Red Flag Warning Issued for Central and North Central South Dakota
The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for several South Dakota counties due to extreme fire weather conditions, including wind gusts up to 65 mph.
Alert Details
The National Weather Service in Aberdeen has issued a Red Flag Warning for wind and low relative humidity. This alert replaces the previously issued Fire Weather Watch for the region.
Affected Areas
The warning impacts the following counties in South Dakota:
- Corson
- Campbell
- McPherson
- Walworth
- Edmunds
- Dewey
- Potter
- Faulk
- Stanley
- Sully
- Hughes
- Hyde
- Hand
- Jones
- Lyman
- Buffalo
What You Should Do
Residents in the affected areas are advised to prepare for critical fire weather conditions. A Red Flag Warning signifies that a combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior. Any fires that ignite under these conditions will spread rapidly and become difficult to control or suppress.
Expected Conditions
- Winds: West winds between 30 to 40 mph are expected, with gusts reaching as high as 65 mph.
- Relative Humidity: Levels will drop as low as 30 to 40 percent in north central South Dakota and between 20 to 30 percent in central South Dakota.
- Hazards: Critical fire weather conditions resulting from the combination of high winds and low humidity.
Timeline
The Red Flag Warning is effective from 12:00 PM CDT (11:00 AM MDT) until 9:00 PM CDT (8:00 PM MDT) on Thursday, March 12.
Source: NOAA Official Notice
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