The Shelby County Emergency Management Agency has moved the Fire Danger Index in the County into the “Extreme” category today (Wednesday), and tomorrow. Low humidity and winds shifting to the NW today and tomorrow, will create dangerous fire conditions. NO open burning of any kind is allowed in Shelby County, and farm equipment operators should be extremely vigilant in making sure their equipment is free of debris, and pay close attention to their surroundings, especially when combining acreages. Shelby County is included in a Red Flag Warning that is in effect from 1-p.m. today through 7-p.m.

The Freese-Notis (podcast) forecast for Atlantic & the KJAN listening area, special weather statements, and weather data for Atlantic….

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THE GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER INDEX WILL BE IN THE EXTREME CATEGORY THIS AFTERNOON. EXTREME FIRE DANGER MEANS THAT FIRES START QUICKLY…SPREAD FURIOUSLY AND BURN INTENSELY. ALL FIRES ARE POTENTIALLY SERIOUS. ALL OUTDOOR BURNING SHOULD BE AVOIDED IN AREAS WITH EXTREME FIRE DANGER.

AREA COUNTIES: MONONA-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT AND PAGE….

A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM 1-PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 7- PM CDT THIS EVENING, FOR LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND GUSTY WINDS.

SOUTHERLY WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE INTO THE 15 TO 25 MPH RANGE BY EARLY THIS AFTERNOON…WITH WIND GUSTS TO 30 MPH FROM TIME TO TIME. RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL LIKELY DROP TO AROUND OR LESS THAN 20 PERCENT FOR MUCH OF THIS AFTERNOON. ANY FIRES THAT DEVELOP WILL LIKELY SPREAD RAPIDLY. OUTDOOR BURNING IS NOT RECOMMENDED, AND MANY AREA COUNTIES HAVE BURN BANS STILL IN EFFECT.

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.

ISSUED BY THE NWS/DES MOINES – WED., OCT. 3RD 2012

AREA COUNTIES: SAC- CRAWFORD-CARROLL-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-CASS-ADAIR- MADISON-ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR-RINGGOLD-

ELEVATED FIRE DANGER TODAY… SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL INCREASE TODAY AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT…REACHING SPEEDS OF NEAR 20 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS AT TIMES THIS AFTERNOON. RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL ALSO BE VERY LOW IN THE AFTERNOON…BELOW 20 PERCENT IN SOME AREAS…AND SURFACE FUELS ARE VERY DRY. WITH HARVESTING ACTIVITIES UNDERWAY PARTICULAR CAUTION IS ADVISED DUE TO THE INCREASED POTENTIAL FOR FIRES TO SPREAD RAPIDLY.

340 AM CDT WED OCT 3 2012

TODAY…SUNNY…BREEZY. HIGH IN THE LOWER 80S. SOUTH WIND 5 TO 10 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 20 MPH INCREASING TO 15 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 30 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON.

TONIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY UNTIL EARLY MORNING…THEN MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS EARLY IN THE MORNING. LOW IN THE UPPER 40S. SOUTH WIND AROUND 10 MPH SHIFTING TO THE WEST WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 25 MPH AFTER MIDNIGHT. CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS 20 PERCENT.

THURSDAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS IN THE MORNING…THEN MOSTLY SUNNY IN THE AFTERNOON. BREEZY. MUCH COOLER. HIGH AROUND 60. NORTHWEST WIND 15 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 30 MPH. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 40 PERCENT.

THURSDAY NIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. COLDER. LOW IN THE LOWER 30S. NORTHWEST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH.

FRIDAY…PARTLY SUNNY. HIGH IN THE MID 50S. NORTHWEST WIND 10 TO 15 MPH.

FRIDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY. LOW IN THE LOWER 30S.

SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. HIGH IN THE UPPER 40S. LOW AROUND 30.

The (podcast) Freese-Notis Forecast for the KJAN listening area, & weather data for Atlantic.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (873.7KB)

Shelby County Emergency Manager Bob Seivert said today (Monday), that the Fire Danger level in the County will remain in the “HIGH” category through at least Thursday, October 4th. The Fire Danger rating in Shelby County is based on input from local fire chiefs and the Emergency Manager, and weather factors.

Controlled Burns should only be conducted with the knowledge of the local Fire Chief.  Open burning is discouraged. Seivert said last week, that he expects the Fire Danger to remain High throughout the month of October.

Average High for the month 76.3 degrees; (Normal Avg. High 76.1)

Average Low: 42.9 degrees;  (Normal Avg. 50.4)

Rainfall total 1.27″;  (Normal 4.13″)