195
FNUS21 KWNS 181654
FWDDY1
DAY 1 FIRE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
1054 AM CST THU DEC 18 2025
VALID 181700Z - 191200Z
...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER AREA FOR MUCH OF KANSAS INTO NORTHERN
OKLAHOMA...
STRONG SUSTAINED NORTHWEST WINDS OF 15-40 MPH GUSTING UP TO 70 MPH
HAVE SPREAD ACROSS MUCH OF KANSAS, EASTERN COLORADO, AND INTO
NORTHERN OKLAHOMA AND THE TEXAS/OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES THIS MORNING.
LOWER RH AND STRONGER WINDS ARE FORECAST TO SPREAD FARTHER
SOUTH/EAST ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PLAINS TODAY. BASED ON THE LATEST
OBSERVATIONS AND HIGH-RESOLUTION FORECAST GUIDANCE, THE CRITICAL
AREA WAS EXPANDED FARTHER WEST/SOUTH, DESPITE HIGH TEMPERATURES IN
THE 40S TO LOW 50S. THERE ALREADY APPEARS TO BE ONE HOT SPOT VIA
GOES IMAGERY IN GRAHAM COUNTY IN NORTHWEST KANSAS. EASTERN PORTIONS
OF THE ELEVATED AREA IN EASTERN KANSAS AND EASTERN OKLAHOMA MAY ONLY
SEE LOCALLY ELEVATED CONDITIONS, BUT THE ELEVATED AREA WAS
MAINTAINED.
..NAUSLAR.. 12/18/2025
PREV DISCUSSION
/ISSUED 1135 PM CST WED DEC 17 2025/
..SYNOPSIS
A COLD FRONT WILL PUSH THROUGH THE PLAINS INTO THE MISSISSIPPI/OHIO
VALLEYS TODAY. ON THE WESTERN FLANK OF THE UPPER-TROUGH, BEHIND THE
COLD FRONT, STRONG NORTHWESTERLY WINDS WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE
MORNING AND INTO THE EARLY/MID AFTERNOON WITHIN THE CENTRAL/SOUTHERN
PLAINS. THE COLD AIR WILL LAG BEHIND THE ACTUAL FRONT.
..CENTRAL/SOUTHERN PLAINS
WINDS OF 20-30 MPH (WITH HIGHER GUSTS) ARE PROBABLE ACROSS KANSAS
INTO NORTHERN OKLAHOMA. THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL OCCUR IN KANSAS
WHERE SURFACE TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN COOLER. DESPITE THE COLD
ADVECTION, CLEAR SKIES AND DRY AIR WILL SUPPORT RH IN THE 15-25%
RANGE IN TEXAS/OKLAHOMA. RH IN KANSAS WILL LIKELY BE ABOVE 25% IN
MOST AREAS. HOWEVER, THE STRONG WINDS AND DRYING FINE FUELS WILL
STILL SUPPORT RAPID FIRE SPREAD IN THESE MARGINALLY CRITICAL RH
CONDITIONS. CRITICAL CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WHERE THE GREATEST
OVERLAP OF STRONG SURFACE WINDS AND AT LEAST MARGINALLY LOW RH.
NEAR-CRITICAL CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE IN PARTS OF OKLAHOMA AND
TEXAS, BUT MARGINAL FUELS AND LESS INTENSE SURFACE WINDS PRECLUDE
EXPANSION OF HIGHLIGHTS INTO THESE AREAS.
..PLEASE SEE WWW.SPC.NOAA.GOV/FIRE FOR GRAPHIC PRODUCT
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