796
FNUS21 KWNS 271639
FWDDY1
DAY 1 FIRE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
1139 AM CDT FRI MAR 27 2026
VALID 271700Z - 281200Z
..CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER AREA FOR PARTS OF WESTERN OKLAHOMA
THE
EASTERN TEXAS/OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES...AND FAR SOUTH-CENTRAL KANSAS...
..EASTERN NM INTO THE TX PANHANDLE
NORTHWESTERN OK AND FAR
SOUTH-CENTRAL KS...
BREEZY AND DRY CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITHIN A POST-FRONTAL REGIME
WILL BRING A CORRIDOR OF CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS TO
PORTIONS OF THE TX PANHANDLE, NORTHWESTERN OK AND FAR SOUTHERN KS
THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. NORTHEAST WINDS OF 15-25 MPH WITH HIGHER
GUSTS WILL ONLY SLOWLY DIMINISH THROUGH THE AFTERNOON HOURS. A LOCAL
MINIMA OF CLOUD COVER EVOLVING ACROSS THE TX/OK PANHANDLES INTO
EASTERN NM WILL SUPPORT BETTER BOUNDARY LAYER MIXING AND LOWER
RELATIVE HUMIDITY OF AROUND 20% THIS AFTERNOON. THIS COMBINED WITH
THE STRONGER NORTHEAST WINDS AND EXCEPTIONALLY DRY FUELS WILL
SUPPORT A CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER ENVIRONMENT TODAY. THE WESTERN
PORTIONS OF THE EXISTING ELEVATED AND CRITICAL HIGHLIGHTS WERE
EXTENDED WESTWARD BASED ON LIMITED CLOUD COVER AND LATEST SHORT TERM
MODEL GUIDANCE.
..EASTERN ARIZONA INTO SOUTHWESTERN NEW MEXICO
THE BACKDOOR COLD FRONT WILL CONTINUE TO BRING GUSTY NORTHEAST WINDS
INTO PORTIONS OF THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER BASIN TODAY. LOCALIZED
WIND GUSTS OF AROUND 60 MPH HAVE BEEN OBSERVED ON THE LEEWARD
PORTIONS OF MOUNTAIN RANGES IN SOUTHERN NM WITHIN A BROADER
NORTHEAST WIND FIELD OF 15-25 MPH. EXTENDED THE EXISTING ELEVATED
HIGHLIGHTS NORTHEASTWARD INTO SOUTH-CENTRAL NM BASED ON THESE
CURRENT OBSERVATION AND SHORT TERM GUIDANCE TRENDS. RELATIVE
HUMIDITY REDUCTIONS WILL BE MORE LIMITED ACROSS THE SOUTH-CENTRAL NM
AS COOLER TEMPERATURES FILTER INTO THE AREA, BUT AS LOW AS 10%
FARTHER WEST INTO SOUTHEASTERN AZ. THESE DRY AND BREEZY CONDITIONS,
ALONG WITH VERY DRY FUELS WILL SUPPORT AN ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER
CONCERN THROUGH TODAY.
..WILLIAMS.. 03/27/2026
PREV DISCUSSION
/ISSUED 0120 AM CDT FRI MAR 27 2026/
..SYNOPSIS
UPPER-LEVEL RIDGING CENTERED OVER NORTHERN MEXICO AND WEST TEXAS
WILL REMAIN IN PLACE TODAY AS A MID-LEVEL SHORTWAVE TROUGH MOVES
SOUTHEASTWARD ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES AND NORTHEAST. AT THE SURFACE,
STRONG HIGH PRESSURE WILL SHIFT SOUTHEASTWARD FROM THE NORTHERN
GREAT PLAINS INTO THE MIDWEST WHILE A COLD FRONT PROGRESSES
SOUTHWARD ACROSS THE SOUTHERN GREAT PLAINS AND SOUTHEAST.
...EASTERN TX/OK PANHANDLES INTO WESTERN OK AND FAR SOUTH-CENTRAL
KS...
BROAD NORTH-NORTHEASTERLY POST-FRONTAL FLOW AMID A DRY AIR MASS WILL
ENCOMPASS PORTIONS OF THE CENTRAL/SOUTHERN GREAT PLAINS TODAY. WHILE
THE LATEST GUIDANCE INDICATES RH VALUES WILL REMAIN MORE MARGINAL
(20-25%), RECEPTIVE FUELS, SUSTAINED NORTHEASTERLY SURFACE WINDS OF
20-25 MPH, AND THE POTENTIAL FOR OCCASIONAL WIND GUSTS OF 30-40 MPH
(LOCALLY HIGHER) SHOULD SUPPORT A PERIOD OF CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER
CONCERNS FROM THE EASTERN TX/OK PANHANDLES INTO FAR SOUTH-CENTRAL
KANSAS.
FARTHER NORTHEAST, MINIMUM RH VALUES ARE FORECAST TO RANGE FROM
20-30% ACROSS MUCH OF CENTRAL/EASTERN KANSAS NORTHWARD INTO EASTERN
NEBRASKA, SOUTHWESTERN IOWA, AND NORTHWESTERN MISSOURI. COUPLED WITH
RECEPTIVE FUELS AND SUSTAINED SURFACE WINDS OF 15-20 MPH, ELEVATED
TO LOCALLY CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THIS
AFTERNOON, WITH THE EXCEPTION BEING ACROSS AREAS THAT SAW
APPRECIABLE RAINFALL THURSDAY EVENING.
..EASTERN ARIZONA INTO SOUTHWESTERN NEW MEXICO
A BACKDOOR COLD FRONT WILL PROGRESS SOUTH-SOUTHWESTWARD THROUGH
PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHWEST TODAY. DRY AND BREEZY CONDITIONS ARE
FORECAST IN THE WAKE OF THIS FRONT, WITH THE LATEST GUIDANCE
DEPICTING A CORRIDOR OF 15-25 MPH SUSTAINED SOUTHEASTERLY SURFACE
WINDS OVERLAPPING LOW RH AROUND 20%. THESE CONDITIONS ATOP RECEPTIVE
FUELS ARE EXPECTED TO PROMOTE A FEW HOURS OF ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER
CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON, PARTICULARLY IN THE VICINITY OF THE WHITE
MOUNTAINS AND GILA REGION.
..PLEASE SEE WWW.SPC.NOAA.GOV/FIRE FOR GRAPHIC PRODUCT
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