National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Fire Weather Conditions Persist in the Southern Plains; Heavy Rain and Mountain Snow in the Pacific Northwest

A Pacific system will continue to bring moderate to heavy low elevation rain from northern California to western Washington, and heavy snow to the Cascades and Intermountain West over the next several days. Elevated to critical fire weather conditions will persist across the southern Rockies and Southern Plains through Wednesday as gusty winds and dry conditions continue across the region. Read More >

 

March 2, 2008 Martin County Wildfire

 

 

Unseasonably warm temperatures and very dry and windy conditions contributed to critical fire danger across much of the area. 

Winds ahead of the front were sustained near 25 mph with gusts higher than 30 mph, sometimes gusting greater than 40 mph! 

Sustained winds of 45 to 55 mph with gusts to near 75 mph were experienced in the mountains. 

To further complicate things, snow fell across the extreme northern portions of the area and into the mountains.   

Highs on Monday were considerably colder than the recent mild temperatures that have occured across west Texas and southeast New Mexico.