(Radio Iowa) – Officials say there’s a serious risk of fast-spreading wildfires again today (Friday) as much of Iowa will see unseasonably high temperatures and gusty winds amidst very dry vegetation. Red Flag Warnings are posted for some two dozen counties, including five counties in northwest Iowa, across much of the southern two tiers of counties, and into eastern Iowa. Meteorologist Jim Lee, at the National Weather Service, says an abrupt temperature shift is coming.

“We’ve got temperatures in the 60s in parts of western and southern Iowa, maybe even pushing 70 near the Missouri border,” Lee says, “but then one day later, on Saturday morning, we’re looking for snow across far northern and northeastern Iowa, so rapid changes on the way.” A Winter Weather Advisory is being posted for several northeastern Iowa counties, while Lee says the possibilities of snow will shift to the south for the latter half of the weekend. “We do have some snow chances on Sunday, yes, but it looks like most of that will be more across about the southern half of Iowa,” Lee says. “Up in northern Iowa, very little to no snow on Sunday, but down in southern Iowa, near the Missouri border, some places could get some light accumulations.”

The long-range forecast shows temperatures warming into the 40s and 50s next week for much of the state.

Today: Sunny & breezy. A high near 65. Winds S/SW @ 10-20 mph this morning becoming W/NW this afternoon & gusting to near 30 mph.
Tonight: Increasing clouds, with a low around 26. NW winds 5-10 mph.
Tomorrow: Sunny, with a high near 43. E/NE winds 10-20 mph.
Tom. Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 17. NE wind around 10 mph.
Sunday: Cloudy w/a 60% chance of snow, mainly after noon. A high near 33.
Sunday Night: A 40% chance of snow before midnight. Low around 20.
Monday: A slight chance of rain and snow after noon. A high near 40.
Monday Night: Rain likely, mainly after midnight. A low around 29.
Tuesday: A 40% chance of rain. A high near 43.

Thursday’s High in Atlantic was 56 degrees. The Low was 19. Last year on this date (Feb. 27th), the High in Atlantic was 60, and the Low was 31. The Record High for this date was 71 in 2016, the record Low was -16 in 1960. Sunrise: 6:58; Sunset: 6:08.

Area Counties: Union-Taylor-Ringgold…

A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT TODAY NOON UNTIL 6 PM FOR CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS. 

* WIND…Sustained winds to 15 to 25 mph, with gusts of 30 to 35 mph.

* HUMIDITY…20% to 30%.

* IMPACTS…Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly. Outdoor burning is not recommended.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

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 can contribute to extreme fire behavior.

Today: Sunny, with a high near 53. Calm wind becoming west 5 to 10 mph this morning.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 30. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Tomorrow: Sunny, with a high near 62. SW winds 5-15 mph becoming W/NW in the afternoon w/gusts to near 20 mph.
Tom. Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 25. W/NW winds 5-15 mph becoming W/NE after midnight w/gusts to near 20 mph.
Saturday: Mostly sunny & breezy, with a high near 39.
Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 15.
Sunday: Cloudy w/a 60% chance of snow, mainly after noon. A high near 29.
Sunday Night: A 40% chance of snow before midnight. A low around 15.
Monday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 36.

Wednesday’s High in Atlantic was 38 degrees. The Low this morning, was 19. We received a Trace of snow early yesterday afternoon at KJAN. Last year on this date (Feb. 26th), the High in Atlantic was 59, and the Low was 32. The Record High for this date was 78 in 2024, the record Low was -28 in 1963. Sunrise: 6:59; Sunset: 6:06.

Today: Partly cloudy to cloudy w/a slight chance of snow late this evening. A high near 39. Winds this afternoon becoming easterly @ 5-10 mph.
Tonight: Snow likely, mainly before 10pm (less than 1/2″ is expected). A low around 23.
Tomorrow: Partly sunny-to sunny. A high near 50. Winds becoming W/SW @ 6-10 mph in the morning.
Tom. Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 29.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 62.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 26.
Saturday: Mostly sunny & breezy, with a high near 39.

