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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 231625
Day 1 Fire Weather Outlook
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
1025 AM CST Tue Dec 23 2025
Valid 231700Z - 241200Z
...NO CRITICAL AREAS...
No changes to the Day 1 Fire Weather Outlook with minimal fire
weather concerns across CONUS. Upper-level ridging over the central
U.S., extending well into southwestern Canadian provinces, will
continue to promote well above normal temperatures across much of
the central/southern U.S. into the Intermountain West. Dry
conditions remain across the central and southern High Plains with
relative humidity dropping into the 15-20% range early this
afternoon amid moderately dry fuels. However, weak wind fields
within diffuse surface pressure gradients across the region should
mitigate a broader fire weather concern. Dry, downslope flow along
the CO Front Range and leeward sides of the Sangre de Cristo
Mountains under modest west-southwest flow aloft is expected through
the afternoon. However, a lack of more intense surface lee troughing
should limit a larger scale wind event.
..Williams.. 12/23/2025
.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 0118 AM CST Tue Dec 23 2025/
...Synopsis...
Upper ridging will remain in place east of the Rockies while a
highly amplified mid-level trough impinges on the West Coast today.
Surface lee troughing will encourage moisture return across the
Plains states, with relatively drier air meandering along the
immediate lee of the Rockies. Surface winds along the southern into
central High Plains will be relatively weak on a large-scale basis
though, with wildfire-spread concerns remaining localized at best.
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U.S. Day 2 Fire Weather Outlook
ZCZC SPCFWDDY2 ALL
FNUS22 KWNS 231924
Day 2 Fire Weather Outlook
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
0124 PM CST Tue Dec 23 2025
Valid 241200Z - 251200Z
Modest west-southwest flow aloft along with a deepening lee trough
in the High Plains will promote breezy west-southwest winds across
the Southern Plains Wednesday. A drier air mass aided by the
downslope regime will be in place across the central and southern
High Plains Wednesday, demarcated by a considerably more moist
boundary layer farther east from central TX into central OK. The
most favorable alignment of southwest sustained winds of 15 mph,
minimum relative humidity as low as 10% and receptive fuels is
expected across the TX/OK Panhandles and adjacent high plains areas
of NM and CO. Only slight modifications were necessary to the
existing Elevated highlights based on latest model guidance.
..Williams.. 12/23/2025
.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 0118 AM CST Tue Dec 23 2025/
...Synopsis...
A mid-level ridge will persist across the central U.S., with a
highly amplified mid-level trough poised to gradually drift eastward
across the Interior West tomorrow (Wednesday). Lee troughing across
the High Plains will intensify through the day, promoting a modestly
stronger surface wind field across the southern High Plains compared
to Day 1. 15 mph sustained westerly surface winds will coincide with
15-20 percent RH during the afternoon across northeast New Mexico
into the Texas Panhandle and far southwestern Kansas. Given dry
fuels over this region, Elevated highlights have been introduced.
U.S. Day 3-8 Fire Weather Outlook
ZCZC SPCFWDD38 ALL
FNUS28 KWNS 232140
Day 3-8 Fire Weather Outlook
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
0340 PM CST Tue Dec 23 2025
Valid 251200Z - 311200Z
...Synopsis...
The expansive mid-level ridge across the central U.S. begins to move
eastward as a robust mid/upper level trough over the Northeast
Pacific continues to bring widespread rain and mountain snow to much
of the West. Persistent lee troughing under steady westerly flow
aloft should bring dry and breezy conditions on Day
3-5/Thursday-Saturday across portions of the southern High Plains
where record high temperatures are possible. The trough across the
West finally pushes deeper into Intermountain West by Day
5/Saturday, allowing fire weather concerns to linger across the
southern High Plains under an intensifying mid-level jet. A
mid-level trough deepens across the eastern U.S. early next week
ushering in a sweeping cold front that should reach the Gulf Coast
by Day 7/Monday. Dry post-frontal winds could increase fire concerns
across portions of the Southern Plains and Southeast in the Day
6-8/Sunday-Tuesday period where pockets of drier fuels exist and
minimal rainfall is expected.
...Day 3-5/Thursday-Saturday...
Anomalously warm temperatures in the 70s and 80s under a persistent
mid-level ridge will continue to dry fuels across the central and
southern High Plains through this week. Surface lee troughing across
the Plains along with downslope drying and enhanced west-southwest
winds should present an ongoing fire weather threat across portions
of far eastern NM, TX Panhandle and far western OK. Increasing
cloud cover and surface dewpoints across the southern High Plains
could inhibit boundary layer mixing on Day 3/Thursday, limiting RH
reductions and mitigating a more widespread critical fire weather
event for the TX Panhandle. Drier conditions and lower daytime
relative humidity should return to the region Day
4-5/Friday-Saturday coinciding with enhanced southwest surface winds
under deep layer west-southwest flow. 40 percent critical
probabilities remain for portions of the TX Panhandle vicinity on
Day 4/Friday and were similarly added on Day 5/Saturday.
...Day 6-8/Sunday-Tuesday...
A cold front sweeping through the eastern U.S. should be the primary
focus for fire weather threats early next week. However, latest
model guidance suggests expansive cloud cover and potential rainfall
along and behind the front which could mitigate fire weather
concerns within the dry post frontal regime.
..Williams.. 12/23/2025
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