A higher rain chance just to the west

The radar came to life in central Nebraska on Tuesday night, producing lots of lightning and pockets of heavy rain. These showers have made it as far east as Hebron and York as of 6 a.m. Wednesday.

These showers and storms will likely continue in central Nebraska through much of Wednesday morning. While a few cells might inch closer to Lincoln, I still suspect that the majority of the moisture will fall west of the capital city.

Some lingering showers are possible in central Nebraska during the afternoon, but the overall coverage should diminish. By late afternoon, we expect more storms to form in the Panhandle. Some of these may be on the strong to severe side.

There is a Level 3/5 risk for severe weather in the Panhandle for Wednesday evening storms. Large hail is a primary concern, along with damaging winds. A tornado or two also can’t be ruled out. The severe weather risk does not extend into eastern Nebraska, as the evening round of storms should remain west.

Given more clouds and the chance for morning rain in central Nebraska, highs will likely be several degrees cooler in that direction. Whereas Lincoln and Omaha have a chance to reach the 90s, highs may struggle to get past 80° closer to the Tri-Cities.

Rain chances will be at their highest in western Nebraska through the end of the workweek. While we cannot rule out a storm or two in Lincoln on Friday, the better opportunity comes at some point on Saturday.

Any of those storms could be on the stronger side. The Storm Prediction Center has placed eastern Nebraska in a severe weather risk for Saturday. This will be something to watch for the time being.

Meteorologist Malcolm Byron

Facebook: /mbyronwx

Twitter: @mbyronwx