Red Flag Warning Issued for Northeast Highlands and Plains of New Mexico Through Wednesday
The National Weather Service in Albuquerque has issued a Red Flag Warning for the Northeast Highlands and Plains due to damaging winds and low humidity through Wednesday evening.
Alert Details
The National Weather Service in Albuquerque NM has issued a Red Flag Warning for critical fire weather conditions. This alert is driven by the combination of strong, potentially damaging winds and very low relative humidity levels. The Fire Weather Watch previously in effect for some areas has been superseded by this warning.
Affected Areas
The warning covers the following geographic regions and zones in New Mexico:
- Northeast Highlands (Zone 123)
- Northeast Plains (Zone 104)
- East Central Plains (Zone 126)
What You Should Do
Residents are urged to exercise extreme caution as any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly in fine fuels. Outdoor burning is not recommended. Appropriate officials and fire crews in the field should be advised of these critical conditions.
Expected Conditions
Weather conditions are expected to be severe over the next two days:
- Today (Tuesday): Southwest to west winds of 30 to 40 mph are expected, with peak gusts reaching between 55 and 70 mph. Minimum relative humidity values will range from 14 to 25 percent.
- Wednesday: Southwest winds will continue at 20 to 35 mph with gusts between 45 and 50 mph. Humidity levels will drop further, reaching minimum values between 8 and 20 percent.
Timeline
The Red Flag Warning is effective during the following windows:
- Tuesday, February 17: 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM MST
- Wednesday, February 18: 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM MST
Source: NOAA Official Notice