628  
FNUS22 KWNS 230557  
FWDDY2  
 
DAY 2 FIRE WEATHER OUTLOOK  
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK  
1257 AM CDT THU APR 23 2026  
 
VALID 241200Z - 251200Z  
   
..SYNOPSIS
 
 
ON DAY 2/FRIDAY, UPPER LEVEL RIDGING ACROSS THE EASTERN U.S. WILL  
BEGIN TO FLATTEN, TRANSITIONING TO A FAIRLY ZONAL FLOW REGIME OVER  
MUCH OF THE SOUTHERN CONUS. MEANWHILE, A LARGE-SCALE UPPER TROUGH  
WILL PERSIST OVER THE NORTH-CENTRAL U.S. ALONG THE CANADIAN BORDER.  
EXPECT VERY BREEZY AND CONTINUED DRY CONDITIONS THROUGH THE END OF  
THE WORK WEEK OVER THE SOUTHWEST AND SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL HIGH  
PLAINS.  
   
..SOUTHWEST AND SOUTHERN PLAINS
 
 
THE AFOREMENTIONED WESTERLY WINDS ALOFT WILL MIX DOWN TO THE SURFACE  
DURING PEAK HEATING, LEADING TO STRONG WESTERLY DOWNSLOPE FLOW  
(SUSTAINED AT 15-20 MPH) AND CRITICALLY LOW RH (10-15%) THAT WILL  
OVERLAP VERY DRY FUELS ON DAY 2/FRIDAY. FOLLOWING SEVERAL PRECEDING  
DAYS OF HEIGHTENED FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE ENVIRONMENT WILL BE  
FURTHER EXACERBATED ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHWEST AND SOUTHERN  
PLAINS. WINDS LOOK TO BE PARTICULARLY STRONG NEAR THE PALMER DIVIDE  
IN EAST-CENTRAL CO; THIS AREA WILL BE MONITORED FOR MEETING CRITICAL  
THRESHOLDS IF TRENDS IN FORECAST GUIDANCE CONTINUE. INCREASING  
CLOUDS COVER LATER IN THE DAY ON DAY 2/FRIDAY IS EXPECTED OVER MUCH  
OF THE REGION, WHICH WILL LIKELY WORK TO MITIGATE SOME OF THE FIRE  
WEATHER THREAT BEFORE SUNSET.  
 
..STEARNS/WILLIAMS.. 04/23/2026  
   
..PLEASE SEE WWW.SPC.NOAA.GOV/FIRE FOR GRAPHIC PRODUCT
 
 

 
 
CLICK HERE TO GO TO PREVIOUS BULLETINS.

The Nexlab SPC Page Main Text Page