Weather Alert

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 9 PM MDT THURSDAY FOR GUSTY WINDS FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 112, 113, 114, 115, 117, AND 118... * AFFECTED AREA...EASTERN GLACIER/TOOLE/CENTRAL/EASTERN PONDERA/LIBERTY, HILL AND BLAINE COUNTIES, LEWIS AND CLARK NATIONAL FOREST ROCKY MOUNTAIN DISTRICT-ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT, CHOUTEAU AND FERGUS COUNTIES, CENTRAL AND EASTERN LEWIS AND CLARK NATIONAL FOREST AREAS AND HELENA AND TOWNSEND RANGER DISTRICTS OF THE HELENA NATIONAL FOREST. * WINDS...WEST 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH. EVEN HIGHER GUSTS ARE POSSIBLE DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT. * HUMIDITY: 20-30 PERCENT. * IMPACTS...STRONG WEST WINDS WILL DEVELOP ACROSS THE AREA ON THURSDAY AS A PACIFIC COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE REGION. LOWEST HUMIDITY ON THURSDAY WILL OCCUR ACROSS LOWER ELEVATION GRASSLAND AREAS WHERE VEGETATION IS DRIEST AND COULD CONTRIBUTE TO RAPID SPREAD IF A FIRE DEVELOPS. 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. PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE OFFICIALS OR FIRE CREWS IN THESE AREAS OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING. &&