Fire Weather Outlook Discussion
Issued by NWS
Issued by NWS
492 FNUS21 KWNS 171636 FWDDY1 Day 1 Fire Weather Outlook NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 1135 AM CDT Mon Jun 17 2024 Valid 171700Z - 181200Z ...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER AREA FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN UTAH...NORTHERN ARIZONA...WESTERN NEW MEXICO...AND FAR SOUTHWEST COLORADO... ...Update... The previous forecast remains valid. Very minor adjustments were made to the Critical area near the CO/UT border, with a slight extension northeastward into CO. Sustained wind speeds near 25-35 mph will be possible there, with RH dropping into the single digits later this afternoon. In addition, the Elevated area was extended across southern CO to include the Sun Luis Valley, and eastward into the far western OK and TX Panhandles. The Guadalupe Mountains were also included in the Elevated area. All of the aforementioned regions should experience elevated to critical meteorological fire spread conditions for at least a couple of hours today. Please see the discussion below for more details. ..Barnes.. 06/17/2024 .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 0157 AM CDT Mon Jun 17 2024/ ...Synopsis... A shortwave will rotate through the western US trough today, bringing strong southwesterly flow across much of the desert southwest into the southern High Plains. Across northern Arizona, southeastern Utah, and portions of western New Mexico, Critical fire weather is expected where afternoon relative humidity reductions to 10-15 percent will overlap sustained winds around 20 mph and critically dry fuels. Broader Elevated fire weather concerns are expected across much of Arizona into southern/central Utah, eastern Nevada, and into western New Mexico and southern Colorado. Elevated fire weather concerns are also expected within the Sacramento Valley, San Joaquin Valley, the western Transverse Ranges, and the southern Sierra Nevada in northern/central California where strong northwesterly flow at 10-15 mph (locally stronger in foothills and mountain passes) will overlap relative humidity reductions to 15-20 percent (locally around 10 percent) Fuels within much of this region are sufficiently dry to support Elevated fire weather concerns and recent fire activity suggest that fuels are drying quickly and supportive of fire spread. ...Please see www.spc.noaa.gov/fire for graphic product... $$