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FNUS21 KWNS 140601

FWDDY1



Day 1 Fire Weather Outlook  

NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK

0100 AM CDT Sat Mar 14 2026



Valid 141200Z - 151200Z



...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER AREA FOR MUCH OF NEW MEXICO...EASTERN

COLORADO...PORTIONS OF WESTERN NEBRASKA...WESTERN KANSAS...AND WEST

TEXAS...



...Synopsis...

A shortwave trough will move out of the Pacific Northwest into the

Northern Rockies today, with strong westerly flow overspreading the

Rockies into the Central Plains. A lee cyclone is expected to

develop across eastern WY/CO and shift into Nebraska deepening

rapidly. Mass response with the deepening cyclone will result in

tightening of westerly surface gradients across the central/southern

High Plains and an extended period of Elevated to Critical (and

locally Extremely Critical) fire weather concerns.



Across the Front Range in Colorado and in the lee of the high

terrain in New Mexico, surface winds will be further enhanced in the

downslope regimes. Within these regions, relative humidity

reductions 10-15% will overlap sustained west to southwesterly winds

20-30 mph. Locally Extremely Critical fire weather conditions will

be possible in more favored downslope regions in the lee of the

Colorado Rockies, where winds may approach 40-50 mph at times.

Guidance continues to support the notion that Critical fire weather

conditions will spread further east into western Nebraska and

northwestern Kansas, where several fires are ongoing. As such a

broad Critical area was maintained from far western Texas into

western New Mexico/western Colorado to southwestern Wyoming and

eastward into western Nebraska and northwestern Kansas. Within these

regions, there will be potential for rapid fire spread with Elevated

to Critical conditions extending into the evening hours.



Broader Elevated concerns will extend into central NE/KS/OK and

southwest Texas where surface winds 10-20 mph will overlap relative

humidity reductions to around 15-25%.



..Thornton.. 03/14/2026



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



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