FNUS22 KWNS 181919 FWDDY2 Day 2 Fire Weather Outlook NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 0218 PM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026 Valid 191200Z - 201200Z ...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER AREA FOR PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHERN PLAINS... ...Central and Southern Plains... A subtle mid-level short wave embedded in broader, but modest northwest flow aloft will move into the Central/Southern Rockies, with a subsequent lee surface trough emerging across eastern CO on Sunday. Resultant south/southwest winds of 15-25 mph will evolve across the Southern Plains within a very dry air mass, promoting elevated to critical fire weather conditions. Single digit RH values are likely across eastern CO but stronger winds around 25 mph will be displaced to the southeast across southwest KS and the TX/OK Panhandles where RH could fall to as low as 10% during peak afternoon heating after poor overnight recoveries. Critical fire weather highlights were expanded into northeastern NM based on latest forecast guidance suggesting a higher likelihood of sustained south winds of around 20 mph. Elevated highlights were also introduced in leeward locations of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains where enhanced downslope westerly winds approaching 20 mph, relative humidity around 15% and dry fuels align. ...Southeast and Mid-Atlantic... Dry and breezy post-frontal flow is still expected to bring elevated fire weather concerns for portions of the Southeast and Mid Atlantic Sunday. Rainfall associated with a cold front will be limited across the Piedmont region tonight into Sunday, allowing very receptive fuels to persist. Northwest winds of 10-15 mph and RH of 20-30% are expected during the day despite cloud cover, with RH in some downslope favored areas adjacent to the Appalachians falling to around 15% by Sunday afternoon. An elevated fire weather threat will likely linger into the evening hours closer to the northern Gulf Coast. Elevated highlights have been extended southward into the Florida Panhandle where exceptional drought and very dry fuels persist. ..Williams.. 04/18/2026 .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 0120 AM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026/ ...Synopsis... Upper ridging across the West will slide eastward over the Continental Divide as an amplified large-scale trough will traverse the eastern U.S. on Sunday. Broad northwest flow will prevail over the High Plains as surface high pressure shifts east and lee surface troughing enhances fire weather concerns over the southern Plains. Beneath the aforementioned trough, an associated cold front will advance off the Eastern Seaboard as a dry and breezy post-frontal airmass will pose an elevated fire weather threat across much of the Piedmont and Southeast. ...Central/southern Plains... Dry return flow and lee surface troughing will result in continued Elevated and Critical fire weather conditions on Sunday. A combination of south-southwesterly sustained winds of up to 25 mph (gusts up to 35 mph) and very low RH of 10-15 percent (single digits locally) will pose a Critical fire weather threat over portions of southwestern Kansas, southeastern Colorado, northeastern New Mexico, and the OK/TX Panhandles. Poor overnight humidity recoveries and mainly clear skies during the afternoon will further exacerbate the fire environment amid 90th-97th percentile ERCs. High/mid-level clouds will increase during the afternoon across West TX and eastern NM, however, sustained surface winds from 10-20 mph with 10-15 percent RH atop dry fuels maintain an Elevated fire weather threat. ...Southeast/Mid-Atlantic... In a post-frontal environment, dry and breezy northerly flow will develop east of the Appalachians into the Southeast on Sunday. North-northwest sustained winds of 10-15 mph and widespread low RH of 15-30 percent atop exceptionally dry fuels will promote Elevated fire weather conditions from the Mid-Atlantic to the Florida Panhandle. Elevated highlights may be adjusted in future outlooks depending on the anticipated rainfall on Day 1/Saturday into Day 2/Sunday morning. ...Please see www.spc.noaa.gov/fire for graphic product... $$