Dangerous fire weather this week across Arizona

It's that time of year again in Arizona where attention turns to the risk of wildfires. This week, a storm system will sweep through the state bringing high fire danger to the entire area.

A cold front will move across the state Wednesday, bringing strong gusty winds to the region. Behind this cold front, very dry air will move into the region. With strong winds and low relative humidity, the fire danger across the state, particularly in central and southwest Arizona with rapidly increase.

Due to these conditions, the National Weather Service in Phoenix has issued a Fire Weather Watch in effect late Tuesday through Wednesday evening this week for central and southwest Arizona.

During this time frame, winds of 15 mph to 25 mph with gusts of 45 mph will be possible. Relative humidity is also expected to drop to as low as 5 percent. If these conditions develop, the Fire Weather Watch will likely be changed into a Red Flag Warning.

So what's the difference between a Fire Weather Watch and a Red Flag Warning?

A Fire Weather Watch is issued when weather conditions that can result in the rapid growth wildfires are forecast to occur across the area within the next 12 hours to 72 hours. These hazardous conditions normally include strong winds and low relative humidity.

Red Flag warnings are issued when strong winds and low relative humidity are either happening now or have a very high probability of occurring within a short time period. When a Red Flag Warning is issued, those participating in any outdoor activities should use extreme caution as a small fire can quickly grow into a major wildfire.

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