Georgia Red Flag Warning | Effective 04/17/2026 23:27

...Critical Fire Weather Today through Monday... Today, the Fire Weather Watch has been upgraded to a Red Flag Warning and is in effect for portions of the Florida Big Bend and east of the Flint River in Georgia, where RH will tank to near or below 30 percent, where wind will exceed 12 mph, where dispersion will exceed 90, where temperatures will reach 88-92 degrees (within a few degrees of record highs), and where the Hot Dry Windy Index exceeds the 90th percentile at a time of year when its climatology is already nearing its annual peak in early May. A dry cold front on Sunday will bring northerly afternoon wind gusts of 20-25 mph, and RH will be dropping in the afternoon as a drier air mass arrives. Lingering cloud cover and shading of fuels will be the main inhibitor to active fire behavior on Sunday, but critical conditions remain possible Sunday afternoon. On Monday, a very dry air mass will overspread the region, with minimum relative humidities commonly in the 15-20 percent range. Sustained northeast winds will be near 10 to 15 mph and support extremely high dispersion. Full sunshine, seasonably warm late April temperatures, and ongoing drought will all contribute to a critical fire environment. A Fire Weather Watch remains in effect for Monday where winds are currently forecast to exceed 15 mph, and the watch could be expanded in later forecast updates. The National Weather Service in Tallahassee has issued a Red Flag Warning, which is in effect from 11 AM this morning to 8 PM EDT this evening. The Fire Weather Watch is no longer in effect. * AFFECTED AREA...Georgia fire weather zones 125, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 148, and 161. * WIND...Southwest 10-15 mph, with gusts near 20 mph. * HUMIDITY...25-30 percent. * IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly. Outdoor burning is not recommended.