Red Flag Warnings Cover Wide Swaths of Utah and Nevada as Humidity Drops to Single Digits
Red Flag Warnings Issued for Critical Fire Weather in Utah and Nevada
The National Weather Service has issued multiple Red Flag Warnings across Utah and Nevada for critical fire weather conditions Monday due to strong winds and extremely low relative humidity. [1] [2] Eastern Elko County, Nevada faces west to northwest winds of 15-25 mph with gusts to 40 mph and relative humidity as low as 6 percent, creating critical fire weather. [1] Large portions of Utah including the Wasatch Mountains, San Rafael Swell, Ashley National Forest, Manti National Forest, Central Utah deserts and mountains, Color Country, Mojave Desert and Grand Staircase are under Red Flag Warnings with southwest or west winds of 10-20 mph, gusts to 35 mph, and relative humidity of 5-15 percent. [2] [3] [4] Critical fire weather means any new fire starts or existing fires may spread rapidly. [3] [4] Separately, a Flood Warning remains in effect until 11:00 AM CDT Sunday for southeastern Cook County Illinois, central Will County Illinois and northwestern Lake County Indiana due to excessive rainfall and ongoing flooding of creeks, streams and urban areas. [5]
Eastern Elko County, Nevada
The Red Flag Warning covers Fire Weather Zone 470 Eastern Elko County. [1] Winds are forecast from the west to northwest at 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 40 mph. [1] Relative humidity is expected to drop as low as 6 percent. [1] The combination of gusty winds and low humidity will create critical fire weather conditions in the zone. [1]
Wasatch Mountains and Central Utah Regions
The Red Flag Warning applies to Fire Weather Zone 479 Wasatch Mountains along with Fire Weather Zone 488 Manti National Forest, Fire Weather Zone 492 Central Utah West Desert, Fire Weather Zone 493 Central Utah Mountains, Fire Weather Zone 495 Color Country West Desert, Fire Weather Zone 496 Color Country Mountains, Fire Weather Zone 497 Mojave Desert and Fire Weather Zone 498 Grand Staircase. [2] Winds are expected from the southwest at 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 35 mph. [2] Relative humidity values range from 5 to 10 percent at lower elevations and 10 to 15 percent at higher elevations. [2]
San Rafael Swell and Western Ashley National Forest
The National Weather Service in Salt Lake City has issued a Red Flag Warning for wind and low relative humidity that is in effect from noon to 10 PM MDT Monday for Fire Weather Zone 489 San Rafael Swell. [3] Winds there are expected from the west at 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph and relative humidity as low as 8 percent. [3] A separate Red Flag Warning covers Fire Weather Zone 481 Western Ashley National Forest along with Fire Weather Zone 482 Western Uintah Basin, Fire Weather Zone 483 Southern Ashley National Forest and Fire Weather Zone 484 Tavaputs Plateau. [4] Winds in those zones are expected from the west at 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph while relative humidity ranges from 5 to 10 percent at lower elevations and 10 to 15 percent at higher elevations. [4]
Ongoing Flood Warning in Northeastern Illinois and Indiana
A Flood Warning remains in effect until 11:00 AM CDT Sunday for southeastern Cook County in northeastern Illinois, central Will County in northeastern Illinois and northwestern Lake County in northwestern Indiana. [5] Flooding caused by excessive rainfall continues across those areas. [5] Creeks and streams may rise out of their banks while flooding may occur in poor drainage and urban areas. [5] Slow moving or standing water may continue and high water may only slowly recede from flooded areas. [5]
Impacts and Safety Guidance
The combination of gusty winds and low humidity will create critical fire weather conditions across the warned zones in Nevada and Utah. [1] [2] Critical fire weather conditions are expected where any new fire starts or existing fires may spread rapidly. [3] [4] Flooding caused by excessive rainfall continues in the Midwest counties with creeks and streams possibly rising out of their banks. [5] Flooding may occur in poor drainage and urban areas while slow moving or standing water may continue and high water may only slowly recede from flooded areas. [5]
What to watch next: Continued monitoring of the Red Flag Warnings through Monday evening in Utah zones and the Flood Warning through Sunday morning in the Illinois and Indiana counties will track whether winds, humidity levels or rainfall amounts shift the current alerts.
