151
FNUS22 KWNS 170814
FWDDY2
DAY 2 FIRE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
0213 AM CST TUE FEB 17 2026
VALID 181200Z - 191200Z
...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER AREA FOR MUCH OF THE SOUTHERN HIGH
PLAINS...
..SYNOPSIS
A SECOND, PRONOUNCED MID-LEVEL IMPULSE, EMBEDDED IN A BROADER AND
ACTIVE UPPER TROUGHING PATTERN, IS POISED TO EJECT INTO THE CENTRAL
PLAINS TOMORROW (WEDNESDAY). A SURFACE LOW WILL TRAVERSE THE UPPER
MISSISSIPPI VALLEY WHILE A SECOND SURFACE LOW DEVELOPS AND QUICKLY
DEEPENS OVER THE CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS. STRONG ISALLOBARIC FLOW OVER
PORTIONS OF THE MIDWEST, AND DOWNSLOPE FLOW ALONG LEE OF THE
SOUTHERN ROCKIES INTO THE SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS, WILL PROMOTE
APPRECIABLE WILDFIRE SPREAD CONDITIONS OVER BOTH LOCALES.
..SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS
THE DEEPENING OF THE SURFACE LOW WILL AUGMENT DOWNSLOPE FLOW BY
AFTERNOON, RESULTING IN WIDESPREAD SUSTAINED SOUTHWESTERLY SURFACE
WINDS AROUND 25 MPH AMID 10-15 PERCENT RH FOR AT LEAST A FEW HOURS.
FUELS IN THIS REGION CONTINUE TO CURE GIVEN A LACK OF APPRECIABLE
RAINFALL PRIOR EXPOSURE TO DRY AND WINDY DAYS, WARRANTING THE
INTRODUCTION OF CRITICAL HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE SECOND DAY IN A ROW.
..PORTIONS OF THE MIDWEST
AS A SURFACE LOW TRACKS TOWARD THE GREAT LAKES, SUSTAINED WESTERLY
SURFACE WINDS WILL REACH THE 15-25 MPH RANGE WHILE ADVECTING DRY AIR
FROM THE WEST. RH MAY REDUCE TO 15-25 PERCENT BY AFTERNOON PEAK
HEATING. GIVEN AN APPRECIABLE LACK OF RAINFALL FROM EASTERN
NEBRASKA, IOWA, AND WESTERN/NORTHERN ILLINOIS OVER THE PAST MONTH,
THE AFOREMENTIONED DRY AND WINDY CONDITIONS MAY CERTAINLY SUPPORT
WILDFIRE SPREAD, NECESSITATING HIGH-END ELEVATED HIGHLIGHTS. IF A
GREATER CONSENSUS AMONG GUIDANCE MEMBERS CAN DEPICT 20+ MPH WINDS
BETTER OVERLAPPING WITH 20 PERCENT OR LOWER RH, CRITICAL HIGHLIGHTS
WILL BE NEEDED.
..SQUITIERI.. 02/17/2026
..PLEASE SEE WWW.SPC.NOAA.GOV/FIRE FOR GRAPHIC PRODUCT
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