915
FNUS22 KWNS 212000
FWDDY2
DAY 2 FIRE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
0259 PM CDT FRI AUG 21 2026
VALID 221200Z - 231200Z
...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER AREA FOR MUCH OF NORTHERN WASHINGTON AND
THE FAR NORTHERN IDAHO PANHANDLE...
...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER AREA FOR PORTIONS OF
SOUTH-CENTRAL/SOUTHEAST WASHINGTON AND FAR NORTH-CENTRAL OREGON...
...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER AREA FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST
CALIFORNIA...NORTHWEST NEVADA...AND SOUTH-CENTRAL/SOUTHEAST
OREGON...
AN AREA OF SCATTERED DRY THUNDERSTORMS WAS ADDED TO MUCH OF NORTHERN
WA STATE AND THE FAR NORTHERN ID PANHANDLE. THIS AREA WILL
EXPERIENCE GREATER COVERAGE OF DRY THUNDERSTORMS AMID HIGH-BASED,
FAST MOVING, AND DRIER AIR ALOFT BEHIND THE FRONTAL PASSAGE LATER IN
THE DAY AS THE TROUGH CONTINUES A SLOW EASTWARD PROGRESSION. WHILE
MORE NORTHWESTERN EXTENTS OF THE SCATTERED DRY THUNDERSTORM AREA ARE
EXPECTED TO ACCUMULATE HIGHER RAINFALL AMOUNTS, IT WILL BE AMID SOME
OF THE DRIEST AND HEAVIEST FUEL LOADING.
AN AREA OF CRITICAL WIND/RH WAS ALSO INTRODUCED OVER CENTRAL
PORTIONS OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER BASIN. AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT
PASSAGE, SUSTAINED SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS OF 15-25 MPH AMID AFTERNOON
RHS OF 15-25% WITHIN THIS AREA. WINDS WILL TURN WEST-NORTHWESTERLY
AS THE FRONT PASSES THROUGH CENTRAL WA AND OR IN THE LATE
AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING TIME FRAME. THE EXISTING CRITICAL WIND/RH
AREA ALONG WITH THE LARGER ELEVATED AND ISOLATED DRY THUNDERSTORM
AREA REMAIN ON TRACK.
..STEARNS.. 08/21/2026
PREV DISCUSSION
/ISSUED 0201 AM CDT FRI AUG 21 2026/
..SYNOPSIS
A ROBUST MIDLEVEL TROUGH AND ACCOMPANYING SOUTH-SOUTHWESTERLY JET
MAX WILL OVERSPREAD THE NORTHWEST THROUGH THE PERIOD -- ALONG THE
NORTHWESTERN PERIPHERY OF AN UPPER RIDGE CENTERED ON THE ROCKIES. IN
THE LOW-LEVELS, A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE EASTWARD ACROSS PARTS OF WA
AND OR DURING THE DAY.
..NORTHERN/CENTRAL INTERMOUNTAIN WEST
BENEATH THE MIDLEVEL JET STREAK, ENHANCED DEEP-LAYER
SOUTH-SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW WILL OVERSPREAD A DRY ANTECEDENT AIR MASS
ACROSS PARTS OF THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL INTERMOUNTAIN WEST. THIS
WILL RESULT IN A BROAD AREA OF 15-20 MPH SUSTAINED
WEST-SOUTHWESTERLY SURFACE WINDS AND 15-20 PERCENT RH DURING THE
AFTERNOON. GIVEN RECEPTIVE FUELS ACROSS THE REGION, ELEVATED
FIRE-WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED. OVER PARTS OF NORTHEAST CA,
NORTHWEST NV, AND SOUTH-CENTRAL/SOUTHEAST OR, THE OVERLAP OF 20-25
MPH SUSTAINED SOUTHWESTERLY SURFACE WINDS AND AROUND 15 PERCENT RH
WILL FAVOR CRITICAL FIRE-WEATHER CONDITIONS. LOCALLY CRITICAL
CONDITIONS WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE CASCADE GAPS, THOUGH
THESE CONDITIONS APPEAR TOO LOCALIZED FOR AN ADDITIONAL CRITICAL
AREA AT THIS TIME.
..DRY THUNDERSTORMS
ROBUST MIDLEVEL HEIGHT FALLS/FORCING FOR ASCENT ACCOMPANYING THE
MIDLEVEL TROUGH WILL OVERSPREAD THE NORTHERN INTERMOUNTAIN WEST INTO
THE NORTHERN ROCKIES DURING THE DAY. HERE, DEEP BOUNDARY-LAYER
MIXING BENEATH A MIDLEVEL MOISTURE PLUME WILL YIELD SUFFICIENT
BUOYANCY FOR ISOLATED TO WIDELY SCATTERED HIGH-BASED THUNDERSTORMS
REGIONALLY. WHILE 0.7-1 INCH PW WILL SUPPORT A MIX OF WET AND DRY
STORMS, QUICK STORM MOTIONS AND THE DEEP/DRY BOUNDARY LAYER SHOULD
TEND TO LIMIT OVERALL RAINFALL. THEREFORE, ISOLATED
LIGHTNING-INDUCED IGNITIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE ATOP INCREASINGLY
DRY/RECEPTIVE FUELS. ADDITIONALLY, THE STRONGER STORMS WILL BE
CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG TO SEVERE OUTFLOW WINDS (ESPECIALLY
TOWARD THE NORTHERN ROCKIES). FOR DETAILS ON THE SEVERE RISK, SEE
THE SPC DAY 2 CONVECTIVE OUTLOOK.
..PLEASE SEE WWW.SPC.NOAA.GOV/FIRE FOR GRAPHIC PRODUCT
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