From: Bob Rose, LCRA
A quick heads up regarding fire weather conditions Wednesday.
Windy conditions with gusts of 30-40 mph are in place across the region this afternoon thanks to a strong pressure gradient between an area of low pressure in Colorado and high pressure located over the Gulf. These winds are pulling a bit more moisture into the area compared to the past couple of days, with early afternoon relative humidity readings ranging from about 35 percent across the Hill Country, to around 50 percent near the coast. Fire weather conditions this afternoon and evening will remain elevated to near critical due to the strong and gusty wind.
A Pacific cold front is predicted to push east out of West Texas overnight, moving across the Hill Country in the hours before sunrise Wednesday. The front is forecast to move across Central Texas and the middle Texas coast Wednesday morning. Much drier air will follow the cold front, with relative humidity levels Wednesday afternoon expected to fall to the single digits for areas along and west of Interstate 35, and to the lower teens for areas east of the Interstate. In addition, strong northerly winds of 15-20 mph with gusts to 30 mph are forecast across the region throughout the day in the wake of Wednesday’s cold front. The combination of unusually dry air, strong winds, and extremely dry vegetation is expected to create critical fire weather conditions and a very high wildfire danger.
The National Weather Service has proactively posted a Red Flag Warning for most of West Texas, the Texas Hill Country and all of Central Texas beginning 5 am Wednesday, continuing through 9 pm Wednesday evening. A Fire Weather Watch has been posted for counties across the middle Texas coast Wednesday.
A Red Flag Warning is used for areas where fire weather conditions will become critical and these conditions will contribute to extreme fire weather behavior.
A Red Flag Warning is posted for all counties shaded in either level of pink.
Sunny weather and lighter winds are forecast to return to most areas Thursday. However, the National Weather Service indicates elevated to near critical fire weather conditions may continue for that part of the Hill Country located to west of line stretching from Fredericksburg, to San Antonio, to Campbellton. Wind speeds are expected to pick up again across the area Friday into Saturday.