Saturday April, 7 2012

Nature: Red Flag Warning – Hazardous Fire Conditions

Address: State of Delaware

Red Flag Warning today….

The Memorial Fire Company wishes to identify that the National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning.

The National Weather Service in Mount Holly, New Jersey has increased its Fire Weather Watch up to a Red Flag for today in Delaware and in the Upper Eastern Shore of Maryland.

This warning will be in effect from 10 a.m. this morning until 8 p.m. this evening as our current stretch of dry, breezy weather continues.

The weather service says northwest winds will be sustained between 15 and 25 miles per hours today, with gusts up to 30 miles per hour, and relative humidity values will drop to between 20 and 30 percent from late this morning through early this evening.

A Red Flag Warning means that conditions are favorable from any brush fires that do get started to spread rapidly.

Outdoor burning is NOT recommended.

A Fire Weather Watch will also be in effect on Sunday, April 8, 2012.

Red Flag Warning -- A term used by fire-weather forecasters to call attention to limited weather conditions of particular importance that may result in extreme burning conditions. It is issued when it is an on-going event or the fire weather forecaster has a high degree of confidence that Red Flag criteria will occur within 24 hours of issuance. Red Flag criteria occurs whenever a geographical area has been in a dry spell for a week or two, or for a shorter period, if before spring green-up or after fall color, and the National Fire Danger Rating System (NFDRS) is high to extreme and the following forecast weather parameters are forecasted to be met: 1) a sustained wind average 15 mph or greater 2) relative humidity less than or equal to 25 percent and 3) a temperature of greater than 75 degrees F. In some states, dry lightning and unstable air are criteria.

A Fire Weather Watch may be issued prior to the Red Flag Warning 'Red flag' Fire Warning in effect today

Additional information may be obtained by viewing the following web pages:

(1) WGMD – www.wgmd.com

http://www.wgmd.com/?p=53137