604 
WWUS83 KLBF 051903
RFWLBF

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
203 PM CDT SUN AUG 5 2012

...EXTREME FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS POSSIBLE MONDAY...

.HOT TEMPERATURES MONDAY AFTERNOON WILL COMBINE WITH LOW
DEWPOINTS TO DROP RELATIVE HUMIDITY TO 10 TO 20 PERCENT ACROSS ALL
OF WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA. SOUTHERLY WINDS AT 10 TO
20 MPH WITH GUSTS AROUND 25 MPH ARE ALSO POSSIBLE PRIOR TO A
FRONTAL PASSAGE...WHICH WILL MOVE EAST THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AND
EVENING. WINDS WILL SWITCH TO THE NORTH OR NORTHWEST BEHIND THE
FRONT. THERE IS ALSO A THREAT FOR DRY LIGHTNING AS ISOLATED TO
SCATTERED STORMS COULD DEVELOP ALONG THE FRONT IN THE LATE
AFTERNOON. BOUNTIFUL AMOUNTS OF DRY AIR BELOW THE STORMS WILL
PROHIBIT MUCH RAIN FROM REACHING THE GROUND SO ANY LIGHTNING
STRIKE WILL HAVE THE POSSIBILITY TO START FIRES. ERRATIC WINDS
FROM STORMS AS WELL AS PRIOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY COULD
CAUSE EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR.

NEZ204-206-208>210-219-060315-
/O.NEW.KLBF.FW.A.0018.120806T1700Z-120807T0500Z/
EASTERN PANHANDLE/CRESCENT LAKE NWR-
SANDHILLS/VALENTINE NWR/NEBRASKA NATIONAL FOREST/
SAMUEL R MCKELVIE NATIONAL FOREST-
NIOBRARA VALLEY/FORT NIOBRARA NWR-LOUP RIVERS BASIN-
FRENCHMAN BASIN-LOESS PLAINS-
203 PM CDT SUN AUG 5 2012 /103 PM MDT SUN AUG 5 2012/

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
MONDAY EVENING FOR THUNDERSTORMS FOR WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL 
NEBRASKA... 

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NORTH PLATTE HAS ISSUED A FIRE
WEATHER WATCH FOR THUNDERSTORMS...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY
AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY EVENING.

* AFFECTED AREA...IN NEBRASKA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 204 EASTERN
  PANHANDLE/CRESCENT LAKE NWR...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 206
  SANDHILLS/VALENTINE NWR/NEBRASKA NATIONAL FOREST/ SAMUEL R
  MCKELVIE NATIONAL FOREST...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 208 NIOBRARA
  VALLEY/FORT NIOBRARA NWR...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 209 LOUP RIVERS
  BASIN...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 210 FRENCHMAN BASIN AND FIRE WEATHER
  ZONE 219 LOESS PLAINS.

* WINDS...SOUTH AT 10 TO 20 MPH GUSTING AROUND 25 MPH...THEN
  SWITCHING TO THE NORTH NORTHWEST BEHIND A COLD FRONT.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 10 PERCENT.

* THUNDERSTORMS..STORMS MAY DEVELOP ALONG A COLD FRONT IN THE
  LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS. THREATS FROM ANY STORMS WILL
  BE STRONG ERRATIC WINDS AND DRY LIGHTNING.

* IMPACTS...THE COMBINATION OF DRY FUELS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY
  AND GUSTY WINDS WILL PROMOTE EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH MONDAY
  AFTERNOON AND EVENING. UNDER THESE CONDITIONS...FIRES COULD
  ESCAPE CONTROL VERY QUICKLY. THUNDERSTORMS ARE ALSO
  POSSIBLE...WHICH WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DRY LIGHTNING
  AND GUSTY ERRATIC WINDS WHICH FUEL WILDFIRES.

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.

&&

$$

HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/LBF

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