WWUS83 KLBF 191958
RFWLBF

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
258 PM CDT TUE MAY 19 2009


NEZ204-206-208-200000-
/O.NEW.KLBF.FW.W.0007.090519T1958Z-090520T0000Z/
EASTERN PANHANDLE/CRESCENT LAKE NWR-
SANDHILLS/VALENTINE NWR/NEBRASKA NATIONAL FOREST/
SAMUEL R MCKELVIE NATIONAL FOREST-
NIOBRARA VALLEY/FORT NIOBRARA NWR-
258 PM CDT TUE MAY 19 2009 /158 PM MDT TUE MAY 19 2009/

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT /6 PM MDT/ THIS
EVENING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NORTH PLATTE HAS ISSUED A RED
FLAG WARNING FOR LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND GUSTY WINDS...WHICH IS
IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT /6 PM MDT/ THIS EVENING.

THE RED FLAG WARNING INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING FIRE WEATHER ZONES:
IN NEBRASKA...204...206...208

AN UNSEASONABLE HOT DAY HAS RESULTING IN TEMPERATURES REACHING
INTO THE MID 90S ACROSS NORTHWEST NEBRASKA. PRIMARILY ACROSS
CHERRY AND SHERIDAN COUNTIES. MEANWHILE SURFACE DEW POINTS ARE
NEAR 40 DEGREES...WITH A RESULTING RELATIVE HUMIDITY AT OR BELOW
15 PERCENT. ALONG WITH THE DRY AIR ARE SOUTH WINDS GUSTING TO 30
TO 45 MPH. THIS COMBINATION WILL CREATE EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR
CONDITIONS. WHILE THE SPRING GROWTH HAS CREATED SOME AREAS OF LOW
FUEL CONDITIONS...CURED GRASSES FROM LAST YEAR REMAIN THE DOMINANT
FUEL TYPE IN MANY LOCATIONS. RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL INCREASE
ONCE TEMPERATURES DIMINISH THIS EVENING...HOWEVER WINDS WILL
CONTINUE TO BE GUSTY INTO THE LATE EVENING HOURS.

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.

&&

$$

MASEK