Thursday Forecast: Light snow, rain possible through the day on Thursday

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - The forecast is headlined by two systems that we are watching closely that are forecast to move through the area over the next week. The first one is expected to slide across the area through the day on Thursday, potentially producing a wintry mix of light snow, rain, and freezing rain to go along with seasonal to above average temperatures. The second one packs more of a punch and could produce areas of strong winds and heavy snow, though details on this second system are still muddled as long-range models still differ substantially in the timing and track of the biggest impacts.

Our first system is forecast to push out of Colorado and into the state overnight tonight and into Thursday morning. By early Thursday, areas of western Nebraska could see a mix of light rain and light snow. Winter Weather Advisories are in place for the potential for snow from southwest Nebraska, through central parts of the state, into northeastern Nebraska. It is in these areas that a band of 1″ to 3″ is forecast, with some localized higher amounts possible.

Precipitation is forecast to slide across the state through the day on Thursday, with the heaviest precipitation expected across the northern and western edge of the system with drier conditions on the southern and eastern side of the low. The system should pull out of the area with precipitation ending across eastern Nebraska by around 8 PM Thursday evening. For Lincoln and southeastern Nebraska, the current forecast would indicate that we see mainly liquid precipitation on Thursday, though some light snow could mix in and possibly produce a few tenths of an inch of snow. The best chances for precipitation will likely come through the midafternoon and into the evening hours.

Total snow accumulations aren’t forecast to be overly significant, but a band of 1″ to 3″ of new snow will be possible from parts of southwestern Nebraska into the northeast. Short term models are including some pockets of heavier snow in this band being possible, so when it’s all said and done, it wouldn’t be surprising if some localized spots did manage to pick up 3″ to 5″ of snow.

Temperatures look to generally stay near seasonal norms, if not just a few degrees above average, for the day on Thursday to along with our wintry mix of precipitation. Morning low temperatures will be mild for late December, only falling to the upper 20s to low 30s under a blanket of cloud cover.

Afternoon temperatures will be warmest across southeastern Nebraska, the area that should spend the most time in the “warm sector” of the approaching system, with highs in the low to mid 40s. The rest of the state should see highs in the mid to upper 30s by the afternoon, close to normal for late December.

The second system we’re keeping an eye on is forecast to move across the area beginning Sunday night and through early next week. If this system does come to fruition as the European model advertises, areas of heavy snow will be possible across the state to go along with breezy to windy conditions. That being said, there’s still some significant differences in the potential track of the system and the placement of the heaviest snow.

Right now, per the Weather Prediction Center’s winter weather outlook, the most favored area for the possibility of heavy snow would be across north central Nebraska into the western half of the state with Lincoln and eastern Nebraska at this time looking at the possibility of some light snow through early next week with breezy conditions.

The extended forecast for Lincoln and southeastern Nebraska keeps temperatures in the low to mid 40s through Monday of next week before some colder, more seasonal air returns to the area with highs falling to the mid 30s. Morning lows look to stay above average, ranging from the low 20s to the low 30s over the next week.

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