Red Flag Warning Issued for Western and North Central Nebraska Through Friday

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in North Platte has issued a Red Flag Warning for portions of western and north central Nebraska. The alert was issued due to a combination of low relative humidity and gusty northwest winds that create critical fire weather conditions.

Affected Areas

The warning covers the following geographic regions and fire weather zones:

• Fire Weather Zone 204: Eastern Panhandle and Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR).
• Fire Weather Zone 208: Niobrara Valley, Fort Niobrara NWR, and Samuel R. McKelvie National Forest.

What You Should Do

A Red Flag Warning indicates that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or are imminent. Residents in the affected zones should exercise extreme caution as any fire starts will have a high potential to spread rapidly and will be difficult to control. The combination of strong winds, low humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior. Residents are encouraged to prepare for these hazardous conditions.

Expected Conditions

• Winds: Northwest winds between 10 to 20 mph, with gusts reaching up to 35 mph.
• Humidity: Relative humidity levels are expected to drop as low as 15 percent.
• Temperatures: Daytime highs will range in the low to middle 60s.
• Lightning: No lightning is expected during this weather event.

Timeline

The Red Flag Warning is effective on Friday, February 27, from 11:00 AM CST (10:00 AM MST) until 6:00 PM CST (5:00 PM MST).