Red Flag Warning Issued for Southern Iowa Counties Through Friday Evening
This alert is no longer in effect.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 southern Iowa, citing strong winds and low humidity that create critical fire weather conditions on Friday.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Red Flag Warning
- Affected area
- Southern Iowa
- Issued
- April 6, 2026
- Issuing authority
- NWS Des Moines IA
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 Southern Iowa.
Alert Details
The National Weather Service in Des Moines has issued a Red Flag Warning for portions of southern Iowa. This alert signifies that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or are imminent, driven by a combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures that can contribute to extreme fire behavior.
Affected Areas
The warning impacts the following counties in southern Iowa:
- Union
- Clarke
- Lucas
- Taylor
- Ringgold
- Decatur
What You Should Do
Residents in the affected areas are strongly advised to avoid outdoor burning. Any fires that develop under these conditions will likely spread rapidly and become difficult to control. The National Weather Service recommends that residents prepare for these hazardous conditions immediately.
Expected Conditions
Weather conditions on Friday are expected to include:
- Winds: Sustained west to northwest winds of 15 to 25 mph, with gusts ranging from 30 to 35 mph.
- Humidity: Very low relative humidity levels between 20% and 30%.
- Fuel: Cured fuels are present, which increases the risk of fast fire spread.
Timeline
The Red Flag Warning is officially in effect from 12:00 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST on Friday, February 27, 2026. The alert was originally issued at 9:40 PM CST on February 26.
Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗
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