250
FNUS63 KABR 240704
RFDABR
RANGELAND FIRE DANGER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ABERDEEN SD
204 AM CDT TUE MAR 24 2026
DISCUSSION
WARMING TREND CONTINUES TODAY, WHICH WILL DRIVE MINIMUM AFTERNOON
HUMIDITY INTO THE 25 TO 35 PERCENT RANGE OVER CENTRAL AND NORTH
CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA. WINDS WILL VEER TO BE OUT OF THE SOUTHEAST
THIS AFTERNOON, REACHING 10-20 MILES PER HOUR SUSTAINED, GUSTING TO
15-25 MILES PER HOUR. THE COMBINATION OF THESE TWO VARIABLES IS
ENOUGH TO CREATE HIGH GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER OVER PARTS OF CENTRAL
SOUTH DAKOTA. ELSEWHERE, THE GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER INDEX REACHES THE
MODERATE CATEGORY.
WEDNESDAY, AFTERNOON HUMIDITY ONCE AGAIN DROPS TO 25 TO 35 PERCENT,
THIS TIME OVER THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA. COMBINED WITH SOUTHWESTERLY
GUSTS UP TO 20 MILES PER HOUR, THE HUMIDITY WILL PUSH THE GRASSLAND
FIRE DANGER INDEX TO HIGH OVER MOST OF THE FORECAST AREA.
LOOKING AHEAD A BIT, AFTER A COLD FRONT PASSES THROUGH OVERNIGHT
WEDNESDAY, WINDS TURN NORTHERLY AND INCREASE IN STRENGTH THURSDAY
AFTERNOON. SUSTAINED WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MILES PER HOUR WILL GUST UP
TO 40 MILES PER HOUR AT THEIR PEAK IN THE AFTERNOON. HUMIDITY
BOTTOMING OUT IN THE 35 TO 50 PERCENT RANGE WILL KEEP THE AREA FROM
RED FLAG WARNING CONDITIONS. HOWEVER, IT WILL STILL BE DRY ENOUGH
SUCH THAT WHEN COMBINED WITH THE STRONG WINDS, MUCH OF CENTRAL SOUTH
DAKOTA AS WELL AS PARTS OF NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEASTERN SOUTH
DAKOTA WILL SEE REACH VERY HIGH GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER, AND FIRES
THAT START WILL LIKELY TO SPREAD QUICKLY.
SDZ016-033>037-045-048-051-242115-
POTTER-STANLEY-SULLY-HUGHES-HYDE-HAND-JONES-LYMAN-BUFFALO-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF GETTYSBURG, FORT PIERRE, ONIDA, PIERRE,
HIGHMORE, MILLER, MURDO, KENNEBEC, AND FORT THOMPSON
204 AM CDT TUE MAR 24 2026 /104 AM MDT TUE MAR 24 2026/
..HIGH FIRE DANGER
UNFAVORABLE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LOW MOISTURE CONTENT OF GRASSES,
AND OTHER DRY ORGANIC MATERIAL ON THE GROUND, INDICATE THAT THERE
IS HIGH POTENTIAL FOR A FIRE TO SPREAD. OUTDOOR BURNING SHOULD BE
RESTRICTED TO EARLY MORNING OR EVENING HOURS WHEN WIND SPEEDS ARE
USUALLY LOWER AND THE RELATIVE HUMIDITY IS HIGHER.
THE OUTLOOK FOR WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON...THE GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER
INDEX WILL REACH THE HIGH CATEGORY.
MNZ039-046-SDZ003>011-015-017>023-242115-
TRAVERSE-BIG STONE-CORSON-CAMPBELL-MCPHERSON-BROWN-MARSHALL-ROBERTS-
WALWORTH-EDMUNDS-DAY-DEWEY-FAULK-SPINK-CLARK-CODINGTON-GRANT-HAMLIN-
DEUEL-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF WHEATON, ORTONVILLE, MCINTOSH, HERREID,
EUREKA, ABERDEEN, BRITTON, SISSETON, MOBRIDGE, IPSWICH, WEBSTER,
ISABEL, FAULKTON, REDFIELD, CLARK, WATERTOWN, MILBANK, HAYTI,
AND CLEAR LAKE
204 AM CDT TUE MAR 24 2026 /104 AM MDT TUE MAR 24 2026/
..MODERATE FIRE DANGER
MARGINAL WEATHER CONDITIONS OR LOWERING MOISTURE CONTENT OF GRASSES,
AND OTHER DRY ORGANIC MATERIAL ON THE GROUND, INDICATE THAT THERE IS
SOME POTENTIAL FOR A FIRE TO SPREAD. ANY OUTDOOR BURNING SHOULD BE
CLOSELY MONITORED.
THE OUTLOOK FOR WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON...THE GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER
INDEX WILL REACH THE MODERATE TO HIGH CATEGORY.
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