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Special weather statement: Elevated fire risk

By Howard B. Owens

A special weather statement from the National Weather Service:

... ELEVATED FIRE RISK AGAIN TODAY...

HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE CENTRAL GREAT LAKES WILL CONTINUE TO CIRCULATE A VERY DRY AIRMASS INTO THE REGION TODAY. THIS WILL RESULT IN RELATIVE HUMIDITY DROPPING INTO THE 20 TO 25 PERCENT RANGE THIS AFTERNOON INLAND FROM THE LAKESHORES... AND AS LOW AS 15 TO 20 PERCENT ACROSS HIGHER TERRAIN. IT HAS BEEN ABOUT 6 DAYS SINCE THE LAST RAINFALL... AND DEAD VEGETATION FROM LAST YEAR SUCH AS GRASSES AND LEAVES ARE VERY DRY.

NORTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 10 TO 20 MPH BY MIDDAY. A FEW GUSTS OF 20 TO 25 MPH ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON ON THE HILLS. CONDITIONS MAY APPROACH RED FLAG CRITERIA FOR A FEW HOURS THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE WESTERN SOUTHERN TIER... FINGER LAKES... AND EASTERN LAKE ONTARIO REGION.

PLEASE ADHERE TO THE STATEWIDE BURN BAN WHICH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH MAY 14TH.

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