Full Notification

Dry air and deep mixing will allow the relative humidity to fall to critical values across the North Carolina mountains, foothills, and portions of the western Piedmont this afternoon. Relative Humidity values are expected to be 20 percent or less for several hours this afternoon through early evening. Westerly winds will range from 15 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 45 mph, along and north of the Interstate 40 corridor, to 10 to 20 mph with gusts as high as 30 mph to the south. This combined with dry fuels will result in potentially dangerous fire weather conditions. Refer to your local burn-permitting agency to determine whether you may burn today. If you do burn, exercise extreme caution.

* AFFECTED AREAS: AVERY ... ALEXANDER ... MADISON ... YANCEY ... MITCHELL ... SWAIN ... HAYWOOD ... BUNCOMBE ... CATAWBA ... GRAHAM ... NORTHERN JACKSON ... MACON ... SOUTHERN JACKSON ... TRANSYLVANIA ... HENDERSON ... CLEVELAND ... LINCOLN ... GASTON ... CALDWELL MOUNTAINS ... GREATER CALDWELL ... BURKE MOUNTAINS ... GREATER BURKE ... MCDOWELL MOUNTAINS ... EASTERN MCDOWELL ... RUTHERFORD MOUNTAINS ... GREATER RUTHERFORD ... POLK MOUNTAINS ... EASTERN POLK