Fire Weather Outlook Discussion
Issued by NWS
Issued by NWS
938 FNUS28 KWNS 292145 FWDD38 Day 3-8 Fire Weather Outlook NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 0443 PM CDT Sat Aug 29 2026 Valid 311200Z - 061200Z ...Synopsis... A series of mid-level troughs will continue impacting the Pacific Northwest and neighboring areas of the western CONUS throughout the Extended Outlook time frame. This will leave the northwestern quadrant of the CONUS under periodically strong southwest to westerly flow into early next week. Embedded disturbances will continue to move through the persistent troughing and along the northern periphery of the flattening/displaced upper-level ridge centered over the southern Plains. This activity will deflect monsoonal moisture to the south and east, but advect onshore additional moisture from the eastern Pacific. The general consensus does favor continued well below normal temperatures across the western third of the CONUS much of next week along with increasing chances for multiple days of accumulating rainfall over a good portion of the Pacific Northwest. ...Northwest, Northern Great Basin, and Northern California... Dry southwest flow aloft associated with continual troughing over the northwest CONUS will promote at least a few more days of fire weather concerns into early next week. 40% Critical probabilities have been maintained, though the area of concern has decreased in areal extent on Day 3/Monday, with minor adjustments for Day 4/Tuesday over northeastern CA, northwestern NC, and southeastern OR. West to southwest winds of 15-20 mph and afternoon RH of 10-20% will continue elevated fire weather concerns over this region. Below normal surface temperatures will moderate the threat slightly, but conditions will remain conducive to wildfire spread until a significant precipitation event occurs. Increasing potential for accumulating (widespread wetting) rainfall is introduced mid-next-week over much of the Pacific Northwest. ...Central and Eastern Wyoming... Continued above normal temperatures and strengthening drought conditions are promoting fuel curing across central WY into portions of western SD. These antecedent conditions will combine with westerly winds as trough passages continue to result in at least elevated wind/RH combinations over this region. Both ERCs and BIs will climb above their respective 90th-95th percentiles, indicating fuels receptivity is reaching critical levels across the region where not hampered by significant green up. Additional expansion in both time and space may be needed if strong southwesterly flow continues over the area as some forecast guidance indicates. ...Southern Plains... Over the southern Plains, the continued hot and dry period exacerbating existing drought conditions will continue. However, with the surface trough nudging eastward accompanying the center of the high, the strongest winds combined with the driest surface conditions will no longer coincide with the driest fuels, removing the need for critical wind/RH probabilities. ..Stearns.. 08/29/2026 ...Please see www.spc.noaa.gov/fire for graphic product... $$