Fire Weather Watch

FIRE WEATHER PRODUCT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK 440 PM CDT FRI AUG 3 2012 ...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER POTENTIAL OVER MUCH OF NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA SATURDAY... .SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE OVER NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA ON SATURDAY AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING FRONTAL BOUNDARY FROM KANSAS. SUSTAINED WINDS MAY APPROACH 20 MPH AT TIMES...ESPECIALLY FROM MID MORNING THROUGH MID AFTERNOON. GUSTS WILL PROBABLY REACH 25 TO POSSIBLY 30 MPH. VERY HOT TEMPERATURES AND VERY LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES ARE FORECAST ALONG WITH THESE WINDS... YIELDING POTENTIALLY CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS. OKFUSKEE-OKMULGEE-MUSKOGEE-MCINTOSH- 440 PM CDT FRI AUG 3 2012 ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING... ...FIRE WEATHER WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY MORNING THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING AND A FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS IN EFFECT... FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES... * IN OKLAHOMA...OKFUSKEE...MCINTOSH...MUSKOGEE AND OKMULGEE. HAZARDOUS WEATHER... * CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS HAVE DEVELOPED OVER PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA...AND WILL PERSIST THROUGH SUNSET. * LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES OF 13 TO 18 PERCENT. * SOUTH WIND OF 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 28 MPH. IMPACTS... * ANY FIRES WILL QUICKLY SPREAD OUT OF CONTROL AND ENDANGER LIVES AND PROPERTY. * THE PURPOSE OF FIRE WEATHER WATCHES AND RED FLAG WARNINGS ARE TO ALERT LAND MANAGEMENT AGENCIES OF DEVELOPING WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT...WHEN COMBINED WITH CRITICALLY DRY WILDLAND FUELS...COULD LEAD TO DANGEROUS WILDFIRES. TIMELY AND ACCURATE WATCHES AND WARNINGS ENABLE FIRE FIGHTING AGENCIES TO MANAGE RESOURCES AND PREPARE APPROPRIATE SUPPRESSION RESPONSES FOR PROTECTING LIFE AND PROPERTY. DEFINITION... * A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT A DANGEROUS COMBINATION OF WEATHER CONDITIONS AND DRY VEGETATION IS EXPECTED WITHIN 24 HOURS...FAVORING RAPID GROWTH AND SPREAD OF ANY WILDFIRES. THE PRIMARY WEATHER FACTORS INCLUDE STRONGER WINDS...LOWER HUMIDITIES...AND WARMER TEMPERATURES. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... * DISPOSE OF CIGARETTES PROPERLY AND AVOID ACTIVITIES THAT COULD START FIRES. * STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL RADIO OR TELEVISION FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS WEATHER EVENT. ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION CAN ALSO BE FOUND AT: WEATHER.GOV/TULSA. * LISTEN FOR LATER FORECASTS AND POSSIBLE RED FLAG WARNINGS.