NOAA - INCREASED FIRE DANGER ACROSS THE REGION

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SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE UPTON NY

402 AM EDT MON APR 18 2005

BERGEN NJ-UNION NJ-WESTERN PASSAIC NJ-EASTERN PASSAIC NJ-ESSEX NJ-HUDSON NJ

KINGS (BROOKLYN)NY-BRONX NY-NEW YORK (MANHATTAN) NY-QUEENS NY-RICHMOND (STATEN IS.) NY

NORTHERN WESTCHESTER NY-SOUTHERN WESTCHESTER NY-NASSAU NY-NORTHEAST SUFFOLK NY-NORTHWEST SUFFOLK NYSOUTHEAST SUFFOLK NY-SOUTHWEST SUFFOLK NY-ORANGE NY-PUTNAM NY-ROCKLAND NY

NORTHERN FAIRFIELD CT-NORTHERN MIDDLESEX CT-NORTHERN NEW HAVEN CT-NORTHERN NEW LONDON CT-SOUTHERN FAIRFIELD CT-SOUTHERN MIDDLESEX CT-SOUTHERN NEW HAVEN CT-SOUTHERN NEW LONDON CT

...INCREASED FIRE DANGER ACROSS THE REGION WILL LIKELY CONTINUE

THROUGH MIDWEEK...

THE TRI-STATE REGION HAS NOT SEEN ANY RAIN FOR THE PAST NINE DAYS

AND NONE OF ANY CONSEQUENCE IS EXPECTED FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.

THIS FACT WHEN CONSIDERED ALONG WITH LOW HUMIDITY LEVELS...HAS

PRODUCED SOME EXTREMELY DRY CONDITIONS WHICH ARE CONDUCIVE TO FIRE

IGNITION. THE THREAT OF BRUSH FIRES ACROSS THE TRI-STATE REGION HAS

BEEN HIGH FOR SEVERAL DAYS NOW AND WILL CONTINUE AT ELEVATED LEVELS

UNTIL WE CAN GET SOME WETTING RAINS TO DEFUSE THE SITUATION.

LOCAL RESIDENTS ARE URGED TO USE EXTREME CAUTION WHILE OUTDOORS.

PLEASE TO AWARE THAT JUST THE SMALLEST SPARK COULD IGNITE A FIRE

WITH DIRE CIRCUMSTANCES.

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This weather is relatively common this time of year. The wind direction hasn't yet shifted from the south, which ushers in warm but humid air. Instead, dry air from the north still infiltrates the region. The low humidities combined with the sun angle and increased daytime heating increases the fire danger. This dry spell is usually the beginning of the brush fire season, which has already begun in Westchester county with quite a bang. Just be careful out there and recognize the risks brush fires pose to firefighters.