Here’s the (podcast) forecast for the KJAN listening area, and weather data for Atlantic….

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A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE ENTIRE KJAN LISTENING AREA FROM 11- AM TODAY (TUESDAY) TO 9- PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR EXTREME FIRE CONDITIONS.

SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH…WITH GUSTS TO 40 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED, ALONG WITH RELATIVE HUMIDITY AS LOW AS 18 TO 22 PERCENT. FIELD CROPS ARE NEARLY CURED AND HAVE BECOME HIGHLY COMBUSTIBLE. IN COMBINATION WITH THE FORECAST CONDITIONS ..THIS WOULD LEAD TO RAPID FIRE GROWTH. IN ADDITION, THE DRYING OF GRASSES IS WELL AHEAD OF SCHEDULE DUE TO THE HOT AND DRY CONDITIONS THIS SUMMER. IF A FIRE STARTS THIS (TUESDAY) AFTERNOON…RAPID FIRE GROWTH WOULD BE POSSIBLE AND IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTAIN.

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.

**RED FLAG WARNING FOR CRITICAL FIRE CONDITIONS FROM 11-AM TO 9-P.M.**

TODAY: SUNNY…BREEZY…WARMER. HIGH IN THE LOWER 90S. SOUTH WIND 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 35 MPH.

TONIGHT: MOSTLY CLEAR. LOW AROUND 60. SOUTH WIND 5 TO 15 MPH. GUSTS UP TO 25 MPH THROUGH MIDNIGHT.

WEDNESDAY: MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGH IN THE LOWER 80S. SOUTHEAST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT: SHOWERS LIKELY THROUGH MIDNIGHT…THEN SHOWERS AFTER MIDNIGHT. LOW IN THE MID 50S. NORTHEAST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH. CHANCE OF SHOWERS 80 PERCENT.

THURSDAY: MOSTLY CLOUDY. SHOWERS LIKELY AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS IN THE MORNING…THEN A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AFTERNOON. COOLER. HIGH IN THE MID 60S. NORTHEAST WIND 10 TO 15 MPH. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 70 PERCENT.

THURSDAY NIGHT: MOSTLY CLOUDY. A 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF SHOWERS THROUGH MIDNIGHT. LOW IN THE UPPER 40S.

FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY: MOSTLY CLEAR. HIGH IN THE LOWER 70S. LOW IN THE MID 40S.

COUNTIES: HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT AND PAGE

339 PM CDT MON SEP 10 2012

RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM TO 7 PM CDT TUESDAY FOR EXTREME FIRE DANGER. THIS REPLACES THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH WHICH HAD BEEN ISSUED PREVIOUSLY. 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.

COUNTIES: CRAWFORD-CARROLL-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-CASS-DALLAS-POLK-ADAIR-MADISON-ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR-RINGGOLD

324 PM CDT MON SEP 10 2012

A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 9 PM CDT TUESDAY FOR EXTREME FIRE CONDITIONS.. THIS REPLACES THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH WHICH WAS PREVIOUSLY ISSUED.

SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH…WITH GUSTS TO 40 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED. IN ADDITION, THE RELATIVE HUMIDITY  WILL DROP TO 15 TO 25 PERCENT IN THE AFTERNOON. FIELD CROPS ARE NEARLY CURED AND HAVE BECOME HIGHLY COMBUSTIBLE. IN COMBINATION WITH THE FORECAST CONDITIONS TUESDAY…THIS WOULD LEAD TO RAPID FIRE GROWTH. IN ADDITION…THE DRYING OF GRASSES IS WELL AHEAD OF SCHEDULE DUE TO THE HOT AND DRY CONDITIONS THIS SUMMER.

IF A FIRE STARTS TUESDAY AFTERNOON…RAPID FIRE GROWTH WOULD BE POSSIBLE AND IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTAIN. 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.

The months-long drought may soon impact fall allergy sufferers in Iowa. Agronomist Robert Hartzler, at Iowa State University, says the weather has a direct impact on pollen counts that trigger allergy symptoms like sneezing, runny noses and red, teary eyes. Hartzler says any time we don’t get rain for a while, it allows the pollen to be released in the atmosphere and it hangs around for a longer period of time. Ragweed is native to Iowa, but Hartzler says it traditionally hasn’t grown very well among row crops. He says those plants are now adapting to Iowa’s cornfields and they’re becoming more widespread. Hartzler says it may get worse in future years.

