Elevated fire threat today

WWUS81 KBUF 080950
SPSBUF

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY
550 AM EDT SUN APR 8 2012

NYZ001>008-010>014-019>021-085-082200-
NIAGARA-ORLEANS-MONROE-WAYNE-NORTHERN CAYUGA-OSWEGO-JEFFERSON-
LEWIS-NORTHERN ERIE-GENESEE-WYOMING-LIVINGSTON-ONTARIO-CHAUTAUQUA-
CATTARAUGUS-ALLEGANY-SOUTHERN ERIE-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...NIAGARA FALLS...MEDINA...ROCHESTER...
NEWARK...FAIR HAVEN...OSWEGO...WATERTOWN...LOWVILLE...BUFFALO...
BATAVIA...WARSAW...GENESEO...CANANDAIGUA...JAMESTOWN...OLEAN...
WELLSVILLE...ORCHARD PARK...SPRINGVILLE
550 AM EDT SUN APR 8 2012

...ANOTHER DAY OF ELEVATED FIRE RISK...

A VERY DRY AIRMASS WILL LINGER ACROSS THE REGION TODAY...WITH
RELATIVE HUMIDITIES DROPPING INTO THE 30 TO 35 PERCENT RANGE EARLY
THIS AFTERNOON AWAY FROM THE LAKESHORES...AND AS LOW AS 25 TO 30
PERCENT ACROSS FAR INTERIOR SECTIONS. IT HAS NOW BEEN ABOUT A WEEK
SINCE THE LAST RAINFALL...AND LEFTOVER DEAD VEGETATION FROM LAST
YEAR SUCH AS GRASSES AND LEAVES REMAINS BONE DRY.

WEST WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 10 TO 20 MPH BY MIDDAY...WITH SOME
GUSTS OF 25 TO 30 MPH BECOMING POSSIBLE DURING THE MID TO LATE
AFTERNOON HOURS FOLLOWING THE PASSAGE OF A WEAK COOL FRONT. WHILE
RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL ALSO BE ON THE RISE FOLLOWING THE FRONT
AND SHOULD PREVENT CONDITIONS FROM REACHING RED FLAG CRITERIA...
SUCH CRITERIA COULD STILL BE BRIEFLY APPROACHED FOR A FEW HOURS
THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS INTERIOR SECTIONS OF THE WESTERN SOUTHERN
TIER AND FINGER LAKES REGION.

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

$$

JJR