Providence, RI - The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for all of Rhode Island today, Monday, April 9, 2012.
This is in effect from 10 a.m. this morning to 8 p.m. this evening. Updated information will continue to be posted at: http://www.erh.noaa.gov/box/hazardsByCounty.php.
Red Flag Warning for RHODE ISLAND
...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR TODAY ACROSS SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND...
...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR MUCH OF NORTHERN CONNECTICUT...MOST OF MASSACHUSETTS...ALL OF RHODE ISLAND...AND A PORTION OF SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE...
* AFFECTED AREA...ALL OF THE TAUNTON FORECAST AREA WHICH INCLUDES MUCH OF NORTHERN CONNECTICUT...MOST OF MASSACHUSETTS...ALL OF RHODE ISLAND...AND CHESHIRE AND HILLSBOROUGH COUNTIES IN NEW HAMPSHIRE..
* WINDS...WEST 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH.
* TIMING...FROM LATE MORNING THROUGH EARLY EVENING. THE STRONGEST WIND GUSTS MAY OCCUR LATE IN THE AFTERNOON OVER WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA.
* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...RANGING FROM 20 TO 28 PERCENT IN SOUTHERN REGIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA TO 30 TO 35 PERCENT IN NORTHERN REGIONS OF THE FORECAST AREAS WITH 40 TO 45 PERCENT ON CAPE COD AND THE ISLANDS.
* TEMPERATURES...WILL BE NEAR AVERAGE WITH HIGHS IN THE MID 50S TO LOWER 60S.
* IMPACTS...STATE FIRE WEATHER MANAGERS HAVE INFORMED US THAT ANY FIRES THAT DEVELOP MONDAY WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO 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 AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL CREATE AN ELEVATED FIRE SPREAD POTENTIAL.