Tag: weather

The National Significant Wildland Fire Potential Outlook issued November 1 by the Predictive Services section at the National Interagency Fire Center predicts wildfire potential will remain above normal in parts of California through November. The potential in the Southern Plains is likely to be above normal December through February.

The data from NIFC shown here represents the cumulative forecasts of the ten Geographic Area Predictive Services Units and the National Predictive Services Unit.

Below:

• An excerpt from the NIFC narrative report for the next several months;
• More of NIFC’s monthly graphical outlooks;
• NOAA’s three-month temperature and precipitation forecasts;
• Drought Monitor;
• Keetch-Byram Drought Index.

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“La Niña and current fuel conditions are the main drivers of significant fire potential through fall and winter. Drought conditions are expected to continue for much of California, the Great Basin, and the Southwest into the winter with drying expected to increase across portions of the southern Plains and Southeast. Offshore wind events will continue to be a concern across northern California in November and likely into December for southern California. Significant fire potential is forecast to be above normal in downslope and offshore wind favored locations in California during November. The focus will shift to southern California in December as precipitation is likely to quell large fire concerns across northern California by then.

“Over the winter, the expected warming and drying trend across the southern tier of the United States due to La Niña and other large-scale climate forcing will likely result in above normal significant fire potential in portions of the southern Plains. Drought intensification and expansion from the southern Plains into southern California is likely. Strong wind and low relative humidity events could occasionally increase fire activity in portions of the Great Basin and Southwest this fall into winter as well. However, outside of the southern Plains, significant fire potential will likely remain near normal for the rest of the United States.”

The fire forecast through January has been released

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The National Significant Wildland Fire Potential Outlook issued September 1 by the Predictive Services section at the National Interagency Fire Center for September through December predicts that most of the forested areas of the western states, with the exception of Montana, will have above normal potential in September. In October and November that is expected to shift to California and the southeast.

The data from NIFC shown here represents the cumulative forecasts of the ten Geographic Area Predictive Services Units and the National Predictive Services Unit.

Below:

• An excerpt from the NIFC narrative report for the next several months;
• More of NIFC’s monthly graphical outlooks;
• NOAA’s three-month temperature and precipitation forecasts;
• Drought Monitor;
• Keetch-Byram Drought Index.

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“A continuation of peak season activity into September is expected across much of the West as drought conditions continue to take hold. Most western regions will experience areas of above normal significant large fire potential as shown on the maps to the left. By mid-month, however, the seasonal transition to fall will begin. Cold fronts brining winds but also precipitation will begin providing relief to the critically dry fuels. Fire activity will begin to diminish as fuel moistures begin to recover. As the days get shorter, overnight humidity recoveries will become greater. This will add further relief to fuels, especially the finer fuels.

“Following a brief pause in activity in California and a cessation of seasonal activity elsewhere across the West, large fire potential is expected to increase in October and November in wind prone areas across the state. The expectation of drier than average conditions and a higher probability of more frequent Foehn Wind events suggests that significant large fire potential will be elevated until winter sets in during December. The fall fire season across the East is expected to be near average but above average across much of the Southern Area due to drier than average conditions associated with a developing La Niña.”

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