THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS CANCELLED THE FIRE
WEATHER WATCH ISSUED FOR PARTS OF WESTERN IOWA.  WINDS SPEEDS ARE STILL EXPECTED TO INCREASE TO 25 TO 35 MPH BY  EARLY AFTERNOON WITH HIGHER GUSTS. HOWEVER…RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES WILL REMAIN FROM 25 TO 35 PERCENT THIS AFTERNOON PRECLUDING RED FLAG WARNING CONDITIONS. THEREFORE…THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

Here’s the forecast for Tuesday, March 27th 2012….

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The National Weather Service says a Wind Advisory will be in effect from 11-am until 4-pm today (Tuesday), for parts of the KJAN listening area, along with a Fire Weather Watch, due to the danger posed by strong winds and extremely dry conditions. The Advisory and Fire Weather Watch (which is in effect from this morning through this evening), includes Audubon, Crawford, Carroll and Greene Counties in our listening area.

Strong westerly winds of 25-to 45-miles per hour, combined with low relative humidity are forecast for today. With the grasslands already being very dry, and other near dormant vegetation, there is a very real danger for quickly spreading, extremely explosive fires. All outdoor burning should be avoided.

The National Weather Service in Valley, NE has issued a “Red Flag Warning” for western Iowa’s Monona County. The warning is in effect from Noon today until 8-p.m., and means that critical fire weather conditions exist or will exist, that can create explosive fire growth potential. The Weather Service says dangerous fire weather conditions are possible this afternoon over parts of western & northwest Iowa and northeast Nebraska. Much drier air is moving into the region today, with westerly winds gusting from15-to 35-miles per hour behind a front that will be passing through. The combination of very low humidity and gusty winds will create an extremely high fire danger this afternoon.

341 AM CDT TUE MAR 27 2012 Nat’l Weather Service/Des Moines

EARLY THIS MORNING…MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS. BREEZY. SOUTH WIND 15 TO 20 MPH. CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS 20 PERCENT.

TODAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. BREEZY. HIGH IN THE MID 70S. SOUTHWEST WIND 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 35 MPH.

TONIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. COLDER. LOW IN THE MID 40S. WEST WIND 5 TO 15 MPH.

WEDNESDAY…SUNNY. HIGH IN THE MID 70S. NORTHWEST WIND 5 TO 15 MPH.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. LOW IN THE MID 40S. EAST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH.

THURSDAY…PARTLY SUNNY. A 40 PERCENT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AFTERNOON. HIGH IN THE LOWER 70S. SOUTHEAST WIND 10 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 25 MPH.

THURSDAY NIGHT…THUNDERSTORMS LIKELY. LOW IN THE MID 50S. CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS 70 PERCENT.

FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. A 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS. HIGH IN THE LOWER 70S. LOW IN THE LOWER 50S.

The National Weather Service in Valley, NE has issued a Wind Advisory for portions of eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa. The Advisory in western Iowa affects Monona & Harrison Counties, and is in effect until 7-p.m. Monday. Winds in the advisory area will continue to increase throughout the afternoon, from the south-southeast, at 25-35 mph with gusts to 45mph. Cross winds may affect drivers on east-to-west roads.

In addition, the Grassland Fire Danger Index will be in the EXTREME category this afternoon in Monona, Harrison, Pottawattamie, Mills, Montgomery, Fremont and Page Counties in western and southwest Iowa. That means fires can start quickly, spread furiously and burn intensely. All fires are potentially serious.

ALL OUTDOOR BURNING SHOULD BE AVOIDED IN AREAS UNDER EXTREME FIRE DANGER!

Here’s the forecast for Atlantic & the KJAN listening area, & weather stats for Atlantic….

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356 AM CDT MON MAR 26 2012 Nat’l. Weather Service/Des Moines

TODAY…PARTLY SUNNY. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF LIGHT SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS BEFORE NOON. WINDY. HIGH IN THE MID 70S. SOUTHEAST WIND 15 TO 20 MPH INCREASING TO 20 TO 30 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 20 PERCENT.

TONIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY. A 40 PERCENT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS AFTER MIDNIGHT. BREEZY. LOW AROUND 60. SOUTH WIND 15 TO 25 MPH.

TUESDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. BREEZY. HIGH IN THE MID 70S. SOUTHWEST WIND 15 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 30 MPH.

TUESDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. COOLER. LOW IN THE MID 40S. WEST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH. GUSTS UP TO 20 MPH THROUGH MIDNIGHT.

WEDNESDAY...SUNNY. HIGH IN THE LOWER 70S. NORTHWEST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY...PARTLY CLOUDY. LOW IN THE MID 40S. HIGH IN THE UPPER 60S.

THURSDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A 50 PERCENT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS. LOW IN THE LOWER 50S.

FRIDAY…PARTLY SUNNY WITH A 40 PERCENT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS. HIGH IN THE LOWER 70S.

For MONONA & HARRISON Counties….

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE issued 325 AM CDT MON MAR 26 2012

FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING

…DANGEROUS FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS POSSIBLE ON TUESDAY…

A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH ON TUESDAY, BRINGING LITTLE CHANGE TO TEMPERATURES BUT MUCH DRIER AIR. BEHIND THE FRONT. WESTERLY WINDS WILL REACH AROUND 15 TO 20 MPH, WITH GUSTS OF 25 TO 30 MPH POSSIBLE. THE COMBINATION OF VERY LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND GUSTY WINDS WILL CREATE EXTREMELY HIGH FIRE DANGER.

RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL DROP TO 15 TO 20 PERCENT BY NOON TUESDAY ACROSS THE AREA, AND WILL REMAIN LOW UNTIL SUNSET. ANY FIRES THAT DEVELOP WILL LIKELY SPREAD RAPIDLY. OUTDOOR BURNING IS NOT RECOMMENDED.

A FIRE WEATHER WATCH MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE FORECAST TO OCCUR. LISTEN FOR LATER FORECASTS AND POSSIBLE RED FLAG WARNINGS.

401 AM CDT SAT MAR 24 2012 National Weather Service/Des Moines

TODAY…SUNNY. PATCHY FOG THROUGH MID MORNING. HIGH IN THE MID 70S. NORTHWEST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH.

TONIGHT...MOSTLY CLEAR. LOW IN THE UPPER 40S. NORTH WIND NEAR 5 MPH.

SUNDAY…SUNNY. HIGH IN THE UPPER 70S. SOUTH WIND NEAR 10 MPH.

SUNDAY NIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. LOW IN THE MID 50S. SOUTHEAST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH.

MONDAY…PARTLY SUNNY. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS IN THE MORNING. BREEZY. HIGH IN THE UPPER 70S. SOUTHEAST WIND 10 TO 15 MPH INCREASING TO 15 TO 25 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 20 PERCENT.

MONDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A 40 PERCENT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS. LOW AROUND 60.

TUESDAY…PARTLY SUNNY. BREEZY. HIGH IN THE LOWER 70S.

TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY…MOSTLY CLEAR. LOW IN THE UPPER 40S. HIGH IN THE LOWER 70S.