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U.S. & Canada 00-UTC 48 Hour Surface Smoke Forecast
Map is in operation from early April through October 31
U.S. Day 1 Fire Weather Outlook
ZCZC SPCFWDDY1 ALL
FNUS21 KWNS 270620
Day 1 Fire Weather Outlook
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
0120 AM CDT Fri Mar 27 2026
Valid 271200Z - 281200Z
...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER AREA FOR PARTS OF WESTERN OKLAHOMA...THE
EASTERN TEXAS/OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES...AND FAR SOUTH-CENTRAL KANSAS...
...Synopsis...
Upper-level ridging centered over northern Mexico and West Texas
will remain in place today as a mid-level shortwave trough moves
southeastward across the Great Lakes and Northeast. At the surface,
strong high pressure will shift southeastward from the northern
Great Plains into the Midwest while a cold front progresses
southward across the southern Great Plains and Southeast.
...Eastern TX/OK Panhandles into western OK and far south-central
KS...
Broad north-northeasterly post-frontal flow amid a dry air mass will
encompass portions of the central/southern Great Plains today. While
the latest guidance indicates RH values will remain more marginal
(20-25%), receptive fuels, sustained northeasterly surface winds of
20-25 mph, and the potential for occasional wind gusts of 30-40 mph
(locally higher) should support a period of critical fire weather
concerns from the eastern TX/OK Panhandles into far south-central
Kansas.
Farther northeast, minimum RH values are forecast to range from
20-30% across much of central/eastern Kansas northward into eastern
Nebraska, southwestern Iowa, and northwestern Missouri. Coupled with
receptive fuels and sustained surface winds of 15-20 mph, elevated
to locally critical fire weather conditions are expected this
afternoon, with the exception being across areas that saw
appreciable rainfall Thursday evening.
...Eastern Arizona into Southwestern New Mexico...
A backdoor cold front will progress south-southwestward through
portions of the Southwest today. Dry and breezy conditions are
forecast in the wake of this front, with the latest guidance
depicting a corridor of 15-25 mph sustained southeasterly surface
winds overlapping low RH around 20%. These conditions atop receptive
fuels are expected to promote a few hours of elevated fire weather
conditions this afternoon, particularly in the vicinity of the White
Mountains and Gila Region.
..Chalmers.. 03/27/2026
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U.S. Day 2 Fire Weather Outlook
ZCZC SPCFWDDY2 ALL
FNUS22 KWNS 270750
Day 2 Fire Weather Outlook
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
0250 AM CDT Fri Mar 27 2026
Valid 281200Z - 291200Z
...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER AREA FOR PORTIONS OF THE CENTRAL/NORTHERN
GREAT PLAINS......
...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER AREA FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN GEORGIA INTO
SOUTHERN SOUTH CAROLINA...
...Synopsis...
Surface high pressure will shift eastward from the Midwest to the
East Coast in the wake of a robust mid-level trough moving across
the Northeast on D2/Saturday. Simultaneously, enhanced zonal,
mid-level flow across the northern/central Rockies will promote lee
troughing over the High Plains, with a tightened pressure gradient
and strong low-level jet developing between the surface high and lee
troughing.
...Central Great Plains...
The aforementioned surface pressure gradient and low-level jet will
yield strong, sustained southerly flow of 20-30 mph across much of
the central Great Plains. With receptive fuels in place and RH
values forecast to fall to 15-20%, critical fire weather conditions
are forecast Saturday afternoon from portions of the Oklahoma
Panhandle northeastward to southwestern Minnesota, western Iowa, and
southeastern South Dakota. Boundary layer mixing and strong 850 mb
flow of 30-40+ kts will also support the potential for periodic wind
gusts of 35-45 mph. Elevated fire weather conditions are expected
across adjacent areas of the central Great Plains where sustained
southerly surface winds of 15-25 mph are forecast to overlap reduced
RH values of 20-25%, except for portions of central/eastern Kansas
that saw more appreciable rainfall Thursday evening.
...Portions of the central High Plains...
Modest zonal, mid-level flow across the central/northern Rockies
will favor dry, downslope winds in the lee of the southern and
central Rockies during the afternoon on Saturday. Sustained westerly
surface winds of 15-20 mph are forecast to overlap very low RH of
10-15% across portions of southern Wyoming and southeastern
Colorado. With receptive fuels in place across these regions, a
period of elevated fire weather conditions is expected Saturday
afternoon. Localized critical conditions will also be possible
across portions of southeastern Wyoming, particularly in the lee of
the Laramie Range, where modest mid-level flow (30-40 kts around
600-700 mb) may support occasional gusts of 35-45 mph.
...Portions of the Southeast...
Dry and breezy conditions are forecast across much of the
southeastern US along the southern periphery of the surface high.
Sustained northeasterly surface winds of 10-15 mph overlapping
reduced RH of 25-35% amid dry, antecedent conditions will support a
widespread area of elevated fire weather concerns. Some guidance
indicates RH values may fall to as low as ~20% across portions of
this region. Critical highlights have been added to portions of
southeastern Georgia and southern South Carolina where confidence is
highest in a period of overlap between sustained winds of 15-20 mph
and minimum RH values of 20-25% (locally lower). The potential for
expansion of this critical area will be monitored in future
outlooks.
..Chalmers.. 03/27/2026
U.S. Day 3-8 Fire Weather Outlook
ZCZC SPCFWDD38 ALL
FNUS28 KWNS 262141
Day 3-8 Fire Weather Outlook
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
0441 PM CDT Thu Mar 26 2026
Valid 281200Z - 031200Z
...Day 3/Saturday...
In the wake of a robust midlevel trough moving across the Northeast,
surface high pressure will shift eastward from the mid MS Valley to
the East Coast. At the same time, broad/enhanced zonal midlevel flow
across the northern/central Rockies will promote lee troughing over
the High Plains. Between the surface high and lee troughing, a tight
pressure gradient and strong low-level jet will yield 20+ mph
sustained southerly surface winds (with higher gusts) amid 20-25
percent RH across much of the central Plains. Given dry/receptive
fuels, critical fire-weather conditions are expected.
Over the Southeast, dry and breezy conditions are expected along the
southern periphery of the surface high. This will likely result in a
broad area of elevated to perhaps locally critical fire-weather
conditions during the afternoon.
...Days 3-5/Saturday-Monday - Central Rockies/High Plains...
A prolonged period of moderate midlevel westerly flow is expected
across the northern/central Rockies and adjacent High Plains.
Several embedded impulses will promote the development of lee
cyclones/troughing across the region, resulting in dry/breezy
downslope flow and the potential for elevated to critical
fire-weather conditions each afternoon.
...Dry Thunderstorms...
At the leading edge of a midlevel moisture plume emanating from the
eastern Pacific, isolated thunderstorms will be possible across
parts of the Southwest on Day 4/Sunday. The midlevel moisture atop a
dry antecedent boundary layer will support dry/high-based
thunderstorms. Thunderstorm potential will persist across the region
into next week, though increasing boundary-layer RH limits
confidence in the associated fire risk.
..Weinman.. 03/26/2026
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