Fire Weather Watch

...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS POSSIBLE SATURDAY...

.A strong cold front will quickly move through the area Friday afternoon. The front will be mostly if not completely dry as it moves through the area. Quickly after it moves into the Gulf much drier air will surge in behind it. In addition cooler air will move in along with strong northerly winds. On Saturday sunny skies and winds in the first 1500-3000 ft will be out of the same direction sllowing for efficient mixing. This will help to bring wind gusts of 15 to as high as 30 miles an hour across most locations along and north of I-10. This will also lead to even drier air mixing into the area helping to drop the RH into the mid to lower 30% range with some locations seeing the relative humidity just below 30%. This will combine with current D1 and D2 drought conditions across all of southwest Mississippi and much of southeast LA along and northwest of a line from Thibodaux to Franklinton. This could provide ample fuel for wildfires. The combination of breezy to gusty winds, current drought conditions, ample fuel, and very dry conditions will allow any fire that develops to spread quickly. Outdoor burning is not recommended.

* AFFECTED AREA...Pointe Coupee, West Feliciana, East Feliciana, St. Helena, Washington, Iberville, West Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge, Assumption, St. James, Wilkinson, Amite, Pike, Northern Tangipahoa, Walthall, Southeast St. Tammany, Northern St. Tammany, Southwestern St. Tammany, Central Tangipahoa, Lower Tangipahoa, Northern Livingston, Southern Livingston, Western Ascension and Eastern Ascension.

* WINDS...North 10 to 15 mph with gusts up to 30 mph.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 30 percent.

* IMPACTS...Any fire that develops will catch and spread quickly. Outdoor burning is not recommended.