NEAR CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS TUESDAY FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO. .A passing upper-level trough will result in breezy winds from the west on Tuesday across southern New Mexico. 20-foot winds near 20 mph are expected Tuesday afternoon with gusts to 30 to 35 mph. Although the winds are near critical thresholds, fuels are critically dry across the area and relative humidity will be near 5 percent. These factors combined with the ongoing wildfires in the Gila Region will result in near-critical fire weather conditions on Tuesday. The National Weather Service in El Paso Tx/Santa Teresa has issued a Red Flag Warning for critical fire weather conditions, which is in effect from noon to 8 PM MDT Tuesday. The Fire Weather Watch is no longer in effect. * AFFECTED AREA. Fire Weather Zone 110 Southwest Mountains/Gila NF/Apache NF/GLZ, Fire Weather Zone 111 Southwest Deserts and Lowlands/Las Cruces BLM/GLZ and Fire Weather Zone 112 South Central Lowlands and Southern Rio Grande Valley/BLM/GLZ. * TIMING. Noon to 8 PM Tuesday. * WINDS. West 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 35 mph. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY. As low as 4 percent. * TEMPERATURES. Up to 104. * EXPERIMENTAL RFTI. 4 to 5 or Near Critical to Critical. * IMPACTS. Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly. Outdoor burning is not recommended.
