406 AM CDT THU AUG 30 2012/National Weather Service – Des Moines

…NEAR RECORD HIGHS TODAY…

TODAY...SUNNY…HOT…BREEZY. HIGH IN THE UPPER 90S. SOUTH WIND 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 30 MPH.

TONIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. LOW IN THE LOWER 60S. SOUTH WIND 5 TO 15 MPH.

FRIDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGH IN THE LOWER 90S. SOUTHEAST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH.

FRIDAY NIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. LOW IN THE MID 60S. EAST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH.

SATURDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF RAIN AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS. HIGH IN THE MID 80S. EAST WIND 5 TO 15 MPH. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 20 PERCENT.

SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT...PARTLY CLOUDY. LOW IN THE UPPER 60S. HIGH AROUND 90.

(Updated for expanded Red Flag Warning)

The National Weather Service has issued a “Red Flag Warning“ for all counties along and north of Highway 30, from Onawa to Ames.  The warning is in effect until 8-p.m. A Red Flag Warning is issued for extreme fire conditions, in particular: hot, dry air; southwest winds of 15-25 miles per hour, with gusts of 30-to-35; along with very low humidity. Officials say the drying of grasses in the area as well as field crops is underway, and ahead of schedule, given the hot and dry conditions. Any fires that do start, will spread rapidly due to the dry conditions and strong southwesterly winds. The combination of strong winds, low relative humidity and very hot temperatures will create explosive fire growth potential.

While the upcoming Labor Day weekend usually means the unofficial end of summer, Iowa’s in for more extreme heat today and tomorrow’s forecast is even steamier. Kenny Podrazik, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service, says much of the state will be in the 90s today, with triple-digits highs possible tomorrow. Podrazik says there’s a lack of moisture in the air which contributes to a rapid rise in temperatures. Today’s winds will be from the south/southwest, so temps will be shooting up quickly. Parts of six counties in northwest Iowa are under a Red Flag Warning as there is a critical risk of fire due to weather conditions.

Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon says the County is likely to be included in some sort of enhanced Fire Danger statement Thursday. Kennon reminds residents the County is still under a ban on open burning until further notice. Shelby County Emergency Management Coordinator Bob Seivert says Red Flag warnings may issued for the area Thursday and Friday, and for that reason, will be moving the Shelby County Fire Danger Signs into the “Extreme” category beginning at 7-p.m. Wednesday, and lasting through at least Friday evening, and for all practical purposes, the County will be in a “burn ban” beginning at 7-p.m. Wednesday. Seivert asks area fire departments to be prepared for the “Very serious situation.”

The Weather Services’ Podrazik says the predicted high for Des Moines today is 97-degrees, which is 15-degrees hotter than normal. Tomorrow may be even hotter, he says, with stronger winds up to 40 miles an hour and temps may top 100-degrees.With Hurricane Isaac churning in the Gulf of Mexico, Podrazik says Iowa should at least see more clouds with the possibility of rain Friday and into Saturday.

(Radio Iowa/Ric Hanson-KJAN)

Here’s the (Podcast) weather forecast for Atlantic and the KJAN listening area, from Freese-Notis Meteorologist Dan Hicks, and the weather data for Atlantic from KJAN News Director, Ric Hanson…

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COUNTIES: CRAWFORD-CARROLL-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS- MADISON–

439 AM CDT WED AUG 29 2012

ELEVATED FIRE DANGER THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING:  HOT TEMPERATURES, BREEZY SOUTH WINDS AND RELATIVE HUMIDITIES OF 20 TO 30 PERCENT WILL COMBINE TO LEAD TO AN ELEVATED FIRE DANGER FROM THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EARLY EVENING HOURS.

FIRES MAY DEVELOP AND SPREAD RAPIDLY…WITH AN INCREASED RISK FOR FIRES BURNING OUT OF CONTROL. CONDITIONS WILL BE EVEN MORE CRITICAL THURSDAY WITH INCREASED HEAT AND WIND ALONG WITH LOWER HUMIDITIES. THE MOST EXTREME CONDITIONS WILL BE OVER NORTHERN IOWA WHERE A FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS IN EFFECT.

349 AM CDT WED AUG 29 2012

EARLY THIS MORNING…MOSTLY CLOUDY. SOUTH WIND NEAR 5 MPH.

TODAY…SUNNY…HOT…BREEZY. HIGH IN THE MID 90S. SOUTH WIND 5 TO 15 MPH INCREASING TO 15 TO 20 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON. GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH.

TONIGHT...MOSTLY CLEAR. LOW IN THE MID 60S. SOUTH WIND 10 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 25 MPH.

THURSDAY…SUNNY…HOT…BREEZY. HIGH IN THE UPPER 90S. SOUTHWEST WIND 10 TO 25 MPH.

THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY…MOSTLY CLEAR. LOW IN THE MID 60S. HIGH AROUND 90. SOUTHEAST WIND 5 TO 15 MPH.

FRIDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY. LOW IN THE MID 60S.

SATURDAY…PARTLY SUNNY WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS. HIGH IN THE MID 80S. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 20 PERCENT.

SATURDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY. LOW IN THE UPPER 60S.

SUNDAY THROUGH LABOR DAY…PARTLY CLOUDY. HIGH IN THE UPPER 80S. LOW IN THE MID 60S.

The Farmers’ Almanac is predicting wild temperature swings and periods of storminess this coming winter for much of the Midwest – including Iowa. Almanac editor Peter Geiger says Iowans can expect something slightly more harsh than the rather mild weather of last winter. “It’s not going to be like the coldest winter ever, but I think you’re going to get some decent precipitation, which you need badly,” Geiger said.

The Almanac predicts areas east of Iowa, like Wisconsin and Illinois, will experience colder than normal temps with a varied mix of snow, sleet and rain. People from the Great Lakes to northern New England are being advised to prepare for a very cold and snowy winter. The Farmers’ Almanac has been releasing winter weather predictions for 196 years. Geiger notes the publication is accurate with the forecast about 75 to 80 percent of the time. According to Geiger, the forecast is based – in part – on a “mathematical and astronomical formula” created by Almanac founder David Young in 1818.

(Radio Iowa)

The (podcast) forecast for Atlantic and the KJAN listening area.

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329 AM CDT TUE AUG 28 2012 National Weather Service/Des Moines

TODAY…SUNNY. HIGH IN THE LOWER 90S. SOUTH WIND 5 TO 15 MPH. GUSTS UP TO 25 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON.

TONIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. LOW IN THE MID 60S. SOUTH WIND 5 TO 10 MPH.

WEDNESDAY…SUNNY…HOT…BREEZY. HIGH IN THE MID 90S. SOUTH WIND 10 TO 20 MPH.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. LOW IN THE MID 60S. SOUTH WIND AROUND 10 MPH.

THURSDAY…SUNNY…BREEZY. HIGH IN THE UPPER 90S. SOUTH WIND 15 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 30 MPH.

THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY…MOSTLY CLEAR. LOW IN THE LOWER 60S. HIGH AROUND 90.

FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH LABOR DAY…PARTLY CLOUDY. LOW IN THE MID 60S. HIGH IN THE UPPER 80S.

Rains that fell across the KJAN listening area were certainly welcome, but they were not “drought busters.”  Even so, the risk of controlled burns becoming out of control has diminished for the time being. As a result, the Shelby County Emergency Management Agency has reduced the Fire Danger Index from “High” to “Moderate,” through this Thursday, August 30th. Emergency Management Coordinator Bob Seivert says people who had been holding off on conducting outdoor burns, may now do so, at least for the next few days. Seivert asks residents to continue to contact their Fire Chief and the Emergency Management Agency, with regard to the timing and location of any planned burns.