter.
20-foot winds.......Windy. Northwest 20 to 30 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Excellent.
Mixing height.......600-3900 ft AGL until 1200, then 3000-5800 ft
AGL.
Transport winds.....Northwest around 30 mph increasing to around 40
mph in the afternoon.
Chance of thunder...0 percent.
.TONIGHT...
Sky/weather.........Partly cloudy.
Min temperature.....2-7.
24 hr trend......Unchanged.
Max humidity........74 percent.
24 hr trend......11 percent drier.
20-foot winds.......North 10 to 20 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Poor.
Mixing height.......1200-4000 ft AGL.
Transport winds.....North 25 to 30 mph.
Chance of thunder...0 percent.
.MARTIN LUTHER KING JR DAY...
Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny.
Max temperature.....27-32.
24 hr trend......9 degrees cooler.
Min humidity........32 percent.
24 hr trend......15 percent drier.
20-foot winds.......Northwest 5 to 15 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Very good.
Mixing height.......1000-4900 ft AGL.
Transport winds.....Northwest 20 to 25 mph.
Chance of thunder...0 percent.
.FORECAST DAYS 3 THROUGH 7...
.TUESDAY...Not as cool. Mostly cloudy. Lows around 9. Highs in
the lower 40s. Southwest winds 10 to 15 mph.
.WEDNESDAY...Partly cloudy. Lows around 17. Highs in the mid 30s.
Northwest winds 10 to 20 mph.
.THURSDAY...Partly cloudy. Lows around 11. Highs in the lower
40s. Southwest winds 10 to 15 mph.
.FRIDAY...Colder. Mostly cloudy. Lows around 11. Highs in the mid
20s.
.SATURDAY...Colder. Mostly cloudy with chance of snow. Lows
around 1 below. Highs around 12.
$$