NWS Dallas/Fort Worth Public/Media Guide

Fire Weather Forecast

(FWF, FNUS54)

The fire weather service is the operational program that provides forecast, warning, and consultation services for the prevention, suppression, and management of forest and rangeland fires, and for a host of land management activities, such as planting and reseeding operations, nursery and plantation operations, insect and disease control, disposal of logging slash and forest residue, environmental protection including meteorological guidance for smoke management, and forestry engineering projects for watershed and recreational facilities.

The format for fire weather forecasts varies from state to state and region to region. In general, a routine fire weather forecast will include...

a headline to emphasize a red flag warning or a significant change in weather conditions,
weather synopsis or map discussion,
predictions of sky cover and weather, temperature, humidity, wind, and thunderstorms and/or precipitation, and
an outlook or extended forecast.

Other elements may be included as required. Fire weather forecasts from the National Weather Service Office in Fort Worth are issued by "zone" (groups of counties) where similar weather conditions are expected.

Example

FNUS54 KFWD 171235 
FWFFTW

FIRE WEATHER FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
800 AM CDT SUN SEP 17 2000

.SYNOPSIS...UPPER LEVEL RIDGE WILL WEAKEN OVER THE SOUTHERN
PLAINS AS NORTHERN JET STREAM BEGINS TO BUCKLE ACROSS THE NORTHERN
STATES. A SURFACE TROUGH WILL MOVE INTO CENTRAL PLAINS WITH
FLOW BECOMES MORE SOUTHERLY WITH TIME. SURFACE RIDGE CONTINUES
FROM TEXAS INTO MID ATLANTIC SEABOARD THROUGH MONDAY. UPPER LEVEL
TROUGHING CONTINUES TO AMPLIFY OVER THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND THE OHIO
RIVER VALLEY THROUGH LATE WEEK WITH A SEASONAL CHANGES POSSIBLE
NEXT WEEKEND.

TXZ091-100>102-115>117-129>132-141>143-156-172100-
COMANCHE-EASTLAND-ERATH-HAMILTON-HOOD-JACK-LAMPASAS-MILLS-MONTAGUE-
PALO PINTO-PARKER-SOMERVELL-STEPHENS-WISE-YOUNG-
800 AM CDT SUN SEP 17 2000

PARAMETER...        TODAY          TONIGHT        MONDAY

CLOUD AMOUNT........SUNNY          CLEAR          SUNNY
MAX/MIN TEMPS.......90-92          57-60          91-93
REL HUMIDITY %......20             60-65          20
WIND DIRECTION......SOUTHEAST      SOUTHEAST      SOUTHEAST
WIND SPEED MPH......5-10           4-8            5-12
PRECIP TYPE.........NONE           NONE           NONE
CHANCE PRECIP(%)....NONE           NONE           NONE
MIXING HEIGHT (m)...1100           0              1400
TRANSPORT DIR.......SOUTHEAST      0              SOUTHEAST
TRANSPORT SPEED(m/s)6              0              8
SUNSHINE (hours)....12             0              12
FOG POTENTIAL.......NO FOG         NO FOG         NO FOG

$$

TXZ092-093-103-104-118>121-133-134-144-145-157>159-172100-
BELL-BOSQUE-COLLIN-COOKE-CORYELL-DALLAS-DENTON-ELLIS-GRAYSON-HILL-
JOHNSON-KAUFMAN-MCLENNAN-ROCKWALL-TARRANT-
800 AM CDT SUN SEP 17 2000

PARAMETER...        TODAY          TONIGHT        MONDAY

CLOUD AMOUNT........SUNNY          CLEAR          SUNNY
MAX/MIN TEMPS.......90-92          58-64          90-93
REL HUMIDITY %......20             70             25
WIND DIRECTION......SOUTHEAST      SOUTHEAST      SOUTHEAST
WIND SPEED MPH......5-10           4-8            5-12
PRECIP TYPE.........NONE           NONE           NONE
CHANCE PRECIP(%)....NONE           NONE           NONE
MIXING HEIGHT (m)...1200           0              1400
TRANSPORT DIR.......SOUTHEAST      0              SOUTHEAST
TRANSPORT SPEED(m/s)6              0              8
SUNSHINE (hours)....12             0              12
FOG POTENTIAL.......NO FOG         NO FOG         NO FOG

$$

TXZ122-123-135-146>148-160>162-174-175-172100-
ANDERSON-FALLS-FREESTONE-HENDERSON-LEON-LIMESTONE-MILAM-NAVARRO-
RAINS-ROBERTSON-VAN ZANDT-
800 AM CDT SUN SEP 17 2000

PARAMETER...        TODAY          TONIGHT        MONDAY

CLOUD AMOUNT........SUNNY          CLEAR          SUNNY
MAX/MIN TEMPS.......88             55-58          89
REL HUMIDITY %......25             75             30-35
WIND DIRECTION......EAST           EAST           SOUTHEAST
WIND SPEED MPH......5-10           3-7            5-10
PRECIP TYPE.........NONE           NONE           NONE
CHANCE PRECIP(%)....NONE           NONE           NONE
MIXING HEIGHT (m)...1000           0              1100
TRANSPORT DIR.......EAST           0              SOUTHEAST
TRANSPORT SPEED(m/s)6              0              7
SUNSHINE (hours)....12             0              12
FOG POTENTIAL.......NO FOG         NO FOG         NO FOG

$$

TXZ094-095-105>107-172100-
DELTA-FANNIN-HOPKINS-HUNT-LAMAR-
800 AM CDT SUN SEP 17 2000

PARAMETER...        TODAY          TONIGHT        MONDAY

CLOUD AMOUNT........SUNNY          CLEAR          SUNNY
MAX/MIN TEMPS.......87             55-57          88
REL HUMIDITY %......25             70             25-30
WIND DIRECTION......EAST           EAST           SOUTHEAST
WIND SPEED MPH......5-10           3-7            5-10
PRECIP TYPE.........NONE           NONE           NONE
CHANCE PRECIP(%)....NONE           NONE           NONE
MIXING HEIGHT (m)...1000           0              1100
TRANSPORT DIR.......EAST           0              SOUTHEAST
TRANSPORT SPEED(m/s)5              0              8
SUNSHINE (hours)....12             0              12
FOG POTENTIAL.......NO FOG         NO FOG         NO FOG

$$

.EXTENDED FORECAST...
.MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY...CLEAR. LOWS IN THE MID 50S TO LOWER 60S.
HIGHS IN THE MID 80S TO LOWER 90S.
.WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY...PARTLY CLOUDY. LOWS IN THE UPPER 50S
TO MID 60S. HIGHS IN THE UPPER 80S TO MID 90S.