Fire Weather Outlook
— Day 1
CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER AREA FOR WESTERN NEBRASKA INTO SOUTHWESTERN SOUTH DAKOTA
Synopsis
A mid-level shortwave trough embedded within westerly flow over the northern Rockies will aid in the development of a surface cyclone across the Northern Great Plains, bringing dry and windy conditions to portions of eastern Wyoming, Nebraska, and South Dakota today. Critical fire-weather conditions are forecast across portions of southeastern Wyoming and western Nebraska into southwestern South Dakota as the surface low and subsequent cold front progress towards the east.
Eastern Wyoming into western Nebraska and southwestern South Dakota
From late morning into early afternoon, the surface low over western and central South Dakota is forecast to deepen and progress eastward. Prefrontal strong westerly downslope winds of 20-25 MPH are forecast with relative humidity of 15-20%, and postfrontal winds of roughly the same magnitude will be out of the north-northwest by mid-to-late afternoon. The dry and windy conditions will overlap with fuels that are critically receptive to wildfire ignition and spread, warranting the introduction of Critical highlights. Fuel receptiveness drops off fairly rapidly with eastward extent, so highlights were confined to where the meteorological and fuel conditions best overlap.
Further west into eastern Wyoming, winds will remain around 20 MPH but relative humidity should remain above 25%. Fuel receptiveness extends well into eastern Wyoming, so if forecast updates come in windier and dryer, there could be an extension of the Critical highlights westward.
000 FNUS21 KWNS 110704 FWDDY1 Day 1 Fire Weather Outlook NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 0203 AM CDT Fri Sep 11 2026 Valid 111200Z - 121200Z ...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER AREA FOR WESTERN NEBRASKA INTO SOUTHWESTERN SOUTH DAKOTA... ...Synopsis... A mid-level shortwave trough embedded within westerly flow over the northern Rockies will aid in the development of a surface cyclone across the Northern Great Plains, bringing dry and windy conditions to portions of eastern Wyoming, Nebraska, and South Dakota today. Critical fire-weather conditions are forecast across portions of southeastern Wyoming and western Nebraska into southwestern South Dakota as the surface low and subsequent cold front progress towards the east. ...Eastern Wyoming into western Nebraska and southwestern South Dakota... From late morning into early afternoon, the surface low over western and central South Dakota is forecast to deepen and progress eastward. Prefrontal strong westerly downslope winds of 20-25 MPH are forecast with relative humidity of 15-20%, and postfrontal winds of roughly the same magnitude will be out of the north-northwest by mid-to-late afternoon. The dry and windy conditions will overlap with fuels that are critically receptive to wildfire ignition and spread, warranting the introduction of Critical highlights. Fuel receptiveness drops off fairly rapidly with eastward extent, so highlights were confined to where the meteorological and fuel conditions best overlap. Further west into eastern Wyoming, winds will remain around 20 MPH but relative humidity should remain above 25%. Fuel receptiveness extends well into eastern Wyoming, so if forecast updates come in windier and dryer, there could be an extension of the Critical highlights westward. ..Halbert.. 09/11/2026 ...Please see www.spc.noaa.gov/fire for graphic product... $$