Red Flag Warning Issued for Northwest Kansas and Southwest Nebraska Through Saturday
This alert is no longer in effect.
NOAA issued it on April 6, 2026, 4 months ago. Warnings of this kind stay in effect for hours to a few days, so this page is a historical record of what was issued, not a current warning. For conditions where you are right now, check weather.gov (US), weather.gc.ca (Canada), the Met Office (UK), or the Bureau of Meteorology (Australia).
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The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for parts of Kansas and Nebraska as critical fire weather conditions, including low humidity and gusty winds, are expected.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Red Flag Warning
- Affected area
- Northwest Kansas and Southwest Nebraska
- Issued
- April 6, 2026
- Issuing authority
- NWS Goodland
Fire-weather notices describe conditions that can support rapid fire spread; they do not report that a fire is present. Check local emergency sources for any active incident.
Record status: historical. It was issued 4 months ago; use the issuing agency's live warning service for current conditions in Northwest Kansas and Southwest Nebraska.
Alert Details
The National Weather Service in Goodland, Kansas, has issued a Red Flag Warning due to critical fire weather conditions. The alert is triggered by a combination of strong winds and low relative humidity, creating an environment where fires can rapidly spread. This alert is classified with a severity level of 'Severe' and a certainty of 'Likely'.
Affected Areas
The warning covers the following fire weather zones across two states:
- Kansas: Decatur, Norton, Sheridan, Graham, and Gove counties.
- Nebraska: Red Willow County.
Expected Conditions
Weather conditions are expected to deteriorate through the end of the week, creating high-risk fire environments:
- Winds: On Friday, west-southwest winds will gust between 25 and 35 mph. On Saturday, south winds of 5 to 15 mph are expected, with gusts reaching up to 25 mph. There is a possibility that winds could be stronger than forecast if cloud cover is minimal.
- Humidity: Relative humidity levels are forecast to drop as low as 13 percent.
- Temperature: Temperatures are expected to reach the 70s on Friday, with even warmer conditions predicted for Saturday as southwesterly winds persist.
- Fire Behavior: The NWS warns of unpredictable fire behavior. Any fires that develop may rapidly grow and spread out of control.
What You Should Do
Residents in the affected areas are urged to take the following precautions to prevent wildfire ignition:
- Strictly comply with all local burn bans and regulations.
- Avoid driving vehicles on dry grass or brush.
- Maintain vehicle brakes and tires and ensure tow chains are secured to avoid dragging, which can create sparks.
- Never toss lit cigarettes onto the ground.
Timeline
The specific Red Flag Warning for wind and low relative humidity is in effect from noon to 9 PM CDT Saturday, March 14. However, critical conditions are expected to begin as early as Friday afternoon, March 13. The overall alert expires at 8:00 PM MDT on Saturday.
Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗
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