Tuesday Forecast: Another warm September day

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - Another warm September day is on tap for the day on Tuesday, with temperatures then trending cooler for the rest of the week and into the upcoming weekend. Rain chances look to be here and there over the next few days with no significant moisture expected. That changes though as we head into the weekend as both longer range models have wet, unsettled weather returning to the region for Friday and into the weekend.

We’ll keep an eye on chances for some isolated to scattered showers and ‘storms as we head into Monday evening and Monday night. Most short-range models have a few areas of rain popping up later Monday evening with activity lingering across southeastern Nebraska through Tuesday morning. Skies will go from mostly clear Monday evening to partly to mostly cloudy by late Monday and through the overnight hours. Into the day on Tuesday, we’ll include low-end PoPs for Lincoln and southeastern Nebraska with variable cloudiness expected through the day.

Look for another very warm afternoon on Tuesday as highs will climb into the mid to upper 80s and low 90s. Skies should remain mostly to partly sunny through the day with southerly winds at 10 to 15 with a few gusts up to 25 mph.

Above average temperatures will continue Tuesday night.

Highs temperatures on Wednesday will be in the 80s across the state.

The big focus of the forecast is for the upcoming weekend as both longer range models advertise a wet and windy system moving through the Plains.

Rainfall amounts for both the GFS and Euro are fairly significant - it will just be pinpointing the exact location of heavy rain that will be the challenge. The American GFS keeps the heaviest rain across South Dakota into northern Nebraska, while the European model nudges the axis of heavy rain and bit to the south and east.

This storm system will include a “dry slot” where colder, drier air is wrapped into the system. This dry slot - as it is named - often sees much less precipitation than areas to the north and east of it. Not only pinpointing where heavy rain is possible, but where this dry slot will move through will be big challenges to the forecast moving forward. More often than not it seems, Lincoln ends up getting hit by this dry slot - it is something to keep in mind as rain chances for now will remain high on Friday and through the weekend.

The 7 day forecast has a distinct fall like feel to it with a busy week of weather. Look for low end chances for rain with highs in the 80s for Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Rain chances and cooler temps then highlight the forecast for Friday into the weekend and into early next week.

Astronomical fall - or autumnal equinox - is on Saturday. Fall will officially begin for the northern hemisphere at 1:50 AM on Saturday. Sunrise in Lincoln on that day will be at 7:15 AM and sunset will be at 7:22 PM.

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