ELEVATED TO CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS CONTINUE ACROSS NORTHEAST WYOMING AND WESTERN SOUTH DAKOTA THROUGH THIS EVENING AND THEN AGAIN TUESDAY AFTERNOON. .Critical fire weather conditions will continue through this evening per gusty northwest winds and minimum relative humidities around 15 percent. South to southwest return flow develops Tuesday with gusts of 25 mph or higher possible across much of the area. Tuesday afternoon minimum relative humidities may drop to 10-20%. Thus, critical fire weather conditions are again possible Tuesday afternoon. Relative humidity recovery Tuesday night will be poor (<35% over the west) ahead of a cold front that moves through Wednesday, so elevated fire weather conditions expected. If winds are a bit stronger Wednesday, fire weather headlines may need to be extended into Wednesday. The National Weather Service in Rapid City has issued a Fire Weather Watch for gusty winds and low relative humidity, which is in effect Tuesday afternoon. A Red Flag Warning continues through early this evening. * AFFECTED AREA. Fire Weather Zones 323 Northern Foot Hills, 324 Eastern Foot Hills, 325 Custer County Plains, 326 Pine Ridge Area, 327 Butte County Area, 328 Perkins County, 329 West Central Plains, 330 Ziebach County, 331 Haakon County Area, 332 Badlands Area, 333 Bennett County Area and 334 Mellette and Todd Counties. * WINDS. West 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 50 mph through early this evening. South to southwest 10 to 20 mph with gusts around 25 mph Tuesday afternoon. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY. As low as 15 percent through this evening, and then as low as 9 percent Tuesday afternoon. * IMPACTS. The combination of gusty winds and low relative humidity will produce critical fire weather conditions.
