Heat and Fire Weather Concerns in the West

Heat will build over the Intermountain West and the Southwest the next couple of days. Lightning from dry thunderstorms can create new fire starts and combined with gusty winds may cause a fire to rapidly grow in Oregon and northern California. Elevated fire weather conditions are also expected in the Great Basin. Flash flooding will be possible in Arizona and west Texas, especially in burn scars. Read More >

March 2023 featured below average temperatures and above average precipitation (including snowfall) nearly all across the board. Duluth observed the 3rd snowiest March of all time with 34.9” of snow. Snow depths were also very high, so spring flooding potential is elevated. With warm weather ongoing and expected through mid-April, a fairly rapid melt of some or most of the snow should result in at least minor flooding impacts. With the above average precipitation, drought conditions are essentially non-existent across the region.

Warmer weather is favored in the CPC 6-10 day outlook as of April 8, then chances become equal for above or below average temperatures towards the end of the month. Below average temperatures and above average precipitation is slightly favored in the 3-month outlooks.