Fire Weather Watch

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 8 PM MDT SATURDAY DUE TO STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR WEST, NORTHWEST, AND NORTHEAST NM AS WELL AS THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS...

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY MORNING THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING DUE TO STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR WEST, NORTHWEST, AND NORTHEAST NM AS WELL AS THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS...

.Critical fire weather conditions will return this weekend across most of northern and western New Mexico as well as the Central Highlands. Strong southwest winds with gusts up to 45 mph and humidity values falling below 15 percent are expected each day. Spotty wetting rainfall today and over the last few days will not significantly improve fuel dryness, with the northwest remaining the driest portion of the state. Any lightning-started fires will have the potential to grow quickly under these fire weather conditions.

The National Weather Service in Albuquerque NM has issued a Red Flag Warning in effect from 11 AM to 8 PM MDT Saturday, and a Fire Weather Watch in effect from Sunday morning through Sunday evening.

* AFFECTED AREA...Northwest Plateau (Zone 101), Northeast Plains (Zone 104), West Central Mountains (Zone 105), North Central Mountains (Zone 120), Upper Rio Grande Valley and Lower Chama River Valley (Zone 121), Northeast Highlands (Zone 123), and Central Highlands (Zone 125).

* TIMING...For the Red Flag Warning, from 11 AM to 8 PM MDT Saturday. For the Fire Weather Watch, from late Sunday morning through Sunday evening.

* 20 FOOT WINDS...For the Red Flag Warning, southwest winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 45 mph, and for the Fire Weather Watch, southwest winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 45 mph.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...For the Red Flag Warning, relative humidity between 10 to 15 percent, and for the Fire Weather Watch, relative humidity between 8 to 15 percent.

* IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will spread rapidly. Outdoor burning is not recommended.