Critical Fire Weather Forecast Issued for Great Plains, Red Flag Warnings in Effect [NWS]

Critical fire weather conditions have been reported across parts of the northern or central Great Plains and most parts of lower Michigan as of Monday evening, April 22. The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a fire weather alert, showing the continuance of the wildfire-inducing conditions across the affected regions, where red flag warnings are currently in effect.

The fire weather forecast means that the combination of warm temperatures, dry conditions, humidity, and other elements can trigger the formation and growth of wildfires across the Plains. Particularly, the states of Texas, Oklahoma, and Nebraska will be impacted by the renewed critical fire weather conditions. Earlier this year, massive fires engulfed Texas and its surrounding areas.

The fire weather alert on Tuesday, April 23, comes as other parts of the United States, including the Gulf Coast and the Midwest regions, were struck by severe thunderstorms packed with multiple tornadoes. As the 2024 spring season has arrived in March 2023, the country has already moved away from its previous winter season, allowing warmer weather to replace cold from the north.

Fire Weather Alert

In its fire weather alert on Tuesday, the NWS' Storm Prediction Center (SPC) said that fire weather conditions are likely over parts of southern Nebraska and Kansas. This phenomenon occurs amid a post-frontal air mass that will infiltrate the northern and central Great Plains. Meteorologists are expecting the occurrence of breezy or gusty northerly surface winds across the said region.

Meanwhile, dry or breezy conditions are anticipated across the Southwest US region on Tuesday afternoon. Despite the looming critical fire weather conditions, the SPC clarifies these conditions will not generally support large fires at the moment. Yet, the possibility of either human-induced or natural-caused wildfires can still happen, with little or without warning from local authorities.

Fire Weather Forecast

The recent fire weather forecast by the US weather agency implies that the current weather and climatic conditions across the country are favorable not only for wildfires but also thunderstorms. In its short-range forecast on Tuesday, the NWS' Weather Prediction Center (WPC) highlighted the chances for unsettled weather and severe thunderstorms across parts of the Plains this week.

Furthermore, the WPC states that above-average temperatures are expected across the western and central US. Meanwhile, cooler weather is hovering over the Great Lakes and most of the East Coast. In the coming days, the main threats facing the Plains are wildfires and extreme temperatures. Meanwhile, regions experiencing thunderstorms are at risk of strong winds, large hail, or tornadoes.

In late February 2024, a fire that first erupted north of Stinnett in Hutchinson County, Texas. Several days afterward, the flames expanded to more than 1 million acres, downed power lines, and caused widespread disruption. The blaze became the state's largest wildfire in recorded history. Before the disaster, the NWS also forecasted fire weather conditions across the region that month.