CRAWFORD-CARROLL-GREENE-BOONE-STORY-MARSHALL-TAMA-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-
DALLAS-POLK-JASPER-POWESHIEK-CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-WARREN-MARION-
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DECATUR-WAYNE-APPANOOSE-DAVIS-
343 AM CDT MON MAR 16 2015

RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 7 PM FOR EXTREME FIRE CONDITIONS….

MONONA-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT- PAGE…RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 8 PM FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR PARTS OF EASTERN NEBRASKA AND SOUTHWEST IOWA…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG WARNING FOR EXTREME FIRE CONDITIONS…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING.

* TIMING…HIGH FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL DEVELOP IN THE EARLY AFTERNOON AND PEAK BY MID AFTERNOON.

* WIND…WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 20 TO 25 MPH ACROSS THE SOUTH WITH GUSTS ABOVE 30 MPH AT TIMES THIS AFTERNOON.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY…WILL DROP AS LOW AS 15 TO 20 PERCENT BY EARLY TO MID AFTERNOON.

* FUEL…90 TO 100 PERCENT CURED.

* IMPACTS…ANY FIRES THAT DEVELOP WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO SPREAD MORE RAPIDLY DUE TO WINDY AND DRY CONDITIONS. ANY OUTDOOR BURNING IS HIGHLY DISCOURAGED AND SHOULD BE AVOIDED TODAY. COOLER CONDITIONS WITH HIGHER RELATIVE HUMIDITY RETURN BY TUESDAY.

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 WILL CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL.