FXUS63 KGID 192016 AFDGID Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Hastings NE 316 PM CDT Thu Mar 19 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - Unseasonable record-breaking warmth continues through Saturday. - A Fire Weather Watch is in effect for Saturday and Saturday night. - Dry conditions are favored to continue through the end of March. Above normal temperatures also likely favored through the end of the month. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 246 PM CDT Thu Mar 19 2026 Mostly sunny skies and well above normal temperatures prevailed across the region this afternoon. Temperatures so far have been running 3-5 degrees above yesterdays hourly readings, with record high temperatures for both Hastings and Grand Island this afternoon well within reach. With high pressure persisting aloft, expect warm and dry conditions to continue through Saturday, with similar temperatures across the region tomorrow (maybe 1-2 degrees cooler based on 850MB temps), followed by temperatures surging on Saturday ahead an approaching cold front. In fact, high temperatures Saturday will likely set new all time record high temperatures - by several degrees - for the entire month of March! As the front approaches on Saturday, expect an uptick in winds as well, which combined with the hot and dry airmass will result in critical fire weather conditions. Currently there is a fire weather watch for Saturday - but fully expect this to eventually be upgraded to a Red Flag warning sometime either later tonight or on Friday. As the front crosses the area on Sunday, expect a fairly notable drop in temperatures for Sunday and Monday, with high temperatures forecast to only top out in the 60s and 70s, or still about 10 degrees above seasonal norms. In fact, expect the upper level ridge to restrengthen across the local area again behind this front, with a potential return to additional record high temperatures by next Wednesday. In short, unseasonable warm and dry conditions are favored to finish out the month of March across the local area, with little signal in model ensembles for any significant precipitation chance or chance of a significant cool-down across the local area for at least the next 10-14 days. && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z FRIDAY/... Issued at 1158 AM CDT Thu Mar 19 2026 For KGRI/KEAR Airports: High confidence VFR conditions anticipated through the period. Expect some passing high clouds and good VSBYs through the period with winds being the main focus. Light west northwesterly winds...less than 8 KTS...are anticipated through the afternoon hours with near calm winds expected overnight as the atmosphere decouples. Could see some very marginal LLWS towards daybreak Friday as the pressure gradient tightens up just a bit, with light northwesterly winds...near 10 kts...re- establishing themselves across the area by the late morning hours Friday. && .CLIMATE... Issued at 1158 AM CDT Thu Mar 19 2026 Potential Record Warm Maximum Temperatures: Today, Thursday March 19 Forecast High Record Max/Year Hastings 86 84 (1921) Grand Island 85 86 (1921) Friday March 20 Forecast High Record Max/Year Hastings 87 82 (1939) Grand Island 86 84 (1921) Saturday March 21 Forecast High Record Max/Year Hastings 94 87 (1910) Grand Island 93 83 (1988) Wednesday March 25 Forecast High Record Max/Year Hastings 84 85 (1956) Grand Island 85 88 (1910) ***Note: The all-time March max temperature is 90 degrees atboth Grand Island and Hastings*** Potential Record Warm Minimum Temperatures: Friday March 20 Forecast Low Record Warm Min/Year Hastings 47 46 (2011) Grand Island 46 50 (1921) Saturday March 21 Forecast Low Record Warm Min/Year Hastings 48 47 (2012) Grand Island 47 54 (1911) Temperature records for Hastings date back to 1907 and they date back to 1895 for Grand Island. && .GID WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NE...Fire Weather Watch from Saturday morning through late Saturday night for NEZ039>041-046>049-060>064-072>077-082>087. KS...Fire Weather Watch from Saturday morning through late Saturday night for KSZ005>007-017>019. && $$ DISCUSSION...Rossi AVIATION...Rossi CLIMATE...NWS Hastings