... Red flag warning in effect from 1 PM this afternoon to 8 PM MST this evening for strong and gusty winds... low relative humidities... and a very high to extreme fire danger rating...
The National Weather Service in Tucson has issued a red flag warning... which is in effect from 1 PM this afternoon to 8 PM MST this evening.
An upper level low will start off the day in the Pacific northwest and make its way east-southeastward through the day today. As it does so... pressure gradients over Southeast Arizona are expected to tighten... creating strong and gusty winds. These winds are not expected to increase until afternoon. This later timing... coupled with an influx of mid to high level cloudiness... may hinder mixing and thus not allow winds to reach their full potential. However... given that isolated stations within the warned area hit red flag criteria for one or two hours yesterday... when no tightened pressure gradient existed over the area... this hindrance may not be enough to keep winds from hitting red flag criteria. Taking all of this into account... along with the very dry conditions in place... a red flag warning has been issued for Santa Cruz and Cochise counties.
A red flag warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now... or will shortly. A combination of strong winds... low relative humidity... and warm temperatures will create the potential for rapid and erratic fire growth.
Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in the field of the red flag warning today for portions of Southeast Arizona.