Tuesday’s High in Atlantic was 42 degrees. The Low was 26. Last year on this date (Feb. 25th), the High in Atlantic was 64, and the Low was 26. The Record High for this date was 70 in 1995, the record Low was -14 in 2010. Sunrise: 7:01; Sunset: 6:05.

Today: Partly sunny, with a high near 41. Winds S @ 10-15 mph this morning becoming W/NW @ 15-25 this afternoon. Wind chill values as low as 10.
Tonight: Cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low around 22.
Wednesday: Mostly cloudy w/a 40% chance of afternoon snow. A high near 39. E/SE winds 5-10 mph in the morning. alm New snow accumulation of less than one-half inch is expected.
Wed. Night: A chance of rain and snow before 9pm, then a chance of snow. A low around 22. New snow accumulation of less than 1/2″ inch is expected.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 48.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 30.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 60.

Monday’s High in Atlantic (The 24-hour High ending today at 7-a.m., since temps rose overnight) was 26 degrees (the actual daytime high was 18). Our Low was -6. Last year on this date (Feb. 24th), the High in Atlantic was 66, and the Low was 27. The Record High for this date was 76 in 1930, the record Low was -15 in 1894. Sunrise: 7:02; Sunset: 6:04.

Today: Sunny, with a high near 24.  Calm wind becoming south around 5-10 mph in the afternoon. Wind chill values as low as -5.
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a temperature rising to around 20 by 5am. Wind chill values as low as zero. South wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts to near 20 mph.
Tomorrow: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 45. South wind @ 10 mph becoming W/NW & gusting to near 20 mph.
Tom. Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 19.
Wednesday: Partly sunny w/a 30% chance of rain & snow after noon. A high near 38. Little or no snow accumulation is expected.
Wednesday Night: Rain and snow likely before midnight, then a chance of snow. A low around 21. Less than .1″ of snow is expected.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 43.

Sunday’s High in Atlantic was 22 degrees. Our Low this morning, was -7. Last year on this date (Feb. 23rd), the High in Atlantic was 57, and the Low was 16. The Record High for this date was 65 in 2002, the record Low was -22 in 1989. Sunrise: 7:046; Sunset: 6:03.

Today: Sunny & blustery. A high near 22. N/NW winds 15-25 mph. Wind chill values as low as -15.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around -3. Wind chill values as low as -10.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 23. Winds S @ 5 mph in the afternoon. Wind chill values as low as -5.
Monday Night: Mostly cloudy. Temps slowly rising into the 20’s. Wind chill values as low as 5.
Tuesday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 42. South wind around 10 mph becoming west northwest in the afternoon.
Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 21.
Wednesday: Partly sunny w/a 20% chance of rain and snow after noon. A high near 42.

Saturday’s High in Atlantic was 24 degrees. Our Low this morning was 5. Last year on this date (Feb. 22nd), the High in Atlantic was 36, and the Low was 11. The Record High for this date was 71 in 2017, the record Low was -14 in 1894. Sunrise: 7:06; Sunset: 6:02.

Today: Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 24. Wind chill values as low as 5. Light north wind becoming northwest 8 to 13 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 18 mph.
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 8. Wind chill values as low as -5. North northwest wind 8 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 22. Wind chill values as low as -10. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around -2. Wind chill values as low as -10. North wind 5 to 9 mph.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 20. Light and variable wind.
Tuesday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 40.
Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 42.

Friday’s High in Atlantic was 20 degrees. Our Low this morning was 4. Last year on this date (Feb. 21st), the High in Atlantic was 20, and the Low was -18. The Record High for this date was 68 in 2024, the record Low was -19 in 1894. Sunrise: 7:07; Sunset: 6:00.

Official National Weather Service Observer reports: