(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.