National Fire News

A cold front will move through east Texas and the Lower Mississippi Valley today bringing showers and thunderstorms with widespread wetting rain. The front will also move through the Appalachians and Northeast into Saturday and merge with the remnants of Tropical Storm Nicole with widespread wetting rain and localized flooding. Fire activity in the central Appalachians and Upper Ohio Valley will subside with the rainfall. Meanwhile, well below normal temperatures are forecast across much of the Plains through the weekend and spread into the Appalachians behind the cold front. Reinforcing cold fronts, with potential Arctic air is likely for much of next week as well. Cold northerly flow is expected across the West into next week, with below normal temperatures and drier than normal condition for the Intermountain West and West Coast. Offshore winds are possible across California mid- next week, but the strength and duration remain uncertain. Regardless, any offshore winds will be mitigated by the heavy precipitation received early this week. Dry and breezy conditions are also likely across the central and southern High Plains at times into next week, with elevated to critical conditions most likely over the central High Plains Sunday. Snow is likely near the Continental Divide at times, with potential heavy snow over Montana and the southern Rockies into the southern High Plains due to the passage of the cold fronts early next week. Above normal precipitation due to the stalling of the fronts is also likely near the Gulf Coast next week.