WESTERN, US - Hot, dry weather and gusty winds will continue to create elevated wildfire conditions across much of the interior western United States through the weekend, particularly from Nevada and parts of California into Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, and the High Plains. According to AccuWeather, the combination of low humidity, dry vegetation, and breezy conditions will support an increased risk of new fire starts and continued fire activity through Sunday.
While scattered thunderstorms are forecast across portions of the Southwest, rainfall is expected to be uneven. Some areas may receive beneficial moisture, while others could experience dry lightning capable of igniting new fires. Existing smoke from wildfires in the Great Basin is also expected to drift eastward across parts of the Rockies, with some higher-level smoke potentially reaching portions of the Great Plains and eastern U.S. later this weekend.
A cooler air mass is forecast to move into parts of the Intermountain West early next week, bringing another chance for showers and thunderstorms. Although some locations could benefit from rainfall, thunderstorms producing little precipitation may continue to present a wildfire concern. Forecasters expect warmer temperatures to rebuild across much of the region heading into the Fourth of July holiday period.
For growers and shippers across the West, monitoring local wildfire conditions, air quality, and transportation impacts will remain important as weather patterns evolve.
As always, we'll continue tracking weather developments affecting produce-growing regions and share updates as conditions change. Keep a tab open on ANUK.
