RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT TODAY FROM 11 AM TO 9 PM FOR THE NORTHWEST PLATEAU, WEST CENTRAL MOUNTAINS, WEST CENTRAL BASIN AND RANGE, MIDDLE RIO GRANDE VALLEY, THE SANDIA AND MANZANO MOUNTAINS, NORTHEAST AND CENTRAL HIGHLANDS, AND THE EAST CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST PLAINS DUE TO STRONG WIND AND LOW HUMIDITY. . FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT THURSDAY FROM 1 TO 8 PM ACROSS THE NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS AND PLAINS DUE TO STRONG WIND AND LOW HUMIDITY. .Strong southwest winds and very low humidities will return today as an upper level trough passing north of New Mexico steers the jetstream over the state. A gusty Pacific cold front will also cross shifting winds out of the west and northwest during the late afternoon and evening. Updated Fire Danger Forecasts now depict high fire danger over the bulk of the area east of the central mountain chain, so today's Red Flag Warning has been expanded there. On Thursday, a weaker disturbance passing north of New Mexico will keep the flow aloft brisk as a surface trough persists in the lee of the southern Rockies, resulting in another round of strong winds and critically low humidities. High temperatures will trend cooler today and Thursday, but mixing heights won't change much. There will also be fairly widespread coverage of single digit humidities across south central and southwest parts of the fire weather forecast area today. The National Weather Service in Albuquerque has issued a Red Flag Warning. which is in effect from 11 AM this morning to 9 PM MDT this evening. A Fire Weather Watch has also been issued. This Fire Weather Watch is in effect from Thursday afternoon through Thursday evening. * AREA AND TIMING. Northeast Highlands (Zone 103) and Northeast Plains (Zone 104) today from 11 AM to 9 PM MDT and Thursday from 1 to 8 PM. * 20 FOOT WINDS. For today: southwest 30-40 mph with gusts up to 60 mph. For Thursday: southwest 15-30 mph with gusts up to 40 mph. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY. 11 to 15 percent both days. * IMPACTS. Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly. Outdoor burning is not recommended.
