01-28-2008
Fire
Weather Watch Across All on North Texas
Windy Week-High Fire Danger
Tuesday
Information received from Scott
Fry of the U.S. Forest Service advises weather conditions for the week January
28th, 2008 through February 1st, 2008 are expected to be
very volatile. Tuesday will be particularly bad with winds of 25 to 35 mph and
gust of 45 to 55 mph and minimum afternoon humidity down into the upper teens to
mid 20s.
The Texas National Weather Service in Fort
Worth Texas has issued a watch for the North Texas area. Windy conditions are
expected across north Texas much of this week, with Tuesday and Thursday looking
like the windiest. Dry air will move into north Texas through early Thursday.
This will combine with the winds to create a high fire danger on those days. A
few thunderstorms are expected Tuesday and Wednesday night/early Thursday, east
of the I-35. Severe thunderstorms are not expected
Monday morning, a large upper level storm system was developing over
western United States. Ahead of this system, surface low pressures and southerly
winds developing across the plains. Moisture was increasing, with surface dew
points in the 40s and lower 50s. As the upper system approaches and passes just
north of the area Tuesday, showers and a few thunderstorms should develop, east
of the I-35 corridor.
The bigger story, will be the
winds associated with the system on Tuesday. Sustaining winds of 30-35 mph, with
gusts in the excess of 40 mph, are expected over much of north Texas. Relative
humidity will drop to around 40% in our eastern counties and to the 20-24% range
over our western counties. This will result in a high fire danger, especially in
our central and western counties.
The dry air will continue
through Wednesday, with fire danger possible. The next system will approach on
Thursday, with the continued gusty winds, increasing moisture and a chance of
showers/thunderstorms over our eastern counties.
You can monitor the weather
by going to the following web sites:
http://www.weather.gov/fortworth
(base data)
http://srh.noaa.gov/fwd/firebrief3.php?loc=nort
(fire weather briefing)