CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The unseasonably warm air across West Virginia has proimpted an alert from the National Weather Service in Charelston. The special weather statement notes an increased risk of fire danger for Tuesday an forecasted very dry conditions across much of the region with 10 to 20 mile an hour winds. Outdoors burning is not recommended.
“We have an abnormal dry air mass across the region and a lot of the vegetation has lost its leaves. The dry weather combined with that has led to an enhanced forest fire risk,” said Meteorologist Simone Lewis of the National Weather Service Charleston Weather Bureau.
Already forestry officials and volunteer fire crews have been dealing with several forest fires this week in southern West Virginia. The dry and windy conditions are expected to be worse for Wednesday, but according to Lewis a big chance is coming for Friday.
“It looks like by Friday we’ll have the remnants of (Tropical Storm) Nicole. We’re looking at right now at least one to two inches of rain out of hat,” she said.
Following the rain on Friday, temperatures are expected to turn sharply cooler and become much more seasonal. Those conditions will diminish the chances for forest fires throughout West Virginia.