910
FNUS21 KWNS 091631
FWDDY1
DAY 1 FIRE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
1031 AM CST MON FEB 09 2026
VALID 091700Z - 101200Z
...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER AREA FOR FOR PORTIONS OF FAR SOUTHEASTERN
WYOMING INTO FAR WESTERN NEBRASKA...
...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER AREA FOR FOR PORTIONS OF FAR NORTHEASTERN
NEW MEXICO INTO THE OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS PANHANDLES...EXTREME
NORTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA,FAR SOUTHWESTERN KANSAS...
..SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS
SEVERAL HOURS OF WIDESPREAD ELEVATED AND CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS THIS
AFTERNOON. CURRENT GUIDANCE IS STILL ON TRACK FOR STRONG
WEST-SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS OF 20-25 MPH GUSTING TO 40 MPH IN SOME
AREAS AND RH DECREASING TO 10-15 PERCENT ATOP A DRY FUELSCAPE. AN
EXPANSION OF THE ELEVATED AREA WAS ADDED ALONG THE SOUTHERN
FOOTHILLS OF COLORADO TO INCLUDE A CORRIDOR OF STRONG WINDS AND LOW
RH OVERLAPPING POTENTIALLY RECEPTIVE FUELS.
..CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS
INCREASED MID-LEVEL CLOUD COVER AND PASSAGE OF A COLD FRONT ACROSS
EASTERN WYOMING AND NORTHERN NEBRASKA THIS AFTERNOON MAY INHIBIT
DEEPER MIXING AND LIMIT THE TEMPORAL EXTENT OF MORE CRITICAL FIRE
WEATHER CONDITIONS. HOWEVER, A FEW HOURS OF DRY AND BREEZY
CONDITIONS ATOP DRY FUELS SHOULD STILL SUPPORT FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS
TODAY. THE ELEVATED AND CRITICAL AREAS ARE UNCHANGED, SEE THE
PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FOR MORE INFORMATION.
..ELIZALDE-GARCIA/LYONS.. 02/09/2026
PREV DISCUSSION
/ISSUED 0115 AM CST MON FEB 09 2026/
..SYNOPSIS
BROAD UPPER RIDGING WILL OVERSPREAD THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN CONUS
TODAY, WITH A PRONOUNCED MID-LEVEL IMPULSE POISED TO CREST THE RIDGE
OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS. AN ELONGATED SURFACE LOW WILL FORM OVER THE
CENTRAL PLAINS, WITH DRY NORTHWESTERLY FLOW OVERSPREADING PARTS OF
THE CENTRAL PLAINS WITHIN A POST-COLD FRONTAL REGIME, AND DRY
DOWNSLOPE FLOW OCCURRING AHEAD OF A SURFACE TROUGH OVER THE SOUTHERN
HIGH PLAINS. OVER BOTH AREAS, THE DRY AND WINDY SURFACE CONDITIONS
WILL FOSTER WILDFIRE-SPREAD POTENTIAL.
..CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS
GUIDANCE DIFFERS SOMEWHAT REGARDING HOW DRY THE SURFACE AIRMASS WILL
BECOME BY AFTERNOON PEAK HEATING BEHIND THE COLD FRONT OVER THE
CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS. NONETHELESS, RH MAY DIP AS LOW AS 15-20 PERCENT
AMID 20-25 MPH SUSTAINED NORTHWESTERLY SURFACE WINDS, ATOP DRYING
FUELS. EVEN IF RH DOES NOT REACH CRITICAL THRESHOLDS, THE STRONGER
POST-COLD FRONTAL WINDS ATOP DRY FUELS SHOULD COMPENSATE TO SUPPORT
WILDFIRE SPREAD.
..SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS
BY AFTERNOON PEAK HEATING, DRY DOWNSLOPE FLOW, IN COMBINATION WITH A
VERY DEEP AND DRY BOUNDARY LAYER, WILL SUPPORT RH DIPPING INTO THE
10-15 PERCENT RANGE AS SUSTAINED WEST-SOUTHWESTERLY SURFACE WINDS
EXCEED 20 MPH FOR SEVERAL HOURS. THE CURRENT GUIDANCE CONSENSUS
STILL DEPICTS THE BEST CORRIDOR FOR CRITICAL CONDITIONS OVER
NORTHEASTERN NEW MEXICO INTO THE OKLAHOMA/TEXAS PANHANDLES AND
IMMEDIATE SURROUNDING AREAS. GIVEN GUIDANCE CONSISTENCY IN SUCH
CONDITIONS AND CONTINUED DRYING FUELS, CRITICAL HIGHLIGHTS HAVE BEEN
MAINTAINED.
..PLEASE SEE WWW.SPC.NOAA.GOV/FIRE FOR GRAPHIC PRODUCT
CLICK HERE TO GO TO PREVIOUS BULLETINS.
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