An "extreme" fire weather warning was issued Sunday for central and southern New Mexico, far West Texas, and parts of Arizona, as high winds, dry vegetation, and low humidity created dangerous wildfire conditions, the National Weather Service (NWS) announced.
The NWS Storm Prediction Center forecast Level 3 out of 3 "extremely critical" fire weather risk across major areas, including Albuquerque and Santa Fe, New Mexico, and El Paso, Texas. Bob Oravec, meteorologist with the Weather Prediction Center, said, "It's a typical setup for fire weather, especially across the high plains. So if any fires start, they can spread pretty rapidly."
Elevated fire weather conditions (Level 1 of 3) were also reported across southeastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey due to strong offshore winds. The National Weather Service advised residents to remain alert and ready to act if fires ignite, particularly in vulnerable zones.
Residents are urged to prepare go bags containing essentials such as first aid kits, cell phone chargers, and N95 masks to protect against smoke inhalation. The NWS warned against improper storage or handling of flammable household products, including aerosols, cooking oils, rubbing alcohol, and hand sanitizers, which could exacerbate fire hazards.
While fire risk dominates the Southwest, a strong weather system moving east is expected to trigger severe thunderstorms across the Upper Midwest starting Monday. The Storm Prediction Center projected the potential for very large hail, strong tornadoes, and damaging winds across Iowa, southeast Minnesota, and western Wisconsin beginning Monday afternoon and into the evening.
