A Fire Weather Watch has been issued for Indian River County for Friday from 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. due to gusty winds and dry conditions.
The National Weather Service issued the alert because Friday’s forecast included:
- Temperatures in the mid 80’s
- Humidity near 30%
- Southwest winds between 15 and 20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph
The alert is usually issued when relative humidity is near 30% percent, and wind speed is greater than 15 mph.
A Fire Weather Watch is issued when critical fire weather conditions are possible. Critical fire weather conditions exist when there is a combination of very dry vegetation, gusty winds, and low humidity.
Under these conditions, the Weather Service advises that any new or existing fires can spread rapidly.
Residents living in and around Sebastian, Fellsmere, and Vero Beach are advised to stay aware of the latest forecasts and any possible Red Flag Warnings.
A Red Flag Warning is issued when critical fire weather conditions are happening or about to happen. It means the weather could spread wildfires within the next 24 hours.
Typically, a Red Flag Warning and Fire Weather Watch are issued simultaneously. These alerts are designed to warn local agencies of potentially hazardous fire weather conditions that are imminent or already occurring.
A Fire Weather Watch is designed to alert those agencies to possible red flag conditions in the future.
