Full Notification

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM TODAY EAST OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN DUE TO STRONG WIND AND LOW HUMIDITY... ...RED FLAG WARNING FRIDAY FROM NOON UNTIL 8 PM FOR THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS DUE TO STRONG WIND AND LOW HUMIDITY... ...FIRE WEATHER WATCH SATURDAY FROM NOON UNTIL 10 PM FOR WEST CENTRAL NM, NORTHERN NM, SANDIA AND MANZANO MOUNTAINS, AND CENTRAL HIGHLANDS DUE TO STRONG WIND AND LOW HUMIDITY... .Brisk northwest flow aloft, a lee-side surface trough, single digit humidities, and ample atmospheric mixing with high temperatures 8 to 15 degrees above 1991-2020 averages will cause critical fire weather conditions to continue east of the central mountain chain this afternoon through early evening. Winds will weaken most places on Friday, but they will remain strong enough for another round of critical fire weather conditions in the Central Highlands during the afternoon and early evening. Critical fire weather conditions will then become more extreme and widespread this weekend as a sharp trough crossing the northern and central Rockies steers a strong jetstream over New Mexico with a potent surface trough in the lee of the southern Rockies. The National Weather Service in Albuquerque has issued a Fire Weather Watch...which is in effect from Saturday afternoon through Saturday evening.

* AREA AND TIMING...West Central Basin and Range (Zone 109), West Central Mountains (Zone 105), Northwest Plateau (Zone 101), North Central Mountains (Zone 120), Upper Rio Grande and Lower Chama River Valley (Zone 121), Sangre de Cristo Mountains (Zone 122), and Sandia and Manzano Mountains (Zone 124).

* 20 FOOT WINDS...West winds 20 to 40 mph with gusts from 45 to 6 mph. The strongest winds will be in the evening.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...Minimum values between 7 and 15 percent with locally higher values in the Tusas Mountains above snowpack.

* IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly and will be hard to control. Long range spotting and extreme fire behavior will be possible. Outdoor burning should not be done..

* AFFECTED AREAS: NORTHWEST PLATEAU ... WEST CENTRAL MOUNTAINS ... WEST CENTRAL BASIN AND RANGE ... NORTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS ... UPPER RIO GRANDE VALLEY AND LOWER CHAMA RIVER VALLEY ... SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ... SANDIA AND MANZANO MOUNTAINS

Instructions:

Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in the field of this Fire Weather Watch.