676
FNUS63 KABR 170823
RFDABR
RANGELAND FIRE DANGER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ABERDEEN SD
223 AM CST TUE FEB 17 2026
DISCUSSION
THERE WILL BE SOME ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS OVER PARTS OF
CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA TODAY, BUT SOME QUESTION REMAINS AS TO THE
SEVERITY. A FRONTAL BOUNDARY IN THE AREA WILL PROVIDE A SHARP
GRADIENT IN DEW POINTS, UP TO THE 40S OVER NORTHEASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA
TO THE 20S OVER SOUTH CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA (THE LATTER SUPPORTING
MINIMUM AFTERNOON HUMIDITY AROUND 20%. THERE UNCERTAINTY COMES FROM
WHERE THE FRONT WILL LINE UP, AS THE SOUTHERN SIDE OF THE FRONT WILL
LIKELY SEE RED FLAG CONDITIONS MET (GIVEN WIND GUSTS UP TO 25-30
MILES PER HOUR IN THAT AREA). AT THE MOMENT, PARTS OF JONES AND
LYMAN COUNTIES MAY SEE THOSE LOWER AFTERNOON HUMIDITIES, BUT
CONFIDENCE IS NOT HIGH ENOUGH TO ISSUE A HEADLINE AT THIS TIME.
WEDNESDAY WILL ALSO SEE SOME ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS,
DRIVEN BY STRONG WIND GUSTS. THESE GUSTS WILL REACH UP TO 40-50
MILES PER HOUR AT THEIR PEAK IN THE MORNING, BUT WILL NOT COINCIDE
WITH THE LOWEST AFTERNOON HUMIDITIES, WHICH ARE LOCATED OVER SOUTH
CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA INTO THE 20-30% RANGE. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO
DIMINISH IN THE AFTERNOON AS HUMIDITY IS DROPPING, BUT THE QUESTION
WILL BE IF THE DECREASE IN WINDS CAN OUTPACE THE HUMIDITY DROPS.
REGARDLESS, WINDS WILL BE STRONG ENOUGH TO PUT MUCH OF THE AREA,
INCLUDING NORTH CENTRAL AND CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA, INTO A HIGH TO
VERY HIGH GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER ON WEDNESDAY.
SDZ033-035>037-045-048-051-172230-
STANLEY-HUGHES-HYDE-HAND-JONES-LYMAN-BUFFALO-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF FORT PIERRE, PIERRE, HIGHMORE, MILLER,
MURDO, KENNEBEC, AND FORT THOMPSON
223 AM CST TUE FEB 17 2026 /123 AM MST TUE FEB 17 2026/
..VERY HIGH FIRE DANGER
VERY POOR WEATHER CONDITIONS AND VERY LOW MOISTURE CONTENT OF
GRASSES, AND OTHER DRY ORGANIC MATERIAL ON THE GROUND,
INDICATE THAT DANGEROUS BURNING CONDITIONS EXIST. FIRES WILL
SPREAD RAPIDLY AND SHOW ERRATIC BEHAVIOR. OUTDOOR BURNING IS
NOT RECOMMENDED.
THE OUTLOOK FOR WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON...THE GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER
INDEX WILL REACH THE VERY HIGH CATEGORY.
SDZ003-004-009-010-015>019-022-023-034-172230-
CORSON-CAMPBELL-WALWORTH-EDMUNDS-DEWEY-POTTER-FAULK-SPINK-CLARK-
HAMLIN-DEUEL-SULLY-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF MCINTOSH, HERREID, MOBRIDGE, IPSWICH,
ISABEL, GETTYSBURG, FAULKTON, REDFIELD, CLARK, HAYTI, CLEAR LAKE,
AND ONIDA
223 AM CST TUE FEB 17 2026 /123 AM MST TUE FEB 17 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.
SDZ005-020-172230-
MCPHERSON-CODINGTON-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF EUREKA AND WATERTOWN
223 AM CST TUE FEB 17 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 CATEGORY.
MNZ039-046-SDZ006>008-011-021-172230-
TRAVERSE-BIG STONE-BROWN-MARSHALL-ROBERTS-DAY-GRANT-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF WHEATON, ORTONVILLE, ABERDEEN, BRITTON,
SISSETON, WEBSTER, AND MILBANK
223 AM CST TUE FEB 17 2026
..LOW FIRE DANGER
FAVORABLE WEATHER CONDITIONS OR A HIGH MOISTURE CONTENT OF GRASSES,
AND OTHER DRY ORGANIC MATERIAL ON THE GROUND, INDICATE THAT THE
PROBABILITY OF A FAST MOVING FIRE IS LOW. OUTDOOR BURNING UNDER
THESE CONDITIONS CAN USUALLY BE PERFORMED WITH REASONABLE SAFETY
PRECAUTIONS, BUT SHOULD BE MONITORED.
THE OUTLOOK FOR WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON...THE GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER
INDEX WILL REACH THE LOW CATEGORY.
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