579  
WWUS83 KUNR 220336  
RFWUNR  
 
URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD  
936 PM MDT TUE APR 21 2026  
 
...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT LATE WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH  
EARLY EVENING ACROSS NORTHEASTERN WYOMING AND WESTERN SOUTH  
DAKOTA...  
 
.HOT, DRY, AND WINDY CONDITIONS WILL SUPPORT WIDESPREAD CRITICAL  
FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS WEDNESDAY, MAINLY IN THE AFTERNOON AND  
EVENING. TEMPERATURES TOMORROW WILL RANGE FROM THE 80S TO MID 90S  
WITH MINIMUM HUMIDITIES DROPPING TO AS LOW AS 9%. MEANWHILE,  
SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS WILL INCREASE THROUGH THE MORNING AS A COLD  
FRONT APPROACHES THE REGION. SUSTAINED WINDS WILL BE AT 20 TO 30  
MPH WITH GUSTS OF 35 TO 45 MPH. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE  
POSSIBLE ACROSS WESTERN TO CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA WEDNESDAY  
AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THESE STORMS MAY CONTAIN CLOUD-TO-GROUND  
LIGHTNING AND ERRATIC WINDS WITH GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 50 MPH WHILE  
PRODUCING VERY LITTLE PRECIP. THIS COULD LEAD TO FIRE INITIATION.  
CONDITIONS WILL IMPROVE WEDNESDAY EVENING AS TEMPERATURES FALL,  
HUMIDITY RISES, AND A COLD FRONT QUICKLY CROSSES THE AREA.  
 
SDZ319>335-WYZ314>318-221845-  
/O.CON.KUNR.FW.W.0019.260422T1600Z-260423T0200Z/  
NORTHERN BLACK HILLS-CENTRAL BLACK HILLS-SOUTHERN BLACK HILLS-  
FALL RIVER COUNTY AREA-NORTHERN FOOT HILLS-EASTERN FOOT HILLS-  
CUSTER COUNTY PLAINS-PINE RIDGE AREA-BUTTE COUNTY AREA-  
PERKINS COUNTY-WEST CENTRAL PLAINS-ZIEBACH COUNTY-  
HAAKON COUNTY AREA-BADLANDS AREA-BENNETT COUNTY AREA-  
MELLETTE AND TODD COUNTIES-TRIPP COUNTY-NORTHERN CAMPBELL-  
SOUTHERN CAMPBELL-CROOK COUNTY PLAINS-WESTON COUNTY PLAINS-  
WYOMING BLACK HILLS-  
936 PM MDT TUE APR 21 2026 /1036 PM CDT TUE APR 21 2026/  
 
...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM MDT /11 AM CDT/  
TO 8 PM MDT /9 PM CDT/ WEDNESDAY FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE  
HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 314, 315, 316, 317, 318, 319,  
320, 321, 322, 323, 324, 325, 326, 327, 328, 329, 330, 331, 332,  
333, 334, AND 335...  
 
* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 314 NORTHERN CAMPBELL, 315  
SOUTHERN CAMPBELL, 316 CROOK COUNTY PLAINS, 317 WESTON COUNTY  
PLAINS, 318 WYOMING BLACK HILLS, 319 NORTHERN BLACK HILLS, 320  
CENTRAL BLACK HILLS, 321 SOUTHERN BLACK HILLS, 322 FALL RIVER  
COUNTY AREA, 323 NORTHERN FOOT HILLS, 324 EASTERN FOOT HILLS,  
325 CUSTER COUNTY PLAINS, 326 PINE RIDGE AREA, 327 BUTTE  
COUNTY AREA, 328 PERKINS COUNTY, 329 WEST CENTRAL PLAINS, 330  
ZIEBACH COUNTY, 331 HAAKON COUNTY AREA, 332 BADLANDS AREA, 333  
BENNETT COUNTY AREA, 334 MELLETTE AND TODD COUNTIES AND 335  
TRIPP COUNTY.  
 
* WINDS...SOUTHWEST 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH.  
 
* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 9 PERCENT.  
 
* IMPACTS...THE COMBINATION OF GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE  
HUMIDITY WOULD PRODUCE CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS.  
 
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.  
 
 
 
 
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