WWUS83 KLBF 201327

RFWLBF



URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE

National Weather Service North Platte NE

827 AM CDT Fri Mar 20 2026



...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS SATURDAY INTO THE OVERNIGHT

SATURDAY NIGHT...



.Record high temperatures Saturday in the 90s will lead to single

digit relative humidity Saturday afternoon across the area. Low

relative humidity will combine with gusty westerly winds to 30 MPH

Saturday afternoon, producing critical fire weather conditions. 

An abrupt change in wind direction to the north will commence late

Saturday evening across northern Nebraska, transitioning south 

into the overnight. Winds with this shift in wind direction will 

reach up to 45 MPH overnight. 



NEZ204-206-208>210-219-220900-

/O.UPG.KLBF.FW.A.0008.260321T1600Z-260322T0900Z/

/O.NEW.KLBF.FW.W.0015.260321T1500Z-260322T0900Z/

Eastern Panhandle/Crescent Lake NWR-

Sandhills/Valentine NWR/Nebraska National Forest-

Niobrara Valley/Fort Niobrara NWR/Samuel R McKelvie National

Forest-Loup Rivers Basin-Frenchman Basin-Loess Plains-

827 AM CDT Fri Mar 20 2026 /727 AM MDT Fri Mar 20 2026/



...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM CDT /9 AM MDT/ SATURDAY

TO 4 AM CDT /3 AM MDT/ SUNDAY FOR LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND GUSTY

WINDS FOR ALL OF WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA...



The National Weather Service in North Platte has issued a Red

Flag Warning for low relative humidity and gusty winds, which is 

in effect from 10 AM CDT /9 AM MDT/ Saturday to 4 AM CDT /3 AM 

MDT/ Sunday. The Fire Weather Watch is no longer in effect.



* AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zone 204 Eastern 

  Panhandle/Crescent Lake NWR, Fire Weather Zone 206 

  Sandhills/Valentine NWR/Nebraska National Forest, Fire Weather 

  Zone 208 Niobrara Valley/Fort Niobrara NWR/Samuel R McKelvie 

  National Forest, Fire Weather Zone 209 Loup Rivers Basin, Fire 

  Weather Zone 210 Frenchman Basin and Fire Weather Zone 219 

  Loess Plains.



* TIMING...Red Flag Warning in effect from 10 AM CDT (9 AM MDT) 

  Saturday through 4 AM CDT (3 AM MDT) Sunday morning.



* WINDS...West 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph. Winds will

  shift late Saturday evening to the north with gusts up to 45 

  MPH possible



* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...7 to 13 percent.



* TEMPERATURES...90 in northeastern areas, to the upper 90s in SW

  Nebraska.



* LIGHTNING...None expected.



* IMPACTS...Any fire starts will spread rapidly and will be 

  difficult to control.



* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...A sharp frontal boundary will arrive from

  the north late Saturday evening, producing an abrupt wind shift

  and gusts up to 45 mph during the late evening and overnight 

  hours.



PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...



A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions

are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of

strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can

contribute to extreme fire behavior.



&&



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