506
FNUS21 KWNS 240557
FWDDY1
DAY 1 FIRE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
1256 AM CDT FRI APR 24 2026
VALID 241200Z - 251200Z
...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER AREA FOR PORTIONS OF THE COLORADO FRONT
RANGE AND ADJACENT HIGH PLAINS...
..SYNOPSIS
THE UPPER-LEVEL RIDGE SITUATED OVER THE EASTERN U.S. IS EXPECTED TO
DAMPEN, GIVING WAY TO A PREDOMINANTLY ZONAL FLOW PATTERN ACROSS THE
SOUTHERN TIER OF THE CONUS. SIMULTANEOUSLY, A BROAD UPPER-LEVEL
TROUGH WILL REMAIN ANCHORED OVER THE NORTH-CENTRAL U.S. NEAR THE
INTERNATIONAL BORDER. THIS SETUP WILL MAINTAIN A VERY BREEZY AND
PERSISTENTLY ARID ENVIRONMENT THROUGH THE CONCLUSION OF THE WORK
WEEK ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST AND THE CENTRAL/SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS.
..SOUTHWEST AND SOUTHERN/CENTRAL PLAINS
CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS HAVE BEEN HIGHLIGHTED FOR THE
COLORADO ROCKIES AND THE NEIGHBORING HIGH PLAINS, WHERE LATEST
FORECAST GUIDANCE INDICATES A HIGH LIKELIHOOD OF POTENT WINDS
COUPLED WITH LOW HUMIDITY. AT THE SURFACE, LEE CYCLOGENESIS OVER
EASTERN COLORADO WILL FURTHER ENHANCE DOWNSLOPE WINDS ALONG THE
FRONT RANGE, WHILE SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS PREVAIL ACROSS THE EASTERN
PLAINS. ROBUST VERTICAL MIXING DURING PEAK HEATING IS FORECAST TO
DESCEND 15-25 MPH SUSTAINED WINDS TO THE SURFACE. WHEN COMBINED WITH
RELATIVE HUMIDITY LEVELS FALLING TO 10-15% (AND LOCALLY INTO THE
SINGLE DIGITS), THESE CONDITIONS WILL IMPACT EXCEPTIONALLY DRY FUELS
ALREADY STRESSED BY A MULTI-DAY STRETCH OF FIRE WEATHER ACTIVITY.
WHILE INCREASING CLOUD COVER LATE IN THE DAY MAY OFFER SOME MINOR
MITIGATION OF THE THREAT BEFORE DUSK, THE FIRE ENVIRONMENT REMAINS
HEIGHTENED. CONSEQUENTLY, ELEVATED HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE MUCH OF THE
SOUTHWEST AND INCLUDE THE FOUR CORNERS REGION THROUGH WESTERN
COLORADO. IN THESE AREAS, WESTERLY WINDS OF 15-20 MPH AND HUMIDITY
LEVELS BELOW 20% WILL COINCIDE WITH ERCS REACHING THE 75TH TO 90TH
PERCENTILE.
..CAROLINAS
AS THE EASTERN CONUS RIDGE BREAKS DOWN, BREEZY WESTERLY SURFACE
WINDS (REMAINING UNDER 10 MPH SUSTAINED) CAN BE EXPECTED OVER MUCH
OF THE CAROLINAS TODAY. WHILE THESE CONDITIONS WILL NOT MEET
CRITERIA FOR ELEVATED CONDITIONS, CONTINUED OFFSHORE FLOW WILL
LIKELY RESULT IN RHS FALLING BELOW 20% AMID ABOVE-NORMAL
TEMPERATURES OVER ALREADY DRY FUELS, KEEPING THE FIRE ENVIRONMENT
PRIMED.
..STEARNS/MOORE.. 04/24/2026
..PLEASE SEE WWW.SPC.NOAA.GOV/FIRE FOR GRAPHIC PRODUCT
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