Red Flag Warning
Issued by NWS

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000
WWUS84 KEPZ 181254
RFWEPZ

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EL PASO TX/SANTA TERESA NM
654 AM MDT SAT MAY 18 2013

...CRITICAL FIRE CONDITIONS EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING
ACROSS SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO AND FAR WEST TEXAS...

.AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION TONIGHT. WINDS
ALOFT WILL STRENGTHEN AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM. DEEP MIXING WILL
RESULT IN MOMENTUM TRANSFER OF THESE STRONGER WINDS TO THE
SURFACE. IN ADDITION...SURFACE LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPING OVER THE
EASTERN PLAINS WILL CAUSE A TIGHTENING PRESSURE GRADIENT TO
DEVELOP. WINDS AT THE 20 FOOT LEVEL WILL GENERALLY PEAK AT 20 TO
25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH...HIGHER IN DOWNSLOPE CONDITIONS
ALONG EAST-FACING MOUNTAIN SLOPES. RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL DROP
BELOW 10 PERCENT IN MANY AREAS...AND THE HAINES INDEX WILL PEAK
AT 5 TO 6.

NMZ110>113-TXZ055-056-190300-
/O.CON.KEPZ.FW.W.0019.130518T1900Z-130519T0300Z/
SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS-SOUTHWEST DESERTS AND LOWLANDS-
SOUTH CENTRAL LOWLANDS AND SOUTHERN RIO GRANDE VALLEY-
CAPITAN AND SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS-EL PASO-HUDSPETH-
654 AM MDT SAT MAY 18 2013

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO
9 PM MDT THIS EVENING DUE TO STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY...

* AREA AFFECTED: SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH-CENTRAL NEW MEXICO INCLUDING
  FIRE WEATHER ZONES 110 111 112 AND 113. FAR WEST TEXAS INCLUDING
  FIRE WEATHER ZONES 055 AND 056.

* TIMING: 1 PM TO 9 PM MDT SATURDAY.

* WIND: WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS 20 TO 25 MPH AT THE 20-FOOT LEVEL
  WITH GUSTS TO 35 MPH.

* HUMIDITY: MINIMUM RH 5 TO 10 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...ANY FIRES THAT DEVELOP WILL LIKELY SPREAD RAPIDLY.
  OUTDOOR BURNING IS NOT RECOMMENDED.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF
STRONG WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND WARM TEMPERATURES WILL
CREATE EXTREME FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL.

&&

$$

HARDIMAN
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