Nebraska is currently enjoying unseasonably warm winter weather, but big changes are on the horizon, according to 10/11 Chief Meteorologist Ken Siemek.
Temperatures are expected to shift dramatically as the week progresses.
“Only in Nebraska can you go from the warmest temperatures of the year to the coldest temperatures of the season in about two days,” Siemek said. “We think that we could be looking at wind chills across the state of Nebraska by the time we get to Sunday morning. Monday morning, Tuesday morning could be in that 10 degrees below zero to 30 degrees below zero range.”
Highs on Thursday will hover in the 50s, and Friday will remain mild. However, the cold front will arrive Saturday, dropping daytime highs to the teens and lower 20s. By Sunday, single-digit highs and teens will dominate the forecast, with the bitter cold persisting into Monday.
Wind chill is expected to exacerbate the already frigid temperatures.
“We don’t like to throw the word dangerous around very often, but we are talking about Sunday morning, Monday morning, and maybe even Tuesday morning where those wind chill numbers could be so low—anywhere from 10 below to 25 or 30 degrees below zero,” Siemek added. “That’s a dangerous situation if you end up exposed to that kind of weather for very long.”
This Arctic outbreak could bring the most extreme cold Nebraska has seen this season. But the good news is that it won’t last long.
“The Arctic outbreak is it’s probably only going to last two or three days,” said Siemek. By midweek, temperatures are expected to return to more seasonal levels, with highs in the 30s and 40s.
Nebraska residents are advised to prepare for the impending chill and to take precautions during the most frigid days.