URGENT – FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
400 PM CDT MON MAR 26 2012

…EXTREME FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS TUESDAY AFTERNOON FOR WESTERN
TO NORTHERN IOWA…

.STRONG WEST WINDS COMBINED WITH LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY ARE FORECAST
BY TUESDAY AFTERNOON AS WELL AS VERY DRY GRASSLANDS AND OTHER
NEAR DORMANT VEGETATION. THIS WILL LEAD TO A DANGEROUS
ENVIRONMENT FOR QUICKLY SPREADING FIRES.

IAZ004>007-015>017-023>025-033>035-044>046-057-271000-
/O.NEW.KDMX.FW.A.0001.120327T1600Z-120328T0100Z/
EMMET-KOSSUTH-WINNEBAGO-WORTH-PALO ALTO-HANCOCK-CERRO GORDO-
POCAHONTAS-HUMBOLDT-WRIGHT-SAC-CALHOUN-WEBSTER-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-
GREENE-AUDUBON-
400 PM CDT MON MAR 26 2012

…FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH
TUESDAY EVENING FOR EXTREME FIRE CONDITIONS….

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A FIRE
WEATHER WATCH FOR EXTREME FIRE CONDITIONS…WHICH IS IN EFFECT
FROM TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING.

* TIMING TRENDS…VERY STRONG WEST WINDS WILL DEVELOP LATE TUESDAY
MORNING AND CONTINUE TO INCREASE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON HOURS.

* WIND…SUSTAINED WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO NEAR 45 MPH
OR HIGHER.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY…BELOW 25 PERCENT.

* FUEL…GRASSLANDS REMAIN IMMATURE AND DRY.

* IMPACTS…ANY FIRES THAT START MAY SPREAD RAPIDLY DUE TO THE LOW
RELATIVE HUMIDITY…EXTREMELY DRY FUELS…AND VERY STRONG WEST
WINDS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A FIRE WEATHER WATCH MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE FORECAST TO OCCUR. LISTEN FOR LATER FORECASTS AND POSSIBLE
RED FLAG WARNINGS.