935
FNUS21 KWNS 180552
FWDDY1

Day 1 Fire Weather Outlook
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
1251 AM CDT Fri Oct 18 2024

Valid 181200Z - 191200Z

...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER AREA FOR PARTS OF THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
COAST...

...Synopsis...
Critical fire weather conditions are possible this afternoon into
the overnight hours along portions of the southern California coast.
Elevated fire weather conditions are possible along the western
slopes of the Sacramento Valley in northern California.

Early-morning surface observations show a cold front pushing
southeast across the Great Basin and central/southern CA. Strong
northerly low to mid-level winds are anticipated behind this front
by mid-morning across the southern CA ranges, which should induce an
offshore flow regime. An influx of drier air combined with downslope
warming/drying will promote areas of RH reductions to 10-20% in the
lee of the coastal ranges. Latest guidance suggests elevated to
critical fire weather conditions are most probable in the lee of the
San Gabriel and San Bernardino ranges with winds gusting up to 40-50
mph possible. These conditions are expected to linger into the
overnight hours as a surface high builds to the north across the
Great Basin and reinforces the offshore pressure-gradient flow.
Elevated to critical fire weather conditions are anticipated further
east across the Mojave Desert into the Sonoran Desert in southwest
AZ, but limited fuel availability and/or receptiveness should limit
fire concerns.

Further north through the Sacramento Valley, dewpoints have fallen
by around 20 F over the past 12-18 hours in the wake of the surface
front. This drier air, combined with diurnal heating/mixing, will
promote 15-25% RH minimums this afternoon as breezy post-frontal
winds between 15-25 mph persist through the day.

..Moore.. 10/18/2024

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

$$