School administrators called off classes, and residents hauled in outdoor decorations and trash barrels ahead of what is shaping up as an unprecedented day of mid-December weather.
Across Nebraska, temperatures could reach record highs, but what could put Dec. 15, 2021, into weather lore is the heat, combined with high winds, potential grass fires, thunderstorms in some areas and blasts of snow in others.
In Lincoln, temperatures will climb into the 70s, and if they reach 72, it will mark the warmest temperature in the Capital City this late in the year.
The big event, though, will be the wind. Each of Nebraska's 93 counties is included in a high wind warning, and a forecaster with the National Weather Service said he's "very confident" that wind gusts will reach 55 mph in many areas and could extend to 75 mph in some places.
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"Some models are saying over 80 miles per hour is possible," Brian Barjenbruch said Tuesday.
Winds of that nature are a threat to everything from outdoor Christmas decorations to high-profile vehicles. City officials urged residents not to leave garbage or recycling bins at the curb past mid-morning.
School districts in both urban and rural areas, including Lincoln Public Schools, announced plans to keep students at home Wednesday. Others said they would end classes early or suspend bus service after school when conditions could be at their worst.
Nomi Health, which runs a COVID-19 testing site in the Gateway Mall parking lot, said it would close Wednesday.
Barjenbruch said that in his 15 years in Nebraska, he can only think of one other weather event this time of year that even compares to what is expected Wednesday. In 2016, storms on Christmas Day produced brief, weak tornadoes in areas of south-central Nebraska.
"Even that doesn't quite fully compare to this one," he said. "This is quite rare."
That's because the high winds are likely to occur over several hours rather than just as short bursts as part of storms.
In the Lincoln area and much of Southeast Nebraska, wind gusts are likely to be 35-45 mph in the morning, picking up to 55-65 mph in the afternoon and peaking at 65-75 mph from 3-6 p.m.
Winds will primarily gust out of the south before switching to the southwest by mid-afternoon and the west by evening.
Winds could bring down trees and power lines and even cause structural damage. The weather service warns that there could be widespread power outages and possible travel issues because of blowing dust.
The winds will be bad enough on their own, but dry conditions and extremely low humidity will mean a high risk of fires.
Many areas south of Interstate 80, including Lincoln, are in a red flag warning from noon-9 p.m. Wednesday. A red flag warning means "critical fire weather conditions" are present and any fires that do ignite will spread rapidly.
Another potential weather hazard Wednesday is the possibility of thunderstorms. An area just east of Lincoln from Wayne to Falls City is in a marginal risk for severe weather.
Barjenbruch said that if thunderstorms occur in the late afternoon while winds are high, it could lead to gusts well above 80 mph in those areas. He also said any severe storms that do form will move quickly, anywhere from 60-90 mph, leaving little time for warnings to be effective.
Northeast Nebraska also will be facing the additional threat of snow. Though temperatures are forecast to reach the low 60s during the day, they will drop sharply into the 20s and 30s during the evening hours, and rain could change over to snow.
Though Barjenbruch said there is likely to be very little accumulation, blowing snow could lead to reduced visibility and slick roads.
The rest of the week is looking much more tame, with cool, dry weather on tap. Highs in Lincoln are forecast to be in the upper 40s Thursday and Friday and the upper 30s on Saturday.