347
WWUS83 KUNR 111819
RFWUNR
URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD
1219 PM MDT MON MAY 11 2026
...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY EVENING
ACROSS MOST OF WESTERN SOUTH DAKOTA...
.WARM, VERY DRY, AND BREEZY WEATHER WILL SUPPORT CRITICAL FIRE
WEATHER CONDITIONS OVER MOST OF WESTERN SOUTH DAKOTA THROUGH
EARLY THIS EVENING.
SDZ322>335-120300-
/O.CON.KUNR.FW.W.0020.000000T0000Z-260512T0300Z/
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-
1219 PM MDT MON MAY 11 2026 /119 PM CDT MON MAY 11 2026/
...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM MDT /10 PM CDT/
THIS EVENING FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE
WEATHER ZONES 322, 323, 324, 325, 326, 327, 328, 329, 330, 331,
332, 333, 334, AND 335...
* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 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...WEST 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH, STRONGEST
ACROSS NORTHWEST SD.
* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 10 PERCENT.
* IMPACTS...THE COMBINATION OF HOT TEMPERATURES, GUSTY WINDS,
AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL PRODUCE CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER
CONDITIONS. IN ADDITION, A DRY COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE
REGION FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST BETWEEN 2 PM AND 9 PM
TODAY, RESULTING IN A SUDDEN SHIFT FROM SOUTH TO NORTHWEST
WINDS AND AN INCREASE IN WIND GUSTS. IN THIS ENVIRONMENT, ANY
NEW FIRES COULD SPREAD RAPIDLY AND BE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL.
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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