687
FNUS22 KWNS 161835
FWDDY2
DAY 2 FIRE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
0134 PM CDT MON MAR 16 2026
VALID 171200Z - 181200Z
THE ELEVATED AREA OVER THE SOUTHERN PLAINS WAS ADJUSTED SLIGHTLY
EASTWARD TO ALIGN WITH THE LATEST FORECAST GUIDANCE. LOCALLY
CRITICAL CONDITIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER PORTIONS OF THE TEXAS
PANHANDLE AND SOUTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA DURING THE DAY 2/TUESDAY TIME
FRAME. ADDITIONALLY, THIS LACK OF MOISTURE RECOVERY WILL EFFECTIVELY
EXTEND THE BURN PERIOD AND PRE-CONDITION FUELS PRIOR TO THE ARRIVAL
OF THE STRONGEST SYNOPTIC WINDS ON DAY 2/TUESDAY AFTERNOON.
FARTHER WEST AND NORTH, AN ADDITIONAL ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER AREA HAS
BEEN INTRODUCED ACROSS NORTH-CENTRAL NEW MEXICO, THE EASTERN
COLORADO PLAINS, AND ADJACENT SEGMENTS OF THE CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS.
THIS REGION WILL EXPERIENCE SUSTAINED WEST-TO-NORTHWEST WINDS NEAR
15-20 MPH WITH RHS OF 15-20%. WHILE NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THIS RISK
AREA MAY STRUGGLE TO MEET STRICT RH THRESHOLDS, THE PROXIMITY TO THE
UPPER-LEVEL JET SUGGESTS THESE AREAS WILL SEE THE HIGHEST WIND
MAGNITUDES, LIKELY COMPENSATING FOR THE MARGINAL HUMIDITY.
..STEARNS/WILLIAMS.. 03/16/2026
PREV DISCUSSION
/ISSUED 0148 AM CDT MON MAR 16 2026/
..SYNOPSIS
A PERIOD OF ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS WILL RETURN ON D2/TUESDAY
ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PLAINS. WESTERLY FLOW ALOFT WILL OVERSPREAD THE
NORTHERN/CENTRAL ROCKIES, WITH LEE TROUGHING STRENGTHENING ACROSS
THE NORTHERN/CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS. STRENGTHENING SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL
EXTEND INTO THE SOUTHERN PLAINS WHERE A RESIDUAL DRY AIR MASS WILL
PROMOTE AN INCREASING FIRE WEATHER THREAT FOR SOUTHEASTERN NM, WEST
TX AND WESTERN OK. AFTERNOON RELATIVE HUMIDITY REDUCTIONS TO 15-20%
WILL OVERLAP SUSTAINED SOUTH SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS 10-15 MPH. A
CORRIDOR OF NEAR CRITICAL TO CRITICAL CONDITIONS MAY BE POSSIBLE
WITHIN THIS BROADER ELEVATED. FOR NOW, CONFIDENCE IN COVERAGE OF
CRITICAL WINDS IS TOO LOW TO INCLUDE AN AREA AT THIS TIME, GIVEN LOW
COMBINED PROBABILITIES FROM ENSEMBLE GUIDANCE FROM THE HREF.
..PLEASE SEE WWW.SPC.NOAA.GOV/FIRE FOR GRAPHIC PRODUCT
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