Chilly start Tuesday; Big warm-up for end of week

Clear skies over southeast Nebraska Monday night will allow temperatures to drop in to the 20°s Tuesday morning.  Clouds will start to increase from the west by daybreak.

Mostly cloudy skies will be the rule Tuesday.  This will keep temperatures from climbing too much, even on winds shifting around out of the south.  Highs will be in the middle 50°s (east) to middle 60°s (west – Kearney).  Winds will also be on the increase through the day, gusting to 35 mph around Beatrice and Lincoln, and gusting to 45 mph around Grand Island, Hastings, and Kearney.

A weather system will pass through the region late Tuesday night and Wednesday.  It will bring a chance for scattered showers, mainly falling Wednesday morning.

Any rain is helpful at this time as southeast Nebraska is dry.  Just in Lincoln, this is the driest April (to date) in 18 years.  Only 0.37″ of precipitation has been recorded at the airport.  That ties for 21st driest since 1887.

CLIMBING BACK TO SUMMER-LIKE TEMPERATURES

As we’ve been advertising since last week.  A pattern change is coming later this week.  We get back to the 60°s Wednesday.  In to the 70°s Thursday.  Then in the 80°s Friday and Saturday.

With the warmer temperatures, and higher winds Friday and Saturday, the fire risk will increase throughout the state.  I suspect more Red Flag Warnings will be issued later this week.

– Chief Meteorologist John Dissauer