US Weather Update: Wildfire Threats Southern Plains, North This Weekend

Weather experts warned that wildfire could threaten the Southern Plains and even the northern portion of the United States this weekend.

Strong Winds To Fuel Wildfire

They said that the record warmth, strong winds and dry fuels would again increase the wildfire risk in these areas.

Meteorologists noted that as the temperature increases, gusty winds and lowering humidity levels will combine to make the three main weather ingredients for wildfires.

Moreover, dry and dormant grass as well as other brush from the end of the winter, which serve as fuels, can become fast-moving and later spread to an enormous size in just a matter of hours.

The National Weather Service (NWS) said that spring-like high temperatures are once again expected across much of the Plains and Midwest heading into the weekend.

The greatest anomalies are also forecasted for the northern Plains into the upper Midwest on Saturday pushing into the upper Midwest toward the Great Lakes on Sunday.

Highs will be upwards of 25-35 degrees above normal, reaching into the 60s and 70s in these areas. Further, highs on Saturday will warm into the 60s and 70s for the Middle or Lower Mississippi Valley, with 80s returning to Texas.

The combination of warm temperatures, persistently dry conditions, and gusty winds over the central/southern High Plains will elevate the risk for wildfires through this weekend.

After a chilly day on Friday in the southeast, temperatures will quickly rebound to average or slightly above average levels on Saturday, with highs in the 60s and low 70s.

Weather experts said that the conditions would remain near to above average in the Mid-Atlantic, with 40s and 50s expected. In contrast, much of the cold weather will be found across the western portion of the US behind the intensifying low pressure system.

In Texas, two individuals were confirmed dead due to the wildfires that hit the state.

They said that dozens of cities from Texas to Michigan would challenge or break record high daytime and warm night minimum temperature records from Saturday to Monday in the central states of US.

Low Pressure System To Intensify

On the other hand, a low pressure system is forecast to intensify over the northern Plains by Sunday.

It appears that a lack of moisture across the South will severely limit the precipitation amounts that have been associated with this system despite its strength.

Meanwhile, accumulating snowfall is forecast only for the far northern Plains where 6 to 10 inches will be limited to near the US-Canadian border by Sunday evening as the storm center is predicted to move north into southern Canada by then.

The rains associated with the cold front will barely be measurable across the central Plains on Sunday.

Moreover, only light and scattered showers are expected farther north across the Midwest into the upper Great Lakes later on Sunday ahead of the cold front.