448
FNUS21 KWNS 021612
FWDDY1
DAY 1 FIRE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
1112 AM CDT THU APR 02 2026
VALID 021700Z - 031200Z
...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER AREA FOR PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHERN/CENTRAL
HIGH PLAINS...
..MORNING UPDATE
PARTS OF EASTERN CO AND WESTERN KS EXPERIENCED GOOD OVERNIGHT RH
RECOVERIES, THOUGH WILL QUICKLY DRY ONCE AGAIN OUT THIS AFTERNOON
UNDER PEAK HEATING AND CLEAR SKIES. IN EAST-CENTRAL NM, SUSTAINED
WESTERLY WINDS OF 20-25 MPH (GUSTS 30+) ARE ALREADY BEING MEASURED
THIS MORNING. AS THE SURFACE LOW DEVELOPS EAST OF THE ROCKIES,
COMBINED SURFACE LEE TROUGHING AND GRADIENT FLOW WILL SUPPORT
SOUTHWESTERLY SURFACE WINDS OF 15-20 MPH AND COINCIDENT RH DROPS
BELOW 20 PERCENT ACROSS MUCH OF THE ELEVATED RISK AREA. A CONFINED
REGION OF CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER IS EXPECTED IN SOUTHEASTERN CO INTO
THE OK/TX PANHANDLES WHERE RH WILL DROP BELOW 15 PERCENT AS
SUSTAINED WESTERLY VEERING TO SOUTHERLY WINDS INCREASE TO 20-30 MPH
(GUSTS 35+) ATOP VERY DRY FUELS. SEE THE PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FOR
MORE INFORMATION.
..ELIZALDE-GARCIA/WILLIAMS.. 04/02/2026
PREV DISCUSSION
/ISSUED 1244 AM CDT THU APR 02 2026/
..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.
..PLEASE SEE WWW.SPC.NOAA.GOV/FIRE FOR GRAPHIC PRODUCT
CLICK HERE TO GO TO PREVIOUS BULLETINS.
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