Mammatus clouds are illuminated by cloud-to-cloud lightning over Buffalo County on May 3, 2024, (Brian Neben, Central Nebraska Today)
HASTINGS — Scattered showers and thunderstorms chances will be possible Saturday night and highs will be in the 70s and low 80s this weekend into next week.
Highs today will be in the mid-60s to low 70s and winds will be breezy during the day, with northerly winds gusting 20 to 25 mph.
There is a chance for scattered showers and thunderstorms this afternoon and evening for areas mainly along and north of Interstate 80. They will decrease in coverage around sunset with the loss of daytime heating.
Most areas will remain dry, but areas with rain should see rain accumulations generally under 0.10 inches.
The upper-level low which has moved its way across the Plains over the past several days will become split in two on Friday.
Part of the low will continue to progress east as it gets picked up by another trough diving in over the Midwest. The other part of the low will become cut-off over the southwestern United States. The split flow will allow for northwest flow to build aloft along with a stretch of dry weather.
Highs on Friday will be in the low 70s with breezy northerly winds.
As the cut-off low over the desert Southwest rejoins the broader Jetstream, chances for showers and thunderstorms return to the area.
Saturday night will see precipitation chances increase from west to the east across the area. The highest precipitation chances will be during the afternoon and evening hours. The previously cut-off low will move off to the east Monday night and chances for showers and storms coming to an end overnight.
Severe weather is not expected due to the weak instability and shear values.
Another approaching trough over the Rockies will bring additional chances for scattered showers and storms to the area through the middle of next week. Models begin to diverge on a solution, disagreeing on the timing and strength.
However, highs on Sunday through the middle of next week will be slightly above normal, with highs each day in the mid to upper 70s.
