Valid 11 AM to 6 PM
➔ Red Flag Warnings issued for Zones 204, 206, 208, 209, 210, and 219.
➔ Temperatures will climb to values around 10 to 20 degrees above normal for early February.
➔ Peak wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph are expected along afternoon humidity minimum values in the 15 to 25 percent range.
➔ Any fire start will likely exhibit erratic behavior and have the potential to spread rapidly.
Hazards:
● Red Flag Warning for wind and low relative humidity.
Areas Impacted:
● Much of western and north central Nebraska including Fire Weather Zones 204, 206, 208, 209, 210, and 219.
Timing & Duration:
● Red Flag Warning valid 11am to 6pm CST Tuesday
Impacts:
● The combination of low humidity and strong winds will lead to erratic behavior and rapid spread of any fire starts.
Certainty & Considerations:
● Humidity values will be the deciding factor in areas meeting Red Flag Warning criteria or not, with confidence in these values medium.
● Humidity levels are expected to fall into the 15-25% range Tuesday afternoon which may not meet critical criteria, however, the expected strong winds and dry conditions will make any fire starts difficult to contain.
Wind
➔ Winds will increase quickly this morning, with 35+ mph gusts likely to begin shortly after sunrise.
➔ The strongest winds will occur around midday with pead speeds in the 40 to 50 mph range and will remain strong through the afternoon before diminishing slightly in the evening.
➔ Though winds will not be strong overnight, calm conditions are not expected with another breezy day likely across much of the area on Wednesday as gusts approaching 30 to 35 mph.
➔ Wind direction will favor northwest until turning more westerly for early Wednesday morning.
Humidity Details
➔ Lowest humidity levels expected to occur around the 1-4pm CST window.
➔ Location of lowest humidity will be across portions of southwest and south central Nebraska (generally south of Highway 92).
➔ Morning cloud cover is expected to clear out around midday, leaving unimpeded sunshine this afternoon.
➔ Overnight humidity recovery will be modest with values in the 60-80% range, the lowest of which will be across far northern Nebraska.
