October came and went, November winds down, and December is on the horizon. Nebraska has yet to experience snowfall this year… that might change this week.
“The switch has been pulled,” said Retired UNL Climatologist Dr. Ken Dewey, calling into the Monday episode of LNK Today with Jack and Friends to give us a snap shot of what to expect this week.
The Sunday precipitation, carrying into Monday, will herald in the 30-40 degree peak temperature range. But Dr. Dewey says Wednesday will be a special “hump-day” to look forward to… and perhaps one of the busiest travel days of the year.
“Wednesday is our best day, and should be up around 60 degrees and sunny. It’s going to be great for people wanting to travel across the state,” said Dr. Dewey, “We’re now into a cold weather pattern, and the worst day of the month is going to be this Friday for the football game. The change has happened… Friday is the day that’s going to be brutal.”
Walking through the timeline, Dr. Dewey said around 6:00 a.m. Friday, snow may start to fall in Northeast Colorado. By noon on Friday, that snow will move towards North Platte to Valentine, Nebraska. “As we approach the end of the football game in the mid afternoon, the closest snow would be out around Lexington, and it’s a light snow,” said Dr. Dewey.
“As the day progresses, around midnight Friday, Lincoln will still be dry,” the retired Climatologist assured, however, “Some light snow will move into our area overnight. It’s not going to be a travel problem for the football game, thankfully. But it will be bitterly cold, in the 30s… Friday will feel like winter.”
Dr. Ken Dewey, a.k.a. Dr. Doom and Gloom, he quipped.
Looking forward, following the dreaded chances of our first snow, “Saturday, it’ll dawn here, cloudy with some snow flurries, and then by afternoon the sun is out,” said Dr. Dewey with hope, “On Sunday, also a big travel day, temperatures will be near to above freezing into the 40’s, and dry. So the big timing for snow is Friday. It does not look like it’s going to impact the game… It’ll just be miserably cold.”
“Sunday we’re looking good again, warming back up into 40-50’s by next week, and moving out of this cold wave,” said Dr. Dewey, “But we’re not warming back up into the 70’s.”
Listen to LNK Today host Jack Mitchell’s full conversation with Retired UNL Climatologist Ken Dewey on the full episode. Hear LNK Today with Jack and Friends every weekday morning from 6-9 a.m. on 1400 & 99.3 KLIN.
For more from Dr. Dewey, visit his social media: