289
FNUS21 KWNS 131656
FWDDY1
DAY 1 FIRE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
1055 AM CST TUE JAN 13 2026
VALID 131700Z - 141200Z
..CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS
ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS REMAIN LIKELY ACROSS PORTIONS OF
THE CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. DEVELOPMENT OF
ROBUST NORTHWEST WINDS IS UNDERWAY AS DEEP LAYER NORTHWESTERLY FLOW
INCREASES THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. DESPITE CLOUD COVER AHEAD OF AN
APPROACHING COLD FRONT, WELL ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES IN THE 50S
AND 60S, RH REDUCTIONS CLOSE TO 20% BY MID AFTERNOON AND NORTHWEST
WINDS OF 15-25 MPH OVER RECEPTIVE FUELS WILL SUPPORT ELEVATED TO
LOCALLY CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ACROSS NORTHEASTERN CO, FAR
SOUTHEASTERN WY AND SOUTHWESTERN NE PANHANDLE. A SLIGHT
SOUTHEASTWARD EXTENSION OF ELEVATED HIGHLIGHTS WAS MADE INTO
NORTHWEST KS.
..SOUTHERN PLAINS
A DRY AIR MASS REMAINS IN PLACE ACROSS EASTERN NM, TX PANHANDLE AND
MUCH OF OK. A SURFACE TROUGH EXTENDS SOUTHWESTWARD FROM THE GREAT
LAKES TO THE SOUTHERN PLAINS, PROMOTING DEVELOPMENT OF BROAD, BUT
WEAK WEST-SOUTHWEST WINDS ACROSS NORTHWEST TX AND OK THROUGH THE
AFTERNOON. LOCALLY ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE
ACROSS THE RED RIVER VALLEY AND SOUTHEASTERN OK WHERE WINDS APPROACH
15 MPH AND RH FALLS BELOW 20% THIS AFTERNOON.
..SOUTHEAST
DRY CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST AS SURFACE HIGH
PRESSURE SLIDES SOUTHEASTWARD INTO THE ATLANTIC. A LIGHT SOUTHWEST
WIND OF 10 MPH OR LESS IS LIKELY TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE PIEDMONT
REGION IN RESPONSE TO A SURFACE LOW MOVING INTO ONTARIO. BRIEF,
LOCALLY ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WHERE FUELS
REMAIN DRY AND RH FALLS TO 25% ACROSS COASTAL GA AND THE CAROLINAS.
..WILLIAMS.. 01/13/2026
PREV DISCUSSION
/ISSUED 0217 AM CST TUE JAN 13 2026/
..SYNOPSIS
TROUGHING OVER THE EASTERN US WILL INTENSIFY TODAY WITH STRONG
NORTH-NORTHWESTERLY FLOW OVERSPREADING MUCH OF THE PLAINS. A
PROMINENT SHORTWAVE WILL MOVE SOUTHWARD ALONG WITH A STRONG SURFACE
COLD FRONT. THE INCREASE IN STRONG FLOW ALOFT AND THE FRONT WILL
BOLSTER SURFACE WINDS OVER THE HIGH PLAINS, SUPPORTING ELEVATED
FIRE-WEATHER CONDITIONS.
..CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS
AS THE UPPER TROUGH DEEPENS AND MOVES EAST, A POTENTATE SHORTWAVE
FEATURE ON THE WESTERN FLANK WILL MOVE SOUTHEASTWARD OVER THE
ROCKIES AND HIGH PLAINS. STRONG NORTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT WILL
OVERSPREAD THE REGION. THE UPPER-LEVEL SUPPORT ALONG WITH ONGOING
LEE TROUGHING AND BUILDING HIGH PRESSURE TO THE WEST WILL PROMOTE
VERY BREEZY NORTHWEST WINDS OF 15-25 MPH AND HIGHER GUSTS. HOWEVER,
RH VALUES WILL LIKELY BE ONLY MODEST GIVEN OROGRAPHIC CLOUD COVER
AND THE COOLER SURFACE TEMPERATURES BEHIND THE FRONT. STILL, RH
BELOW 30% OVERLAPPED WITH VERY DRY/DORMANT FUELS AND SEVERAL HOURS
OF FAVORABLE DRY/BREEZY CONDITIONS WILL LIKELY SUPPORT ELEVATED FIRE
WEATHER THREAT FOR NORTHEASTERN CO, FAR SOUTHEASTERN WY AND
SOUTHWESTERN NE PANHANDLE. FIRE CONCERNS SHOULD END QUICKLY TONIGHT
AS THE COLD FRONT AND COOLER AIR MASS ARRIVE WITH STRONG NORTHERLY
FLOW.
..TX/OK
MODEST SOUTHWEST WINDS ASSOCIATED WITH A WEAK SURFACE TROUGH
EXTENDING FROM THE GREAT LAKES REGION TO THE SOUTHERN PLAINS WILL BE
A PRIMARY MITIGATING FACTOR IN A BROADER FIRE WEATHER THREAT TODAY.
STILL, UNUSUALLY WARM TEMPERATURES AND AFTERNOON RH NEAR 20% ACROSS
NORTHWESTERN TEXAS AND SOUTHWESTERN COULD SUPPORT LOCALIZED
FIRE-WEATHER CONCERNS WHERE WINDS OF UP TO 15 MPH AMID DRIER FUELS
ARE EXPECTED.
A WEAK UPPER LOW WITH LIGHT PRECIPITATION OVER SOUTH TX AND THE RIO
GRANDE VALLEY COULD TEMPORARILY LIMIT FUEL AVAILABILITY TODAY.
HOWEVER, ONLY LIGHT PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED AND THE STATE OF
SHORT-HOUR FUELS IS SUCH THAT RAPID DRYING IS POSSIBLE.
..SOUTHEAST
DRY CONDITIONS WILL LIKELY PERSIST OVER THE SOUTHEAST AS SURFACE
HIGH PRESSURE SETTLES OVER THE SOUTHEAST. WHILE STRONG WINDS APPEAR
UNLIKELY, RESIDUAL DRY AIR MASS WILL PERSIST ACROSS THE SOUTHEASTERN
U.S. WHERE RH WILL FALL TO AS LOW AS 25% WITH DRIER FUELS IN PLACE,
THIS COULD SUPPORT SOME BRIEF LOCALIZED FIRE-WEATHER CONCERNS
DESPITE LIMITED WINDS, ESPECIALLY ACROSS PARTS OF COASTAL GA AND THE
CAROLINAS WHERE LITTLE RAINFALL HAS OCCURRED RECENTLY.
..PLEASE SEE WWW.SPC.NOAA.GOV/FIRE FOR GRAPHIC PRODUCT
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