Fire Weather Watch?

This note from my friend Robin McKee Oakley:

Bill, I have to ask. Is fire really considered weather? I saw where there was a “fire weather watch” a couple of days ago and I just laughed. Not to make light of weather guys but really? I teach kindergarten and we have never covered that one. Plus, we have had a lot of rain and snow, so it seemed strange to be worried about fire.

Just curious, Robin

Hey Robin!

The Fire Weather Watch and Warning have been around for a long time. They were called Red Flag Watches and Warnings forever. The forecast is not really for fire, but to forecast conditions that are favorable to produce wildfire. It is mainly for fire fighters, forestry personnel and emergency managers to alert them to the heightened danger. It is the weatherman’s job to issue them…

I probably shouldn’t even put them in my forecasts, but I think it is good to remind people not to burn outdoors during a fire weather warning.

Thanks for writing Robin!

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Category: Pre-November 2010 Posts