Red Flag Warnings issued for Eastern Idaho and SW Wyoming

A cold front is sliding through the region Friday night and Saturday. We are expecting a very windy afternoon for Saturday, along with a few thunderstorms. With this windy weather pattern, coupled with our already very dry conditions, a Red Flag Warning has been issued by the National Weather Service.

RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 9 PM MDT SATURDAY FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY

“A weak trough of low pressure will move through eastern Idaho on Saturday afternoon or evening, increasing the southwest wind to gusts of 25 to 35 mph, mainly in midslope and ridge areas. The relative humidity on Saturday afternoon, will continue to get below 15 percent in large areas of the Snake River plain, the Sawtooth NF, and in the Caribou NF. The wind and low humidity may continue into Sunday, in spite of cooling temperatures. This is due to the extremely dry nature of the air behind this low pressure trough.

* AFFECTED AREA…Fire Weather Zone 410 Upper Snake River

Valley/Idaho Falls BLM. The main areas are on the southeastern

half of this area, mainly east of Interstate 15. Fire Weather

Zone 427 Goose Creek and Raft River Valley/Southern Sawtooth

NF/Twin Falls BLM south of the Snake River, mainly in areas east

of Oakley and Burley.

* WINDS…Southwest 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 35 mph.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY…As low as 13 percent.

* IMPACTS…Strong gusty winds and dry conditions could cause

new or existing fires to spread rapidly.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A red flag warning means that critical fire weather conditions

are either occurring now, or will shortly based on these criteria

for Southeastern Idaho:

* Relative humidity at or below 15 percent and wind gusts of at

least 25 mph in the mountains, or 30 mph in the Snake Plain.”