520
FNUS63 KABR 191835
RFDABR
RANGELAND FIRE DANGER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ABERDEEN SD
135 PM CDT THU MAR 19 2026
DISCUSSION
WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS THROUGH SATURDAY
THANKS TO UNSEASONABLY MILD TEMPERATURES. HIGHS FOR FRIDAY ARE ONCE
AGAIN EXPECTED TO BE NEAR 80 FOR CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA, THE MID 70S
IN NORTH CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA AND MID 60S TO LOW 70S ACROSS THE
NORTHEAST. HUMIDITY WILL DROP FROM ANYWHERE BETWEEN 20 AND 30 PERCENT
ACROSS CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA, CLOSER TO 25 TO 35 PERCENT ACROSS NORTH
CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA, AND THE NORTHEAST REMAINING IN THE 40 TO 55
PERCENT RANGE. WINDS REMAIN OUT OF THE WEST GUSTING BETWEEN 20 AND 30
MPH.
SATURDAY IS A BIT MORE COMPLICATED WITH A LOW DEVELOPING OVER
CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA AND A FRONT THAT COMES DOWN OUT OF NORTH DAKOTA
IN THE LATE AFTERNOON/EVENING. THAT MEANS ERRATIC WINDS EVENTUALLY
SHIFTING TO OUT OF THE NORTH. DURING THE DAY WINDS WILL ONLY BE IN
THAT 20 TO 30 MPH RANGE, HOVER IN THE EVENING/OVERNIGHT, BEHIND THE
FRONT, WE COULD SEE THEM CLOSER TO 25 TO 35 MPH WITH THE ODD GUST
OVER 40. DAYTIME TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO TOP OUT IN THE MID 60S
IN THE FAR NORTHEAST AND WESTERN MINNESOTA, TO MID 80S OUT BY MURDO.
AFTERNOON HUMIDITY WILL RUN FROM 40 TO 55 PERCENT IN THE NORTHEAST
TO 25 TO 35 PERCENT IN NORTH CENTRAL TO DOWN TO AROUND 20 PERCENT OR
LOWER IN CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA WITH EVEN DRIER AIR TO THE WEST AND
SOUTH.
SDZ003-015-033-045-048-200845-
CORSON-DEWEY-STANLEY-JONES-LYMAN-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF MCINTOSH, ISABEL, FORT PIERRE, MURDO,
AND KENNEBEC
135 PM CDT THU MAR 19 2026 /1235 PM MDT THU MAR 19 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 FRIDAY AFTERNOON...THE GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER INDEX
WILL REACH THE HIGH CATEGORY.
SDZ004-009-016-034>036-051-200845-
CAMPBELL-WALWORTH-POTTER-SULLY-HUGHES-HYDE-BUFFALO-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF HERREID, MOBRIDGE, GETTYSBURG, ONIDA,
PIERRE, HIGHMORE, AND FORT THOMPSON
135 PM CDT THU MAR 19 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 FRIDAY AFTERNOON...THE GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER INDEX
WILL REACH THE HIGH CATEGORY.
SDZ005-010-017-037-200845-
MCPHERSON-EDMUNDS-FAULK-HAND-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF EUREKA, IPSWICH, FAULKTON, AND MILLER
135 PM CDT THU MAR 19 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 FRIDAY AFTERNOON...THE GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER INDEX
WILL REACH THE MODERATE CATEGORY.
MNZ039-046-SDZ006>008-011-018>023-200845-
TRAVERSE-BIG STONE-BROWN-MARSHALL-ROBERTS-DAY-SPINK-CLARK-CODINGTON-
GRANT-HAMLIN-DEUEL-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF WHEATON, ORTONVILLE, ABERDEEN, BRITTON,
SISSETON, WEBSTER, REDFIELD, CLARK, WATERTOWN, MILBANK, HAYTI,
AND CLEAR LAKE
135 PM CDT THU MAR 19 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 FRIDAY AFTERNOON...THE GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER INDEX
WILL REACH THE LOW CATEGORY.
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