Elevated fire weather for many areas early this week

Red Flag Warnings 3-21-2016 wildfire

Above: elevated fire weather predicted for Monday, March 21, 2016.

Many areas in the United States will experience elevated fire weather through Wednesday of this week. Strong winds and low relative humidities, in the single digits for some locations, are the culprit as usual. The critical and extreme conditions are spread from Wyoming, the northern, central, and southern plains, as well as parts of Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Florida, and Texas.

By Wednesday the threat consolidates in the southern part of the area and will affect portions of Colorado, Kansas, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma.

wildfire weather March 23, 2016
Fire Weather predicted for Monday, March 21, 2016
Fire Wx-Tues 3-22-2016
Fire Weather predicted for Tuesday, March 22, 2016

The maps were current as of 7:40 a.m. MDT on Monday. Red Flag Warnings can change throughout the day as the National Weather Service offices around the country update and revise their forecasts and maps. For the most current data visit this NWS site.

Red Flag Warnings for five states in the central U.S.

wildfire Red Flag Warnings 3-16-2016

The National Weather Service has issued Red Flag Warnings for areas in Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, Illinois, and Missouri. The culprit is the forecast for strong winds and low humidity.

Be sure and vote in the poll to let us know which fire weather map you prefer.

Fire weather SPC 3-16-2016

The map was current as of 9:30 a.m. MDT on Wednesday. Red Flag Warnings can change throughout the day as the National Weather Service offices around the country update and revise their forecasts and maps. For the most current data visit this NWS site.

Chance for dry thunderstorms in Kansas and Nebraska

Red Flag Warnings 3-15-2016

The National Weather Service has issued Red Flag Warnings or Fire Weather Watches for areas in Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas.

The Storm Prediction Center’s forecast (see map below) includes a chance of isolated dry thunderstorms with enhanced outflow winds in northeast Kansas and southeast Nebraska.

If you have not yet, vote in the poll to let us know which fire weather map you prefer.

fire weather forecast 3-15-2016

The maps were current as of 11:30 a.m. MDT on Tuesday. Red Flag Warnings can change throughout the day as the National Weather Service offices around the country update and revise their forecasts and maps. For the most current data visit this NWS site.

Poll: which fire weather mapping product do you prefer?

Fire weather 3-14-2016

Today we have two very different fire weather mapping products. Both provide information about the predicted fire weather for today, March 14.

The map above is produced by the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma. It does not display Red Flag Warnings or Fire Weather Watches. Instead, it designates areas with “critical” and “elevated” fire weather forecasts. It also shows an area in South Dakota and Nebraska that has the possibility of “Iso DryT” — isolated dry thunderstorms. We checked the more detailed text fire weather forecasts for the Iso DryT areas and only found one that briefly mentioned that issue.

Below is the type of map that we have been using for years on Wildfire Today. It only provides information about Red Flag Warnings or Fire Weather Watches — which is good to know. Especially if you want to supply information to the public using just a few words that can convey an important message.

Both maps can be found HERE.

wildfire Red Flags 3-14-2016

Which map do you prefer us to use on Wildfire Today? Let us know by choosing an answer in the poll below — then click on the hard to see “vote” box below.

[poll id=”11″]

Prediction for winds gusting to 50 mph raise Red Flag Warnings in New Mexico

wildfire red flag warning march 12, 2016

The National Weather Service has issued Red Flag Warnings for areas in New Mexico and western Texas. The forecast calls for strong winds Saturday afternoon gusting up to 50 mph with relative humidities in the low teens or single digits.

The predicted red flag conditions mysteriously stop at the eastern and northern New Mexico border and don’t occur in Texas, Oklahoma, or Colorado except further south in the part of west Texas that is south of New Mexico. The same thing occurs to a lesser extent in southwest New Mexico where the red flag warnings in New Mexico are not in the forecast for Arizona across the imaginary line between the states. Examples of this phenomenon are tagged “red flag borders” on Wildfire Today.

The map was current as of 9:25 a.m. MDT on Saturday. Red Flag Warnings can change throughout the day as the National Weather Service offices around the country update and revise their forecasts and maps. For the most current data visit this NWS site.

Red Flag Warnings, March 11, 2016

wildfire Red Flag Warning March 11 2016

The National Weather Service has issued Red Flag Warnings and Fire Weather Watches for areas in South Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Texas. The forecast calls for strong winds and relative humidities in the teens. The warnings and watches in New Mexico and Texas are for elevated fire danger on Saturday, but in South Dakota and Nebraska they are for today, Friday.

The map was current as of 10:35 a.m. MDT on Friday. Red Flag Warnings can change throughout the day as the National Weather Service offices around the country update and revise their forecasts and maps. For the most current data visit this NWS site.

Fire weather warnings, March 6, 2016

wildfire Red Flag Warnings 3-6-2016

The National Weather Service has issued Red Flag Warnings and Fire Weather Watches for areas in eight states: Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas New Mexico, and Arizona. As usual, strong winds accompanied by low relative humidities are the culprit.

It is a mixed bag of forecasts. The Watch areas, in yellow, are for critical fire weather on Monday. But some of the areas identified as being under a Red Flag Warning, in red, are also for Monday’s weather; other red areas are for Sunday. Check your local forecast for details.

Our preference would be for the red areas to only represent the present day’s conditions. At a predetermined time, for instance 4:30 p.m. or 6 p.m. the map would change to reflect the next day’s forecast.

But we are pleased that the National Weather Service has reduced their tendency to draw red flag areas along the imaginary lines of state borders.

The map was current as of 9:40 a.m. MDT on Sunday. Red Flag Warnings can change throughout the day as the National Weather Service offices around the country update and revise their forecasts and maps. For the most current data visit this NWS site.

Critical fire danger this weekend

wildfire Red Flag Warnings 3-5-2016

The National Weather Service has issued Red Flag Warnings and Fire Weather Watches for areas in South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. As usual, strong winds accompanied by low relative humidities are the culprit.

The areas in yellow on the map are for Fire Weather Watches on Sunday or Monday. The red areas, Red Flag Warnings, are for Saturday afternoon.

The map was current as of 9:20 a.m. MDT on Saturday. Red Flag Warnings can change throughout the day as the National Weather Service offices around the country update and revise their forecasts and maps. For the most current data visit this NWS site.

Red Flag Warnings, March 2, 2016

wildfire Red Flag Warnings 3-2-2016

The National Weather Service has issued Red Flag Warnings through this evening for areas in Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Missouri. The warning is for strong winds accompanied by low relative humidities which will elevate the danger from wildfires.

The map was current as of 9:15 a.m. MDT on Wednesday. Red Flag Warnings can change throughout the day as the National Weather Service offices around the country update and revise their forecasts and maps. For the most current data visit this NWS site.