JAMESTOWN – A Red Flag Warning is in effect until 8:00 PM tonight for an elevated risk of wildfire danger.
It’s feeling like summer out there today, with a southerly flow, nice breeze, and plentiful sunshine. The humidity values are also very low, which means there’s little moisture in the atmosphere, so all of that warmth is very comfortable.
Unfortunately, that all means an increased risk for fire danger. It will not take much to intensify a fire to an out-of-control wildfire, with the air this dry, combined with a healthy breeze. Just use common sense, and respect all burn bans (a state-wide brush and residual burn ban in effect until May, 15).
While there is a chance for a shower or thundershower very late this afternoon into this evening with advancing surface Low, there just isn’t going to be much moisture for the storms to work with, so I think the dry airmass will just rip a lot of that activity apart, as it enters the region.
The best chance for showers will be late tonight, into early Thursday, as the humidity increases with a Cold front.
There is a less-than-average “Marginal” risk for severe convection, defined by the Storm Prediction Center for tonight into Thursday, for the chance of catching maybe one or two stronger thunderstorms that may contain some gusty winds.
The “Marginal” risk is also in place for Friday, for the potential for another round of gusty showers and storms.
While the severe threat for both days is relatively low, it’s something you will need to keep an eye on, as we round out the week.
Make sure you have a way of getting warnings, and take action accordingly when warnings are issued. (I always recommended a good smartphone app, like Weather Radio by WDT, that is specially designed to push warnings).
