Red Flag Warning Issued for Sedgwick and Phillips Counties in Colorado
The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for northeast Colorado as low humidity and gusty winds create critical fire weather conditions through Sunday.
Alert Details
The National Weather Service in Denver has issued a Red Flag Warning for wind and low relative humidity. This alert is issued when critical fire weather conditions are either occurring or imminent. Additionally, a Fire Weather Watch remains in effect for early next week to address potential extreme conditions.
Affected Areas
The warning impacts the following regions in the eastern Colorado Plains:
- Sedgwick County
- Phillips County
- Fire Weather Zones 250 and 251
What You Should Do
Residents are urged to exercise extreme caution as conditions will be favorable for rapid fire spread. The NWS advises the following actions:
- Avoid all outdoor burning.
- Refrain from any activity that may produce a spark and start a wildfire.
- Listen for later forecasts and potential upgrades to the Fire Weather Watch.
Expected Conditions
Weather conditions are characterized by a prolonged period of dry weather and above-normal temperatures.
- Sunday Conditions: Southwest winds of 10 to 20 mph are expected, with gusts reaching up to 30 mph. Relative humidity is forecast to drop as low as 11 percent.
- Tuesday Conditions: A significant increase in wind is expected, with west winds of 30 to 40 mph and gusts potentially reaching 60 mph. These factors may produce extreme fire weather conditions.
Timeline
- Red Flag Warning: Effective from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM MST on Sunday, February 15.
- Fire Weather Watch: Remains in effect from Tuesday morning through Tuesday evening.
Source: NOAA Official Notice