487
FNUS21 KWNS 020545
FWDDY1
DAY 1 FIRE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
1244 AM CDT THU APR 02 2026
VALID 021200Z - 031200Z
...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER AREA FOR PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHERN/CENTRAL
HIGH PLAINS...
..SYNOPSIS
A MID-LEVEL, SHORTWAVE TROUGH WILL IMPINGE ON THE CENTRAL ROCKIES
TODAY, RESULTING IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SURFACE LOW ACROSS THE
CENTRAL GREAT PLAINS. MODEST WESTERLY, MID-LEVEL FLOW WILL SUPPORT A
DOWNSLOPE REGIME ACROSS THE SOUTHERN/CENTRAL ROCKIES. COUPLED WITH
GRADIENT FLOW, THIS WILL PROMOTE DRY AND WINDY CONDITIONS SUPPORTIVE
OF WILDFIRE SPREAD ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHERN/CENTRAL HIGH
PLAINS.
..CENTRAL/SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS
BY AFTERNOON PEAK HEATING, THE COMBINATION OF DOWNSLOPE AND GRADIENT
FLOW IS EXPECTED TO SUPPORT 20-25 MPH SUSTAINED SOUTHWESTERLY
SURFACE WINDS FROM NORTHEASTERN NEW MEXICO INTO THE WESTERN
TEXAS/OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES, SOUTHEASTERN COLORADO, AND FAR
SOUTHWESTERN KANSAS. WITH DRY FUELS ACROSS THE REGION AND RH VALUES
FORECAST TO FALL TO 10-15%, THIS IS EXPECTED TO SUPPORT AT LEAST A
FEW HOURS OF CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON. BRIEF
PERIODS OF CRITICAL CONDITIONS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE FARTHER
SOUTH/SOUTHWEST IN THE LEE OF BOTH THE GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS AND THE
BLACK RANGE IN NEW MEXICO; HOWEVER, LOWER CONFIDENCE IN AN EXTENDED
DURATION OF OVERLAP BETWEEN WIND/RH CRITERIA AS WELL AS INCREASING
HIGH CLOUD COVER THROUGHOUT THE DAY PRECLUDES THE ADDITION OF
CRITICAL HIGHLIGHTS AT THIS TIME.
SUSTAINED SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS OF 15-20 MPH OVERLAPPING MINIMUM RH
VALUES OF 10-20% WILL PROMOTE ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS ACROSS
ADJACENT AREAS OF THE SOUTHERN/CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS. PORTIONS OF THE
NORTHERN AND EASTERN EDGES OF THE ELEVATED HIGHLIGHTS WERE TRIMMED
FROM AREAS THAT SAW MORE APPRECIABLE RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS TODAY.
..CHALMERS.. 04/02/2026
..PLEASE SEE WWW.SPC.NOAA.GOV/FIRE FOR GRAPHIC PRODUCT
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