NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
   0226 AM CDT SAT OCT 11 2008
   
   VALID 111200Z - 121200Z
   
   ...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER AREA FOR PORTIONS OF NRN/CNTRL CA...
   
   ...SYNOPSIS...
   EXPANSIVE UPPER-LEVEL TROUGH WILL GRADUALLY PROGRESS EWD ACROSS THE
   WRN CONUS THROUGH EARLY SUN. INTENSE MID-LEVEL JET /500 MB WINDS
   AROUND 120 MPH/ WILL BE CENTERED ALONG THE BASE OF THE TROUGH FROM
   THE CA COAST TO THE LOWER CO RIVER VALLEY AND FOUR CORNERS BY
   12/00Z. AT THE SURFACE...PRIMARY CYCLONE SHOULD REMAIN ANCHORED OVER
   ERN UT/WRN CO THROUGH THE AFTERNOON...WITH ATTENDANT COLD FRONT
   MARCHING E/SEWD ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST.
   
   ...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER AREA - PORTIONS OF NRN/CNTRL CA...
   
   PRIMARY CONDITIONS: MODERATE TO STRONG WINDS / LOW RH / SEVERE
   DROUGHT
   
   LATEST ASOS/MESONET OBSERVATIONS CONFIRM GUSTY NLY WINDS CONTINUING
   FROM FRI AFTERNOON INVOF SACRAMENTO VALLEY AND ADJACENT
   FOOTHILLS...WHICH HAS LENT TO ONLY FAIR RH RECOVERY DESPITE COOL
   TEMPERATURES IN THE 40S/50S. AS INSOLATION COMMENCES AND THE
   BOUNDARY LAYER DEEPENS...STEEPENING LOW-LEVEL LAPSE RATES WILL
   MAINTAIN SUSTAINED SURFACE WINDS FROM 20 TO 25 MPH THROUGH MUCH OF
   THE DAY. WITH SURFACE TEMPERATURES WARMING INTO THE UPPER 60S TO
   LOWER 70S...RH VALUES FROM 10 TO 15 PERCENT SHOULD BE COMMON.
   
   ...NERN AZ...
   VERY STRONG WINDS MAY BECOME BRIEFLY JUXTAPOSED WITH MARGINALLY LOW
   RH/WARM TEMPERATURES DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AS RAPID DRYING
   ENSUES IN THE WAKE OF A COLD FRONT PASSAGE. ALTHOUGH GUIDANCE
   FORECASTS ARE GENERALLY CONSISTENT WITH INDICATING SUSTAINED SURFACE
   WINDS FROM 25 TO 40 MPH...THEY DIFFER SUBSTANTIALLY WITH
   THERMODYNAMIC PARAMETERS GIVEN TIGHT GRADIENTS INVOF FRONTAL
   BOUNDARY. IN ADDITION...THE POTENTIAL FOR RAINFALL TO DEVELOP ALONG
   THE FRONT LATER THIS MORNING CASTS UNCERTAINTY ON THE DRYNESS OF
   FUELS.
   
   ..GRAMS.. 10/11/2008