Red Flag Warning Issued for Northeast Wyoming and Southwest South Dakota Through Tuesday

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Rapid City, SD, has issued a Red Flag Warning due to critical fire weather conditions. The alert was issued on February 16 and is scheduled to take effect on Tuesday morning.

Affected Areas

The warning impacts the following Fire Weather Zones across Wyoming and South Dakota:

• Wyoming: Northern Campbell (Zone 314) and Crook County Plains (Zone 316).
• South Dakota: Northern Foot Hills (Zone 323) and Butte County Area (Zone 327).

What You Should Do

Residents in the warning area should prepare for hazardous conditions. A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or will shortly. The combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior.

Expected Conditions

• Winds: Westerly winds of 25 to 35 mph are expected, with gusts reaching up to 55 mph. Some areas in northeast Wyoming and far southwest South Dakota may experience gusts exceeding 60 mph.
• Humidity: Relative humidity is forecast to drop as low as 20 percent, with some regions seeing values in the mid-teens to lower 20s.
• Fire Hazard: Very dry air combined with receptive fuels and strong gusty winds will support critical fire weather conditions.

Timeline

The Red Flag Warning is in effect from 11:00 AM MST on Tuesday, February 17, until 6:00 PM MST on Tuesday evening.