…RED FLAG WARNING SATURDAY FROM 11 AM TO 6 PM FOR THE WEST
CENTRAL MOUNTAINS, BASIN, AND RANGE, MIDDLE RIO GRANDE VALLEY,
SANDIA AND MANZANO MOUNTAINS, CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS,
AND THE NORTHEAST AND EAST CENTRAL PLAINS DUE TO LOW HUMIDITY,
STRONG WIND, AND AN UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE…
.A storm system crossing the central Rockies will draw a very dry
and unseasonably warm air mass over the forecast area Saturday,
while producing strong southwest and west winds. Record and near
record high temperatures will result in strong atmospheric mixing
and surface wind gusts up to 50 mph. Haines Indices will mostly
reach 5, except for an area of 6 over the northeast corner of the
state. The strong winds will shift out of the northwest with a
Pacific cold front and linger into the evening, but humidities
will increase enough to reduce the fire weather threat within an
hour or so after sunset.
* AREA AND TIMING…This includes the Northeast Plains (Zone 104),
West Central Mountains (Zone 105), West Central Basin and Range
(Zone 109), Northeast Highlands (Zone 123), Sandia and Manzano
Mountains (Zone 124), and Central Highlands (Zone 125) today
from late morning until early evening.
* 20 FOOT WINDS…West and southwest 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to
50 mph. A Pacific cold front will cross during the late
afternoon shifting the wind direction out of the northwest.
* RELATIVE HUMIDITY…Minimum values between 10 and 19 percent,
except higher in the Chuska Mountains.
* IMPACTS…Any fires that develop will spread rapidly. Outdoor
burning is not recommended.