700
FNUS21 KWNS 061540
FWDDY1
DAY 1 FIRE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
1040 AM CDT MON APR 06 2026
VALID 061700Z - 071200Z
...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER AREA FOR PORTIONS OF THE CENTRAL/SOUTHERN
HIGH PLAINS...
SUBTLE EXPANSIONS WERE MADE TO THE NORTHEAST CORNERS OF BOTH THE
CRITICAL AND ELEVATED AREAS. THIS WAS DONE IN AGREEMENT WITH THE
LATEST FORECAST GUIDANCE ALLOWING FOR DRIER SURFACE CONDITIONS TO
ADVECT SLIGHTLY FARTHER NORTH AND EAST AHEAD OF THE APPROACHING COLD
FRONT. AS OF LATE MORNING, SURFACE OBSERVATIONS ARE ALREADY SHOWING
SUSTAINED SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 15-25 MPH WITH RHS DROPPING BELOW 30%.
THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY, AND ASSOCIATED CHANGE IN WIND DIRECTION FROM
SOUTH-SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST, IS CURRENTLY FORECAST TO MOVE SOUTH
THROUGH WEST-CENTRAL KANSAS AND INTO THE DRAWN AREAS AROUND 8PM THIS
EVENING. ALMOST ALL OF THE HIGHLIGHTED AREA IS EXPECTED TO DROP
BELOW ELEVATED CRITERIA BEFORE THE FRONT BECOMES NEARLY STATIONARY
NEAR THE COLORADO/OKLAHOMA BORDER LATE TONIGHT.
..STEARNS.. 04/06/2026
PREV DISCUSSION
/ISSUED 0213 AM CDT MON APR 06 2026/
..SYNOPSIS
UPPER-LEVEL RIDGING OVER THE WEST WILL BEGIN TO DAMPEN TODAY AHEAD
OF AN INCOMING MID-LEVEL TROUGH SHIFTING INTO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
AND AS A SECOND, MORE SUBTLE, MID-LEVEL SHORTWAVE TROUGH TRAVERSES
EASTWARD OVER THE SOUTHWEST. CONCURRENTLY, LONGWAVE TROUGHING WILL
PERSIST ACROSS THE NORTHEAST, WITH A COLD FRONT PROGRESSING SLOWLY
SOUTHWARD ACROSS THE CENTRAL GREAT PLAINS AND MIDWEST.
..PORTIONS OF THE CENTRAL/SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS
SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE ACROSS THE SOUTHERN GREAT PLAINS IN TANDEM
WITH A SURFACE LOW FORECAST TO STRENGTHEN OVER EASTERN COLORADO WILL
PROMOTE A TIGHTENED PRESSURE GRADIENT ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE
CENTRAL/SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS TODAY. SUSTAINED SOUTH-SOUTHWESTERLY
SURFACE WINDS OF 20-25 MPH ARE FORECAST TO OVERLAP VERY LOW RH OF
10-15% FOR SEVERAL HOURS THIS AFTERNOON. WITH DRY CONDITIONS ACROSS
THE REGION ON SUNDAY HELPING TO FURTHER PRE-CONDITION ALREADY
RECEPTIVE FUELS, THIS COMBINATION OF WIND/RH IS EXPECTED TO SUPPORT
CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ACROSS THE WESTERN OKLAHOMA
PANHANDLE, NORTHERN TEXAS PANHANDLE, NORTHEASTERN NEW MEXICO,
SOUTHEASTERN COLORADO, AND SOUTHWESTERN KANSAS. MEANWHILE, SUSTAINED
15-20 MPH SURFACE WINDS OVERLAPPING LOW RH OF 15-20% WILL PROMOTE
ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS ACROSS ADJACENT AREAS OF THE
CENTRAL/SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS.
LATEST GUIDANCE CONSENSUS CONTINUES TO SUGGEST THAT THE
AFOREMENTIONED, SLOW-MOVING COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE NORTHERN
PORTIONS OF THE DRAWN AREA AFTER SUNSET BEFORE BECOMING LARGELY
STATIONARY. AREAS THAT DO SEE THE PASSAGE OF THE COLD FRONT CAN
EXPECT A SHIFT TO EAST-NORTHEASTERLY WINDS AND AT LEAST SOME
INCREASE IN RELATIVE HUMIDITY. THE PROGRESSION OF THIS FRONT WILL BE
CLOSELY MONITORED WITH FUTURE OUTLOOK ISSUANCES.
..PLEASE SEE WWW.SPC.NOAA.GOV/FIRE FOR GRAPHIC PRODUCT
CLICK HERE TO GO TO PREVIOUS BULLETINS.
Main Text Page