FNUS22 KWNS 200730

FWDDY2



Day 2 Fire Weather Outlook  

NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK

0229 AM CDT Fri Mar 20 2026



Valid 211200Z - 221200Z



...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER AREA FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHERN/CENTRAL HIGH

PLAINS AND WESTERN WYOMING BASIN...



...Synopsis...

A cold front will surge south through the northern/central Great

Plains and northern Great Basin with a surface low developing

southward in the lee of the Rockies. A widespread strengthening of

surface winds ahead of this frontal system coupled with reduced RH

values is forecast to support elevated to critical fire weather

concerns from the southern/eastern Great Basin through the central

Great Plains.



...Southern/eastern Great Basin to the central Great Plains...

Forecast guidance continues to depict at least a temporary break

down of the upper-level ridge centered over the Southwest on

D2/Saturday as a shortwave trough crests the ridge and moves through

the Pacific Northwest. Simultaneously, a surface low will develop

southward in the lee of the Rockies while an associated cold front

advances southward across much of the West and the Great Plains. The

strongest sustained winds (20-30 mph) coupled with minimum RH values

of 10-15% are forecast to support critical fire weather conditions

across southeastern Wyoming and adjacent portions of western

Nebraska, northwestern Colorado, extreme northeastern Utah, and

extreme southwestern South Dakota. Modest westerly mid-level flow

coupled with deep boundary layer mixing will also support the

potential for occasional wind gusts of 30-35 mph across this area.



Elsewhere within the Elevated highlights, a strengthening surface

pressure gradient ahead of this frontal system will support

widespread sustained surface winds of 10-20 mph. With continuing

potential for record warm temperatures across much of the West

aiding in the drying of fine fuels and forecast RH values of 10-20%

(locally down to 5%) during peak heating, widespread elevated fire

weather conditions are expected from the southern/eastern Great

Basin eastward to the central Great Plains and from portions of West

Texas northward to Wyoming. While much of the high elevations of the

central Rockies are within the Elevated area, fuel conditions and

snow cover will preclude any fire weather concerns in those areas.



The southward moving cold front will then bring a shift to northerly

winds for the central/northern High Plains and northern Great Basin.

This front is anticipated to be dry, however, which may bring the

potential for elevated fire weather conditions to temporarily

persist after the frontal passage.



..Chalmers.. 03/20/2026



...Please see www.spc.noaa.gov/fire for graphic product...



$$