Fire Weather
SPC Day 1 Fire Weather Outlook
Day 1 Fire Weather Outlook
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
0114 AM CDT Thu Apr 25 2024
Valid 251200Z - 261200Z
...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER AREA FOR THE SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS AND
SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO...
...Synopsis...
A midlevel trough will track eastward across the Southwest, while an
accompanying 60-70-kt midlevel southwesterly jet overspreads
southern NM and the southern High Plains. This will promote rapid
deepening of a lee cyclone over eastern CO, while a
southward-extending dryline sharpens over west TX. This large-scale
pattern evolution will yield an expansive area of critical
fire-weather conditions across the aforementioned areas, with
high-end critical conditions expected over eastern NM.
...Southern New Mexico and the Southern High Plains...
Behind the sharpening dryline, strong downslope warming/drying and
diurnal heating will contribute to a deep/dry boundary layer,
characterized by surface temperatures in the mid/upper 80s and
single-digit to lower-teens RH. Here, a tightening surface pressure
gradient peripheral to the deepening lee cyclone, and mixing into
the strong flow aloft, will support 25-35 mph sustained
southwesterly surface winds (with gusts upwards of 45 mph). These
conditions will yield an expansive area of high-end critical
fire-weather conditions, given modestly receptive fuels.
The overlap of strongest winds and lowest relative humidity is
expected over eastern NM, where extremely critical meteorological
conditions are likely. However, a lack of abundant and very dry
fuels over the area precludes such highlights at this time.
..Weinman.. 04/25/2024
...Please see www.spc.noaa.gov/fire for graphic product...
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SPC Day 2 Fire Weather Outlook
Day 2 Fire Weather Outlook
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
0114 AM CDT Thu Apr 25 2024
Valid 261200Z - 271200Z
...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER AREA FOR MUCH OF THE SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS
AND SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO...
...Synopsis...
A midlevel low and attendant surface cyclone will advance
northeastward from the central Plains into the Upper MS Valley. On
the backside of this system, a belt of strong deep-layer
west-southwesterly flow will persist across a post-dryline
environment over southern NM and parts of the southern High Plains.
This will favor another day of critical fire-weather conditions
across the region during the afternoon.
...Southern New Mexico and much of the Southern High Plains...
Along the southwestern periphery of the primary surface cyclone, a
tight pressure gradient will persist across the area. This, combined
with boundary-layer mixing into the strong flow aloft, will yield
20-25 mph sustained west-southwesterly surface winds (with higher
gusts). At the same time, continued downslope flow amid a dry
antecedent air mass will contribute to 10-15 percent afternoon RH.
As a result, critical fire-weather conditions are expected across
southern NM and much of the southern High Plains, given increasingly
dry fuels over the area.
..Weinman.. 04/25/2024
...Please see www.spc.noaa.gov/fire for graphic product...
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