Windy Conditions Combining With Low Humidities To Rejuvenate Enhanced Fire Threat

Good afternoon everyone. As promised, the sun did return on Friday along with rather windy conditions, but the temperatures have been a bit cooler than expected. In my journal from yesterday, you may have read that a high temperature of 63 degrees was expected in Northwestern Middlesex County on Friday. As of right now, the high has only been about 56 degrees.

About an hour ago, the temperature only stood at 52 degrees. When I noticed that on my weather station’s display in the house, I had to put on my glasses because I was a bit in disbelief. Since then, the mercury has climbed to 55 degrees. The revised forecast from the National Weather Service calls for a high of only 57 this afternoon in South Plainfield. The wind has been the big story though.

At the weather station outside, winds have been sustained at the surface at 4 miles per hour with gusts up to 12 miles per hour. Those are much higher than the past couple of days when we have had very light winds or calm conditions. The breezy conditions are combining with low humidity in the area to enhance a fire risk, and that has caught the attention of the NWS as well. A Hazardous Weather Outlook for this enhanced fire danger has been issued for today along with the possibility of freezing temperatures tonight and Monday. The freeze conditions are expected outside the urban areas in places like the Pine Barrens.

Rain is possible for tomorrow with a 20 percent chance during the day increasing to a 50 percent chance by Saturday night. Temperatures will be a bit higher, but still below normal. As a matter of fact, temperatures are expected to remain below normal through the early part of next week.