URGENT – FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD
353 PM CDT MON MAR 26 2012

.VERY STRONG WEST WINDS OF 30 TO 45 MPH WILL DEVELOP LATE TUESDAY
MORNING AND CONTINUE THROUGH THE DAY. DRIER AIR FROM ALOFT WILL
MIX DOWN TO THE SURFACE DURING THE DAY…ALLOWING RELATIVE
HUMIDITIES TO FALL TO 20 TO 30 PERCENT. THE COMBINATION OF THE
WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL CREATE A VERY DANGEROUS FIRE
WEATHER SCENARIO.

IAZ301-MNZ900-270500-
/O.CON.KFSD.FW.A.0007.120327T1600Z-120328T0300Z/
IOWA GREAT LAKES/ROCK AND LITTLE SIOUX BASINS-SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA-
353 PM CDT MON MAR 26 2012

…FIRE WEATHER WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY MORNING
THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR
FIRE WEATHER ZONES 301 AND 900…

* AFFECTED AREA…IN IOWA…FIRE WEATHER ZONE 301. IN
MINNESOTA… FIRE WEATHER ZONE 900.

* WINDS…WEST 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY…AS LOW AS 25 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS…ANY FIRES THAT START WILL SPREAD RAPIDLY DUE TO THE
DANGEROUS WINDY AND LOW HUMIDITY CONDITIONS…COUPLED WITH
DORMANT VEGETATION. FIRES COULD EXHIBIT EXTREME
CHARACTERISTICS…INCLUDING LONG RANGE SPOTTING POTENTIAL AND
RAPID MOVEMENT. WITH WIND SPEEDS OF THIS MAGNITUDE FORECAST…
FIGHTING FIRES ON THE FLANKS IN THESE SITUATIONS IS ADVISED…
AVOIDING THE HEAD OF THE FIRE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

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