“There is some evidence that with climate change, the ragweeds are better adapted to the warmer temperatures than other plants, so there is some evidence to suggest that pollen counts could increase in the future because of the increasing temperatures we’re expected to see,” Hartzler says. Relief for allergy sufferers isn’t likely until the first frost. He says there’s been enough rain for weeds to grow, but not enough to knock down the pollen. “Rainfall is excellent at washing (pollen) out of the air, it also saturates ragweed flowers so pollen can’t be released,” Hartzler says. “Rain does help the weeds grow, but we’ve got enough moisture in most of the state to allow the weeds to do well.”

He says the amount of pollen in the air has also been boosted by higher temperatures this year. “They’re higher earlier in the year because of the summer we’ve had,” Hartzler says. “The ragweed started growing earlier because of the warm temperatures in the spring. So we have high counts earlier this year than typical.” It may be just the beginning. Hartzler says there’s evidence global warming may be promoting ragweed growth.

(Radio Iowa)

Shelby County Emergency Management Director Bob Seivert says the Fire Danger situation is very dangerous, and no open burning of any kind is permitted. Farm and harvest operators should take extra precautions, according to Seivert, so that the spread of fire can be controlled, and you will know that extra help is on the way if it is needed.

Seivert says fire extinguishers should be in every combine, and tractors equipped with plows should be standing-by, ready to build a fire break. The local fire danger signs will remain in the EXTREME category in Shelby County until further notice, and Red Flag Warnings are expected to be issued for this afternoon and Tuesday, as strong southerly winds, low humidity and dry field conditions are able to create explosive fire growth.

Here’s the Freese-Notis forecast for the KJAN listening area, and weather data for Atlantic…

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COUNTIES IN IOWA: EMMET-KOSSUTH-WINNEBAGO-WORTH-PALO ALTO-HANCOCK-CERRO GORDO- POCAHONTAS-HUMBOLDT-WRIGHT-SAC-CALHOUN-WEBSTER-CRAWFORD-CARROLL- GREENE-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-CASS–HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE

433 AM CDT MON SEP 10 2012

…FIRE WEATHER WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING FOR EXTREME FIRE CONDITIONS….FROM 1:00-PM TUESDAY AFTERNOON UNTIL 7:00-PM TUESDAY EVENING.

SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH…WITH GUSTS TO 40 MPH,  ALONG WITH LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY…AS LOW AS 20 PERCENT…AND FIELD CROPS WHICH ARE NEARLY CURED AND HIGHLY COMBUSTIBLE  COULD LEAD TO RAPID FIRE GROWTH TUESDAY AFTERNOON. IN ADDITION…THE DRYING OF GRASSES IS WELL AHEAD OF SCHEDULE DUE TO THE HOT AND DRY CONDITIONS THIS SUMMER. IF A FIRE STARTS TUESDAY AFTERNOON…RAPID FIRE GROWTH WOULD BE POSSIBLE AND IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTAIN.

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

357 AM CDT MON SEP 10 2012/ National Weather Service – Des Moines

TODAY…SUNNY…BREEZY. HIGH IN THE LOWER 80S. SOUTH WIND 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 30 MPH.

TONIGHT…CLEAR…WARMER. LOW IN THE UPPER 50S. SOUTH WIND 5 TO 15 MPH.

TUESDAY…SUNNY…BREEZY. HIGH IN THE LOWER 90S. SOUTH WIND 10 TO 15 MPH INCREASING TO 15 TO 25 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON. GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH.

TUESDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. LOW IN THE LOWER 60S. SOUTH WIND 5 TO 15 MPH. GUSTS UP TO 25 MPH THROUGH MIDNIGHT.

WEDNESDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGH IN THE UPPER 80S. SOUTH WIND 5 TO 15 MPH.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY…SHOWERS LIKELY AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS. MUCH COOLER. LOW IN THE UPPER 50S. HIGH IN THE MID 60S. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 70 PERCENT.

THURSDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A 30 PERCENT CHANCE OF SHOWERS. LOW IN THE LOWER 50S.