AREA COUNTIES: MONONA-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT AND PAGE….

A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM 1-PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 7- PM CDT THIS EVENING, FOR LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND GUSTY WINDS.

SOUTHERLY WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE INTO THE 15 TO 25 MPH RANGE BY EARLY THIS AFTERNOON…WITH WIND GUSTS TO 30 MPH FROM TIME TO TIME. RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL LIKELY DROP TO AROUND OR LESS THAN 20 PERCENT FOR MUCH OF THIS AFTERNOON. ANY FIRES THAT DEVELOP WILL LIKELY SPREAD RAPIDLY. OUTDOOR BURNING IS NOT RECOMMENDED, AND MANY AREA COUNTIES HAVE BURN BANS STILL IN EFFECT.

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW…OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF STRONG WINDS…LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY…AND WARM TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL.