440  
FNUS22 KWNS 161938  
FWDDY2  
 
DAY 2 FIRE WEATHER OUTLOOK  
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK  
0238 PM CDT SUN AUG 16 2026  
 
VALID 171200Z - 181200Z  
 
ON DAY 2/MONDAY, FORECAST 80-90TH PERCENTILE ERCS WILL EXPAND ACROSS  
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST, PORTIONS OF IDAHO INTO  
FAR NORTHWESTERN MONTANA. ON A BROADER SCALE, 72-HR CUMULATIVE  
OBSERVED RAINFALL HAS BEEN MINIMAL (UP TO 0.2") IN SOUTHERN IDAHO  
AND THE PANHANDLE, WITH ONLY THE CENTRAL IDAHO HIGHER-TERRAIN  
RECEIVING 0.5-0.9". A RECEPTIVE FUELSCAPE REMAINS, PROVEN BY SEVERAL  
NEW STARTS ACROSS SOUTHWESTERN ID AND EASTERN OR. DEPENDING ON THE  
TIMING AND LOCATION OF THE APPROACHING SHORTWAVE TROUGH, AN ISOLATED  
THUNDERSTORM OVER DRY FUELS IS POSSIBLE, ALBEIT LOW (5-10% CHANCE).  
DRY THUNDERSTORM HIGHLIGHTS WERE NOT INTRODUCED IN THIS UPDATE,  
THOUGH MAY BE NEEDED IN THE NEXT OUTLOOK CYCLE IF HIGH RESOLUTION  
GUIDANCE INDICATES INCREASED PROBABILITIES OF ISOLATED DRY  
THUNDERSTORMS OVER DRY FUELS. THE REST OF THE FORECAST REMAINS ON  
TRACK; PLEASE SEE THE PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FOR MORE INFORMATION.  
 
..ELIZALDE-GARCIA.. 08/16/2026  
   
PREV DISCUSSION  
/ISSUED 0152 AM CDT SUN AUG 16 2026/  
   
..SYNOPSIS  
 
THE UPPER RIDGE OVER THE CENTRAL AND WESTERN US IS FORECAST TO  
CONTINUE WEAKENING AS THE UPPER TROUGH DEEPENS OVER THE NORTHERN US  
AND ANOTHER MOVES ONSHORE OVER THE WEST COAST. THE INCREASE IN  
WESTERLY FLOW ALOFT WILL BOLSTER SURFACE WINDS OVER PARTS OF  
NORTHERN CA AND THE GREAT BASIN WITH DRY AND BREEZY CONDITIONS  
POSSIBLE. ADDITIONALLY, SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED OVER  
MUCH OF THE ROCKIES, THOUGH LIKELY WITH WETTING RAINFALL.  
   
..NORTHERN GREAT BASIN AND NORTHEAST CA  
 
AS THE SHORTWAVE MOVES ONSHORE OVER THE WEST, DRY AND BREEZY  
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OVER PARTS OF THE NORTHERN GREAT BASIN INTO  
NORTHEASTERN CA ON DAY 2/MONDAY. LARGELY DEVOID OF RECENT RAINFALL  
OVER THE LAST SEVERAL DAYS, FUELS REMAIN QUITE DRY. WARM AFTERNOON  
TEMPERATURES AND DRY WESTERLY FLOW OF 15-20 MPH ARE EXPECTED AHEAD  
OF THE UPPER TROUGH. AFTERNOON RH MINIMUMS OF 12-20% ARE ALSO  
LIKELY. THIS WILL SUPPORT SEVERAL HOURS OF ELEVATED FIRE-WEATHER  
CONDITIONS FROM NORTHEASTERN CA INTO PARTS OF NV AND SOUTHERN OR.  
   
..NORTHERN ROCKIES  
 
ASCENT FROM THE APPROACHING UPPER TROUGH WILL SUPPORT ANOTHER ROUND  
OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER PARTS OF ID, MT AND NORTHERN WY.  
DESPITE MORE LIMITED MONSOON MOISTURE (PWATS 0.6-0.9 INCHES) SEVERAL  
DAYS OF WETTING RAINFALL HAVE TEMPERED FUELS SUCH THAT DRY STORMS  
AND LIGHTNING IGNITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO BE SPORADIC.  
   
..PLEASE SEE WWW.SPC.NOAA.GOV/FIRE FOR GRAPHIC PRODUCT  
 
 
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