High winds to hike wildfire threat later this week with southern Plains as epicenter
A strengthening storm will generate a vast field of strong winds to nearly a million square miles of the United States later this week. The combination of powerful gusts and dry brush will create a perfect recipe for fast-moving wildfires, especially over the southern Rockies and Plains, AccuWeather meteorologists warn.
The same storm destined to bring feet of snow to the Sierra Nevada and inches of rain to some low elevations in California will trigger a severe weather outbreak over the Central states late this week. As the storm grows in size and strengthens, the wind field will expand.
By Friday, winds can gust to over 40 mph anywhere from the Intermountain West to the Great Plains, Mississippi Valley and Great Lakes. Gusts in some areas can reach hurricane force (75 mph), outside of severe thunderstorms. The AccuWeather StormMax™ wind gust for this event is 85 mph.
On the colder side of the storm, from the central Rockies to the northern Plains, the winds will whip falling snow around and may create blizzard conditions.
Farther south, as the winds kick up from Arizona to western Texas and western Oklahoma, they will pick up dust that can create dangerous dust storms. The risk of high-profile vehicle roll-overs due to crosswinds can accompany the drastic drop in visibility.
Dust from the Southwest states can be blown as far east as the Great Lakes and Atlantic coast by the weekend.
The greatest risk to lives and property will be from fast-moving wildfires. The combination of dry brush, warm and dry air and high winds can allow any sparks from utility lines or power equipment to ignite a blaze that can be extremely fast-moving and difficult to control.Have the app? Unlock AccuWeather Alerts™ with Premium+
This risk will begin to ramp up on Wednesday and reach a peak on Friday before easing back this weekend.
"Friday's wildfire risk covers a large part of the southern Rockies and High Plains and is forecast to reach extreme levels from northwestern Texas to southwestern Oklahoma," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Joe Lundberg said. "This is about as an extreme event as there can be."
Due to the vast storm system late this week, the risk of wildfires will increase anywhere there is dry brush and gusty winds, from the Rockies to the Appalachians.
Extreme caution should be taken when using outdoor power equipment, open flames and outdoor grills. In some cases, the hot exhaust system can ignite the brush beneath vehicles. In windy conditions, brush can become dry enough to catch fire just a day or two after a soaking rain.
Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts™ are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer.
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