Two cloud-to-ground lightning strikes occur north of Holdrege during the evening of Sunday, June 16, (Brian Neben, Central Nebraska Today)
HASTINGS — There is a highly conditional chance for severe weather today, while Wednesday is shaping up to be the coolest day of the week. Rain and thunderstorm chances continue throughout the week.
According to the National Weather Service – Hastings, like Sunday, there is a conditional risk for possible severe thunderstorms between the 5 p.m. to midnight timeframe.
The uncertainty arises from the fact that warm temperatures aloft could fully suppress storm development. However, if any storms can form, there is amble instability present to be tapped into.
If storms do occur, they would favor areas west of the line from Alma, Kearney and Fullerton.
This afternoon will be seasonably hot again, with temperatures reaching 95-99 across south central Nebraska.
A seasonably strong cold front will arrive on Tuesday and stall out near the southern extent of the NWS Hastings coverage area before lifting back north. The result will be the potential for several rounds of rain and thunderstorms with a narrow area favoring strong to severe storms.
A wider swath could see as much as two to four inches of rain over the course of 48 hours and localized flooding could be possible.
There is higher confidence that Wednesday will be the coolest day of the week, with widespread clouds and lingering showers holding down the temperature to the 60s and 70s.
Looking at Thursday into the upcoming weekend, it won’t be as rainy as the start of the week, but there will continue to be intermittent chances for localized showers and thunderstorms almost every night.
“The return of southerly flow late this week should bring with it returning thunderstorm chances, and these look to persist into the weekend. Aloft west-southwest flow late week gives way to northwesterly flow this weekend, and at least some threat for severe weather should return into this weekend,” NWS North Platte stated.
