(Firefighters aim water into smokey void -- KIWA Staff Stock Photo)Sioux Falls, SD — National Weather Service officials tell us that they are watching these dry conditions closely due to possible fire danger.
According to the latest fire weather planning forecast, elevated fire danger is likely to develop this Friday. Following morning light rain chances moving northeast, strong southeast winds will pick up through the day, with sustained speeds reaching 20 mph and gusts exceeding 35 mph.
Weather Service officials tell us that while temperatures will reach near 80 degrees, dew points may try to pool ahead of a weak front in central South Dakota. This may hold relative humidity values well above critical red-flag warning thresholds. They say that a special weather statement and other messaging will be considered for this unique scenario.
That said, meteorologists say the combination of strong winds, drying fuels, and abnormally warm temperatures will lead to widespread high-to-very-high grassland fire danger index values. The greater danger will be in harvest activities, with the high fire danger reaching well into the very high category over most of the tri-state area.
Weather Service officials suggest that anyone doing agricultural activities should use caution and people should be aware of the increased potential for fire starts in farm fields.
They tell us light rain will begin to move into the area by Saturday, with chances increasing for a widespread wetting rain into early next week.
