Elevated Fire Danger in Western Oklahoma Today; Widespread Rain Expected Mid-Week
Oklahoma is facing a brief but elevated fire danger today, particularly in western counties, following an uptick in wildfire activity over the hot and dry weekend.
According to a statewide discussion, a shift in winds from southeast to southwest will pull drier air into far western Oklahoma this afternoon. This will create a short window of increased fire weather, battling with more humid Gulf moisture in the eastern half of the state.
The most at-risk areas are in western and southwestern Oklahoma, where temperatures are expected to reach the mid-80s and relative humidity could drop as low as 17-22%. Between noon and 3:00 p.m., gusty southwesterly winds of 15-20 mph (with gusts up to 30 mph) could push fires in rangeland to spread at rates of 112-169 feet per minute.
Despite the temporary risk, officials noted that the probability of a “significant fire” remains low. This is largely because initial attack efforts by fire crews have been highly successful, and that is expected to continue. Conditions are expected to moderate after sunset.
Central and Eastern Oklahoma will see a much lower fire risk, with higher humidity, lighter winds, and even a slight chance for a few showers in the northeast.
This elevated fire danger is short-lived. Relief is set to arrive as early as Tuesday, as a weak cold front stalls, bringing relaxing winds and higher humidity, which will temper fire concerns.
The outlook for the rest of the week is promising. A weather system moving in from Tuesday evening through Thursday is expected to bring “wetting rainfall” statewide, with the potential for excessive rain in the southeast. This moisture is expected to improve fuel conditions and significantly reduce fire danger heading into the Thanksgiving holiday period.
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