Red Flag Warning

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
859 PM MDT THU MAY 23 2013

...RED FLAG WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 9 PM FRIDAY FOR GUSTY
WINDS...LOW HUMIDITY...DRY FUELS...AND HAINES INDEX OF 6...FOR
SOUTHWEST COLORADO FIRE WEATHER ZONES 291 BELOW 9500 FEET AND
FIRE WEATHER ZONE 207 BELOW 8500 FEET...

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH CONTINUES TO BE IN EFFECT FOR SATURDAY NOON
TO 9 PM FOR GUSTY WINDS...LOW HUMIDITY...DRY FUELS...AND HAINES
INDEX OF 6...FOR SOUTHWEST COLORADO FIRE WEATHER ZONE 207 BELOW
8500 FEET...AND FOR WEST CENTRAL COLORADO FIRE WEATHER ZONE 291
BELOW 9500 FEET...

A NEARLY STATIONARY TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE ALONG THE WEST COAST
WILL PRODUCE A WARM AND DRY SOUTHWEST FLOW ACROSS THE REGION FOR
THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS...LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITY...DRY FUELS...AND A HAINES INDEX OF 6 WILL CONTINUE
TONIGHT AND THROUGH FRIDAY. CRITICAL FUELS IN ZONES 291 AND
207 PRODUCE RED FLAG WARNINGS THERE. GUSTY AND DRY WEATHER MAY
DEVELOP AGAIN ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER
CONDITIONS MAY AGAIN BE MET.

THE WARM...DRY...AND GUSTY WEATHER WILL CONTINUE INTO EARLY NEXT
WEEK AND MAY PRODUCE CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS INTO
MEMORIAL DAY.

COZ207-291-241500-
/O.CON.KGJT.FW.W.0010.000000T0000Z-130525T0300Z/
/O.CON.KGJT.FW.A.0006.130525T1800Z-130526T0300Z/
DURANGO FORECAST AREA-NORTHERN SAN JUAN FORECAST AREA-
859 PM MDT THU MAY 23 2013

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM MDT FRIDAY FOR
GUSTY WINDS...LOW HUMIDITY HIGH HAINES...AND DRY FUELS FOR FIRE
WEATHER ZONES 207 AND 291...
...FIRE WEATHER WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON
THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING FOR GUSTY WINDS...LOW HUMIDITY...AND DRY
FUELS FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 207 AND 291...

* AFFECTED AREA...IN COLORADO...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 207 DURANGO
  FORECAST AREA BELOW 8500 FEET AND FIRE WEATHER ZONE 291 NORTHERN
  SAN JUAN FORECAST AREA BELOW 9500 FEET. THE RED FLAG WARNING IS
  NOW IN EFFECT THROUGH FRIDAY 9PM WITH A WATCH IN EFFECT FOR
  SATURDAY.

* WINDS...SOUTH 15 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH...WINDS
          BECOMING SOUTHWEST ON FRIDAY.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...5 TO 10 PERCENT.

* HAINES INDEX...6.

* IMPACTS...STRONG GUSTY WINDS...LOW HUMIDITY...AND DRY FUELS
  WILL COMBINE TO PRODUCE CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND
  RAPID FIRE GROWTH IF ANY FIRES IGNITE.

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 CAN
CONTRIBUTE TO EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR.

PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE OFFICIALS AND AFFECTED FIELD
PERSONNEL OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING.

A FIRE WEATHER WATCH MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE FORECAST TO OCCUR. LISTEN FOR LATER FORECASTS AND POSSIBLE
RED FLAG WARNINGS.

&&

$$

FOR MORE INFORMATION FROM NOAA/NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE VISIT...
HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/GJT (ALL LOWER CASE)