####018000559####
FNUS38 KWNS 242126

PFWF38



DAY 3-8 FIRE WEATHER OUTLOOK AREAL OUTLINE

NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK

0424 PM CDT FRI APR 24 2026



VALID TIME 261200Z - 021200Z



FIRE WEATHER OUTLOOK POINTS DAY 3-8



... CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER AREA ...



D3     31670707 31660797 31290797 31200908 32110812 33330741

       33730705 34220600 34820540 36190463 37080467 37380448

       37010262 36110066 35010003 34399980 33399983 32530058

       31750162 31480198 31100260 30930288 30550381 30330487

       30610513 31610646 31670707

&&

####018002808####
FNUS28 KWNS 242126

FWDD38



Day 3-8 Fire Weather Outlook  

NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK

0424 PM CDT Fri Apr 24 2026



Valid 261200Z - 021200Z



...Synopsis...

An upper-level short wave trough enters the Southwest on Day

3/Sunday while an attendant jet max pushing into the southern High

Plains, bringing an enhanced fire weather threat to the region where

fuels remain receptive. Lingering strong southwesterly flow aloft

and a departing surface low across the Midwest, will continue to

bring dry and breezy conditions to portions of the southern High

Plains on Day 4/Monday. The broader troughing pattern across the

western U.S. should bring some relief to much of the Intermountain

West in the form of cooler temperatures and precipitation. Mid/upper

troughing shifts into the eastern U.S. by mid to late week, bringing

much needed additional rainfall to much of the Appalachians,

Mid-Atlantic and Southeast, although some pockets of lingering dry

fuels could exist by the end of next week.



...Day 3-5/Sunday-Tuesday - Southwest and Southern Plains...

A strong mid-level jet and parent trough entering the Southwest and

incipient surface cyclogenesis over the central High Plains will

bring an expansive wind event to portions of the Southwest and

Southern Plains on Day 3/Sunday. Enhanced downslope drying with west

winds of 15-25 mph behind a demarcating dry line will likely bring a

critical fire weather threat to much of southern and eastern NM, TX

Panhandle and West TX where some modifications to the 40% and 70%

critical probabilities were made. Latest forecast guidance does

suggest the potential for a corridor of Extremely Critical fire

weather conditions, including southwest winds of 30-35 mph over

receptive fuels, emerging across portions of southern and eastern NM

by Sunday afternoon.



Lingering fire weather concerns should be concentrated across the

Southwest and Southern Plains through Day 5/Tuesday as persistent

westerly flow aloft and dry conditions persist, as upper-level

troughing begins to shift into the central U.S. 40% critical

probabilities were introduced for both Day 4/Monday and Day

5/Tuesday for portions of NM and West TX to account for dry, fire

effective westerly winds encompassing portions of the Southern

Plains. Longer term model guidance indicates a lower latitude

mid-level wave moving into the Southwest and northern Mexico by the

Day 7-8/Thursday-Friday time frame. A corresponding surface low

across southern TX could bring much of eastern NM and the Southern

Plains much needed rainfall owing to more favorable Gulf moisture

return trajectories.



..Williams.. 04/24/2026



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



$$