Red Flag Warning for Salt Lake Desert; Western Uintah Basin; Tavaputs Plateau +3 more
Impacts: Critical fire weather conditions are expected. Any new fire starts or existing fires may spread rapidly.
Official alert brief
The National Weather Service in Salt Lake City has issued a Red Flag Warning for dry thunderstorms and gusty outflow winds, which is in effect until 11 PM MDT this evening. A Red Flag Warning has also been issued from noon Friday to midnight MDT Saturday night.
AFFECTED AREA
Fire Weather Zone 478 Salt Lake Desert, Fire Weather Zone 482 Western Uintah Basin, Fire Weather Zone 484 Tavaputs Plateau, Fire Weather Zone 488 Manti National Forest, Fire Weather Zone 489 San Rafael Swell and Fire Weather Zone 492 Central Utah West Desert.
THUNDERSTORMS
Wednesday from 1 PM to 11 PM, Scattered dry thunderstorms with numerous outflow wind gusts to around 40 mph and isolated widely scattered wind gusts to around 60 mph.
WINDS
Friday and Saturday, southwest 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 40 to 50 mph. Winds may temporarily turn northwesterly and lighter on Friday night behind an initial cold front before returning to strong out of the southwest on Saturday.
RELATIVE HUMIDITY
Friday and Saturday, as low as 5 percent with little to no overnight recovery Friday night.
IMPACTS
Critical fire weather conditions are expected. Any new fire starts or existing fires may spread rapidly.
Instructions
A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now...or are imminent. A combination of lightning...dry fuel conditions...and gusty microburst winds will create favorable conditions for new fire starts and extreme fire behavior. A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now...or are imminent. A combination of strong winds...low relative humidity...and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior.