Active AlertsVernon, FL

Fire Weather Watch

Issued at Sat 1:27 AM Apr. 18
Issued by: National Weather Service
Description

Critical Fire Weather Today through Monday Today, the Fire Weather Watch has been upgraded to a Red Flag Warning and is in effect for portions of the Florida Big Bend and east of the Flint River in Georgia, where RH will tank to near or below 30 percent, where wind will exceed 12 mph, where dispersion will exceed 90, where temperatures will reach 88-92 degrees (within a few degrees of record highs), and where the Hot Dry Windy Index exceeds the 90th percentile at a time of year when its climatology is already nearing its annual peak in early May. A dry cold front on Sunday will bring northerly afternoon wind gusts of 20-25 mph, and RH will be dropping in the afternoon as a drier air mass arrives. Lingering cloud cover and shading of fuels will be the main inhibitor to active fire behavior on Sunday, but critical conditions remain possible Sunday afternoon. On Monday, a very dry air mass will overspread the region, with minimum relative humidities commonly in the 15-20 percent range. Sustained northeast winds will be near 10 to 15 mph and support extremely high dispersion. Full sunshine, seasonably warm late April temperatures, and ongoing drought will all contribute to a critical fire environment. A Fire Weather Watch remains in effect for Monday where winds are currently forecast to exceed 15 mph, and the watch could be expanded in later forecast updates.
Affected Area: Florida fire weather zones 010, 011, 012, 014, 015, 028, 029, 034, 112, 114, 115, 118, 127, 128, and 134. Georgia fire weather zones 143, 144, and 155.
Wind: Northeast near 15 mph, with gusts near 20 mph.
Humidity: 15-20 percent, followed by poor humidity recovery on Monday night.
Impacts: Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly. Outdoor burning is not recommended.

Recommended Action

A Fire Weather Watch means that critical fire weather conditions are forecast to occur. Listen for later forecasts and possible Red Flag Warnings.

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