465
FNUS21 KWNS 171515
FWDDY1
DAY 1 FIRE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
1014 AM CDT FRI APR 17 2026
VALID 171700Z - 181200Z
...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER AREA FOR PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHERN HIGH
PLAINS INTO CENTRAL/SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO...
MINOR EXPANSIONS WERE MADE TO THE ELEVATED/CRITICAL AREAS IN NEW
MEXICO AND THE SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS BASED ON THE LATEST OBSERVATIONS
AND HIGH-RESOLUTION FORECAST GUIDANCE. ELEVATED TO LOCALLY CRITICAL
CONDITIONS ARE ALREADY OCCURRING IN PORTIONS OF WEST TEXAS AND
CENTRAL/EASTERN NEW MEXICO, WITH SEVERAL HOURS OF ELEVATED/CRITICAL
CONDITIONS EXPECTED IN THE OUTLOOK AREAS. OTHERWISE, THE FORECAST
REMAINS ON TRACK, AND PLEASE SEE THE PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FOR MORE
DETAILS.
..NAUSLAR.. 04/17/2026
PREV DISCUSSION
/ISSUED 0107 AM CDT FRI APR 17 2026/
..SYNOPSIS
AN UPPER TROUGH WILL MOVE INTO THE CENTRAL U.S. AND DEEPEN FRIDAY AS
AN ASSOCIATED MID-LEVEL SPEED MAX INTENSIFIES OVER THE CENTRAL
PLAINS. DURING THE AFTERNOON, SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENTS WILL
TIGHTEN ACROSS MUCH OF THE HIGH PLAINS WITH A COLD FRONT PROGRESSING
SOUTHWESTWARD INTO SOUTHERN KANSAS AND THE OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE. THIS
WILL PROMOTE CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS THROUGHOUT EASTERN NEW
MEXICO, TEXAS PANHANDLE, AND WEST TEXAS. A SECOND SHORTWAVE IMPULSE
WILL EXIT THE EASTERN U.S. SUPPORTING ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND
SOME LINGERING DRY/BREEZY CONDITIONS OVER THE CENTRAL APPALACHIANS
AND MID-ATLANTIC.
..SOUTHERN PLAINS
AS THE UPPER TROUGH MOVES EAST OF THE ROCKIES, INCREASING MID LEVEL
FLOW WILL OVERSPREAD MUCH OF THE SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS. AT THE
SURFACE, A STRENGTHENING LOW WILL QUICKLY TRAVERSE THE UPPER
MIDWEST, DRAGGING A COLD FRONT SOUTHWARD. POOR EXPECTED OVERNIGHT
HUMIDITY RECOVERIES WILL ENCOURAGE RH IN THE SINGLE DIGITS BY PEAK
AFTERNOON HEATING COMBINED WITH STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 20-25 MPH
(GUSTS UP 40 MPH). THESE CONDITIONS AMID RECEPTIVE FUELS WILL
SUPPORT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR MUCH OF THE REGION ON
FRIDAY. AS THE COLD FRONT PASSES THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING, AN ABRUPT
NORTHERLY WIND SHIFT WITH STRONG GUSTS OF UP TO 40 MPH CONTINUING
FOR A FEW HOURS COULD IMPACT ANY ONGOING WILDFIRES. HOWEVER, HIGHER
RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND COOLER TEMPERATURES BEHIND THE FRONT ARE
EXPECTED TO IMPROVE THE FIRE WEATHER ENVIRONMENT INTO THE OVERNIGHT
HOURS.
FARTHER NORTH, GUSTY POST-FRONTAL NORTHERLY WINDS ARE EXPECTED OVER
PARTS OF THE CENTRAL PLAINS. RH VALUES WILL CLIMB QUICKLY THROUGHOUT
THE DAY AS TEMPERATURES COOL. BRIEF LOCALLY ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER
CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WHERE FUELS HAVE REMAINED DRY.
..CENTRAL APPALACHIANS AND MID-ATLANTIC
IN THE WAKE OF THE DEPARTING SHORTWAVE TROUGH, WESTERLY FLOW ALOFT
WILL LINGER OVER THE APPALACHIANS WITH WEAK LEE SURFACE TROUGHING.
WESTERLY WINDS OF 10 MPH (GUSTS UP TO 20 MPH) AND DECREASING RH TO
LESS THAN 30 PERCENT ARE EXPECTED BY PEAK HEATING. THESE CONDITIONS
ATOP A DROUGHT RIDDEN LANDSCAPE AND EXCEPTIONALLY DRY FUELS WILL
SUPPORT AN ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER THREAT THIS AFTERNOON.
..PLEASE SEE WWW.SPC.NOAA.GOV/FIRE FOR GRAPHIC PRODUCT
CLICK HERE TO GO TO PREVIOUS BULLETINS.
Main Text Page