WWUS83 KLBF 210759

RFWLBF



URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE

National Weather Service North Platte NE

259 AM CDT Sat Mar 21 2026



...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS SATURDAY AFTERNOON INTO THE 

OVERNIGHT HOURS...



.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

35 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.CON.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-

259 AM CDT Sat Mar 21 2026 /159 AM MDT Sat Mar 21 2026/



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

THIS MORNING TO 4 AM CDT /3 AM MDT/ SUNDAY FOR RECORD HIGH

TEMPERATURES, LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY, AND GUSTY WINDS FOR ALL OF

WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA...



* 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 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 45 mph.



* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 6 percent.



* TEMPERATURES...Up to 96.



* LIGHTNING...None expected.



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

  difficult to control.



* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...A cold front 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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