Heatwave underway

We are getting ready to bring on some real heat today. Excessive Heat Warnings are in place today through Saturday for southern counties and Heat advisories are in effect today through Saturday for a good portion of our viewing area. Highs today in excess of 100 for Pocatello and American Falls.

Lows in the 60's as there is not much time to cool off after these hot afternoons. Some smoke is making it hazy and we'll see winds pick up tomorrow, as we approach 104 in Pocatello.

For Thursday afternoon, we are under a red flag warning. Fire danger is high with heat, low humidity, and winds picking up from the SW 20-30mph in the 4p-9pm time frame. Burn restrictions should be followed and extra caution with anything that could ignite dry vegetation.

.RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM TO 9 PM MDT THURSDAY FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONE 410... The National Weather Service in Pocatello has issued a Red Flag Warning for gusty winds and low relative humidity, which is in effect from 4 PM to 9 PM MDT Thursday. * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zone 410 Upper Snake River Valley/Idaho Falls BLM. * WINDS...Southwest 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 10 percent. * IMPACTS...If fuels are receptive, wildfires can spread rapidly and with high intensity for the fuel type. 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.

Jeff Roper, First Alert Weather