597
FNUS22 KWNS 180704
FWDDY2
DAY 2 FIRE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
0204 AM CDT WED MAR 18 2026
VALID 191200Z - 201200Z
..CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER AREA FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN WYOMING
..SYNOPSIS
UPPER-LEVEL RIDGING WILL REMAIN IN PLACE ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST FOR
D2/THURSDAY, WITH STRONG NORTHWESTERLY UPPER-LEVEL FLOW PERSISTING
ACROSS THE NORTHERN ROCKIES AND CENTRAL CONUS. THIS WILL SUPPORT A
CONTINUED DOWNSLOPE REGIME ACROSS THE CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS AND
WESTERN WYOMING BASIN, WITH ELEVATED TO CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER
CONDITIONS EXPECTED AMID STRONG WEST-NORTHWEST SURFACE WINDS AND
VERY LOW RH VALUES.
...PORTIONS OF THE CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS INTO THE WESTERN WYOMING
BASIN...
THE SYNOPTIC-SCALE PATTERN WILL REMAIN RELATIVELY CONSISTENT FROM
TODAY INTO D2/THURSDAY, WITH ANOMALOUSLY STRONG UPPER-LEVEL RIDGING
PERSISTING ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST AND STRONG NORTHWESTERLY FLOW IN
PLACE ACROSS THE CENTRAL ROCKIES. AT THE SURFACE, HIGH PRESSURE
ACROSS THE INTERMOUNTAIN WEST WILL COUPLE WITH SURFACE LOW PRESSURE
SHIFTING SOUTHEASTWARD ACROSS SOUTHERN CANADA TO SUPPORT REDUCED RH
VALUES OF 10-15% AND WEST-NORTHWESTERLY DOWNSLOPE WINDS OF 20-25
MPH. WITH PERSISTENT DRY/WINDY CONDITIONS CONTINUING TO AID IN THE
MAINTENANCE OF RECEPTIVE FUELS, THIS IS EXPECTED TO YIELD CRITICAL
FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ACROSS MUCH OF SOUTHEASTERN WYOMING. CURRENT
GUIDANCE INDICATES MID-LEVEL FLOW WILL WEAKEN SLIGHTLY FROM D1 INTO
D2, BUT DEEP BOUNDARY LAYER MIXING MAY ALSO SUPPORT WIND GUSTS OF
30-35 MPH ACROSS MUCH OF THIS AREA.
ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS ARE ALSO EXPECTED ACROSS ADJACENT
REGIONS, INCLUDING MUCH OF SOUTHWESTERN WYOMING, PORTIONS OF EXTREME
NORTHERN COLORADO, THE WESTERN NEBRASKA PANHANDLE, EXTREME
SOUTHWESTERN SOUTH DAKOTA, AND EXTREME NORTHEASTERN UTAH, WHERE
SUSTAINED WESTERLY SURFACE WINDS OF 15-20 MPH ARE FORECAST TO
OVERLAP REDUCED RH OF 10-15%. MARGINAL FUEL RECEPTIVENESS AND LOWER
CONFIDENCE IN HIGHER SUSTAINED WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO LIMIT THE
NORTHERN EXTENT OF WIDESPREAD ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS AT THIS
TIME; HOWEVER, THIS AREA WILL BE MONITORED FOR POTENTIAL EXPANSION
AS FUELS CONTINUE TO DRY GIVEN THE PERSISTENT PATTERN AND RESULTANT
ANOMALOUS TEMPERATURES EXPECTED OVER MUCH OF THE REGION.
..CHALMERS.. 03/18/2026
..PLEASE SEE WWW.SPC.NOAA.GOV/FIRE FOR GRAPHIC PRODUCT
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