(Updated 9-a.m.)

Today: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 3pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 78. South wind 13 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Tonight: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 10pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 10pm and 1am, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 1am. Low around 56. South wind 5 to 11 mph becoming west southwest after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Monday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1pm. Cloudy through mid morning, then gradual clearing, with a high near 71. Breezy, with a north northwest wind 8 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Mon. Night: Clear, with a low around 42. Breezy, with a north wind 9 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 65. North northeast wind 7 to 10 mph.

Tue. Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 47.

Wednesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 67. Windy.

The (podcast) National Weather Service forecast for the KJAN listening area and weather information for Atlantic from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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347 AM CDT SAT APR 19 2014

EARLY THIS MORNING…MOSTLY CLEAR. NOT AS COOL. SOUTH WIND 10 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 25 MPH.

TODAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. BREEZY…WARMER. HIGH IN THE UPPER 70S. SOUTH WIND 15 TO 25 MPH.

TONIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS BEFORE MIDNIGHT. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS AFTER MIDNIGHT. BREEZY. LOW IN THE MID 50S. SOUTH WIND 10 TO 20 MPH. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 50 PERCENT.

SUNDAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH MID MORNING…THEN SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS IN THE LATE MORNING AND AFTERNOON. SHOWERS LIKELY LATE IN THE AFTERNOON. HIGH IN THE LOWER 70S. SOUTH WIND 10 TO 15 MPH. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 60 PERCENT.

SUNDAY NIGHT…THUNDERSTORMS LIKELY THROUGH MIDNIGHT…THEN SHOWERS LIKELY AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS AFTER MIDNIGHT. LOW IN THE MID 50S. SOUTH WIND 5 TO 10 MPH. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 60 PERCENT.

MONDAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS IN THE MORNING…THEN MOSTLY SUNNY IN THE AFTERNOON. HIGH IN THE UPPER 60S. NORTH WIND 5 TO 15 MPH. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 50 PERCENT.

TUESDAY…PARTLY CLOUDY. HIGH IN THE MID 60S.

The (podcast) Freese-Notis forecast and weather information for Atlantic and the KJAN listening area.

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The National Weather Service in Valley, NE, reports the Grassland Fire Danger Index is expected to rise into the “VERY HIGH” category this (Friday) afternoon, as south-southeast winds gust from 25-to 30-miles per hour, and the relative humidity values drop to near 30-percent. Extreme caution should be used with any outdoor burning.

Thunderstorms will be possible from Saturday afternoon through Sunday night. Some storms could approach severe limits, especially in southwest Nebraska and southwest Iowa Saturday evening.

Stay alert for weather bulletins this weekend.

Today Sunny, with a high near 66. Breezy, with a south southeast wind 6 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph.

Tonight Mostly clear, with a low around 48. South southeast wind 13 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.

Saturday Mostly sunny, with a high near 77. Windy, with a south wind 14 to 21 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.

Saturday Night A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 54. South wind 8 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Sunday A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 73. South wind 8 to 10 mph. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Sunday Night Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 53. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Monday A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 71.

349 AM CDT THU APR 17 2014

EARLY THIS MORNING…CLOUDY…COLDER. NORTHWEST WIND AROUND 15 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 30 MPH.

TODAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY UNTIL LATE AFTERNOON THEN BECOMING MOSTLY SUNNY. COOLER. HIGH IN THE LOWER 50S. NORTH WIND 5 TO 15 MPH.

TONIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. LOW IN THE LOWER 30S. EAST WIND AROUND 5 MPH.

FRIDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. WARMER. HIGH IN THE MID 60S. SOUTH WIND 5 TO 15 MPH. GUSTS UP TO 25 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON.

SATURDAY…PARTLY SUNNY. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AFTERNOON. BREEZY…WARMER. HIGH IN THE MID 70S. SOUTH WIND 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 35 MPH. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 30 PERCENT.

SUNDAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A 50 PERCENT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS. HIGH IN THE UPPER 60S.

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) – There are varying degrees of drought conditions in the Plains region, but a National Weather Service hydrologist says predicted above-normal rain this spring might ease some of the problem.  Mike Gillispie in Sioux Falls expects improvement in parts of Iowa, Minnesota and South Dakota. Some people in the agriculture industry and with municipal water supplies are still wary.

Nathan Fields with the National Corn Growers Association says that during the 2012 drought, he learned how quickly it can set in and affect crop production.  Parts of eastern South Dakota are abnormally dry. The stretch from southern Minnesota and Iowa through Nebraska is facing moderate drought. Conditions worsen toward the south, as parts of Texas and Oklahoma are in the middle of an ongoing drought.  There’s no drought in North Dakota.

The Freese-Notis weather forecast for Atlantic & the KJAN listening area, Advisories and Warnings, and weather information for Atlantic.

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**A Wind Advisory and RED FLAG WARNING is in effect from mid-morning until 6-p.m.**

Today: Partly sunny, with a high near 64. Windy, with a south wind 23 to 30 mph, with gusts as high as 41 mph.

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 30. Windy, with a northwest wind 11 to 21 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 51. North northwest wind 6 to 10 mph.

Thu. Night: A slight chance of rain or freezing rain after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 31. East wind around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Friday: A slight chance of rain or freezing rain before 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 57. East southeast wind 6 to 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Fri. Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40.

Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 66. Breezy.