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Iowa Weather: Strong winds and high fire danger today

Wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph are expected resulting in high fire danger across the state.

Iowa Weather: Strong winds and high fire danger today

Wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph are expected resulting in high fire danger across the state.

EQUATION LIKE I DON’T THINK IT’LL FIT IN YOUR GUT. YEAH, THAT’S A CHALLENGE. IT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE, BUT ALSO IT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE. WE’RE GOING FROM SPRING AND RAMPING UP TEMPERATURES TO WINTER TOMORROW. IT’S CHANGED PRETTY MUCH. IT’S A IT’S A TURN ON THE DIME. AND THAT’S WHAT WE KNOW. LATE FEBRUARY GOING TO MARCH. THAT CAN GIVE US AND WEATHER HEADLINES. GORGEOUS VIEW RIGHT NOW FROM OUR DES MOINES SKYCAM. WE HAVE A LOT OF SUNSHINE. BUT AS FAR AS THE REALLY THINGS YOU NEED TO EXPECT THROUGHOUT THE DAY, GUSTY WINDS, WE’VE ALREADY BEEN TALKING ABOUT THOSE PRETTY MUCH ALL MORNING LONG, BUT THAT’S ALSO GOING TO LEAD TO THAT ELEVATED FIRE RISK VERY HIGH THROUGHOUT THE STATE TODAY. THEN COLD RETURNS AS WE GO INTO SATURDAY. SO TALKING ABOUT THE SETUP RIGHT NOW COLD FRONT MOVING IN. SO THROUGHOUT THE DAY TODAY VERY WINDY. HIGHS RIGHT NEAR 60 DEGREES. SO STILL TEMPERATURE WISE VERY NICE. AS WE GO INTO THE REST OF THIS EVENING ANOTHER COLD FRONT PUSHES OVER US. THAT’S GOING TO BRING IN THE COLD TEMPERATURES. THE WINDS STILL STAYING ELEVATED THROUGH THE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. JUST NOT AS STRONG AS WHAT WE HAVE FOR THIS AFTERNOON. BY 10 A.M. WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT NOON HOURS WHEN THE RED FLAG WARNING GOES INTO EFFECT. AND THIS IS THE REASON WHY THOSE WINDS ARE GOING TO BE VERY STRONG. WE’RE VERY DRY. WE HAVEN’T SEEN ANY PRECIPITATION THROUGHOUT THIS WEEK. A LOT OF MELTING, BUT ALSO A LOT OF EVAPORATING AS FAR AS THAT MUD NOW TURNING INTO DIRT WITH THE WINDS THAT WE’VE SEEN THIS WEEK, THESE ARE THE STRONGEST. WE’RE TALKING ABOUT 40 UP TO 50 MILE PER HOUR GUSTS REALLY AT THE STRONGEST AS WE GO THROUGHOUT, ESPECIALLY IN NORTHERN IOWA WHERE WE SEE THE STRONGEST WINDS. BUT BY FIVE AND 6:00 THEY START TO EASE UP JUST A BIT. STILL GOING TO BE BREEZY OVERNIGHT GOING INTO TOMORROW MORNING. AND THEN THEY REALLY START TO WEAKEN AS WE GO INTO SATURDAY AFTERNOON. WE’RE TALKING ABOUT THE COLD TEMPERATURES SETTLING IN OVERNIGHT INTO TOMORROW MORNING. BY 10:00. IF YOU HAVE ANY EVENING PLANS, IT’S GOING TO BE BREEZY. THE WIND CHILLS, FEELING LIKE THE 20S AND TEENS, AND THEY ONLY DROP MORE AS WE GO INTO SATURDAY MORNING. THAT’S WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT. FEELING LIKE WINTER AS WE WAKE UP ON THE WEEKEND, FEELING LIKE THE TEENS DOWN TO SINGLE DIGITS ACROSS THE STATE, AND THEN FOR THE REST OF THE MORNING, STILL GOING TO BE PRETTY COLD. THERE’S A LITTLE BIT OF A REBOUND. NOT MUCH OF ONE THROUGHOUT SATURDAY. COLDER AIR SETTLING IN AS THE HIGHS WILL BE ONLY IN THE MID 30S. THE COLD DOES RETURN, DOESN’T LAST VERY LONG. WE HAVE A NICE TEMPERATURE REBOUND AS WE GO THROUGHOUT SUNDAY. STILL SUNSHINE, BUT RIGHT NEAR 50 DEGREES. A LOT MORE OF THE 40S FOR SUNDAY AFTERNOON. SO AS FAR AS ANY OUTDOOR PLANS, SUNDAY IS GOING TO BE THE MORE ENJOYABLE DAY FOR THEM COMPARED TO THE TWO. AND THEN LOOKING FARTHER DOWN THE ROAD, A CHANCE OF SOME RAIN POSSIBLE. FLAKES MIXED IN ACCUMULATION IS NOT GOING TO SEE ANY OF THAT AS WE GO THROUGHOUT MONDAY EARLY MORNING, WRAPPING UP THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE MORNING. WE’RE DRY FOR THE REST OF MONDAY, TRACKING THE NEXT LARGER SYSTEM. SCATTERED SHOWERS EXPECTED THROUGHOUT TUESDAY, ESPECIALLY GOING INTO THE AFTERNOON OVERNIGHT. YES, SNOW IS BACK IN THE FORECAST AS COLDER AIR MOVES IN BEHIND THIS NEXT SYSTEM. WE ARE LOOKING AT A CHANCE FOR EVEN SOME ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL. A LOT OF TIME BETWEEN NOW AND THEN. SO WE’RE GOING TO BE TRACKING THAT THROUGH THE WEEKEND. WE’RE DRY THIS ENTIRE WEEKEND. TWO DRY AND WINDY FOR TODAY. LEADING THAT ELEVATED FIRE RISK. THEN WE DROP THOSE TEMPERATURES NOT TOO LONG BEFORE WE’RE BACK TALKING IN THE 50S NEXT WEEK. RAIN ON TUESDAY TUESDAY NIG
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Iowa Weather: Strong winds and high fire danger today

Wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph are expected resulting in high fire danger across the state.

High winds gusting to nearly 50 mph will produce high fire danger and difficult driving conditions for high profile vehicles today.Interactive Radar | Weather AlertsWind gusts have already topped 40 mph as of mid-morning, and are expected to increase throughout the day. A Wind Advisory has been issued for most of central and northern Iowa through Friday evening. Wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph can be expected in the advisory area, with a few gusts close to 55 mph possible over northern and northeastern Iowa.Winds will be out of the west and northwest, making for occasionally difficult driving conditions on north-south highways. I-35 will be particularly vulnerable as a direct crosswind is expected at times. The strongest winds will occur during the early afternoon through about 4 p.m.Winds in Des Moines are expected to peak between 40 and 50 mph, with regular gusts of 40 to 45 mph. Any outdoor furniture, decorations, or other lightweight objects that are not secured could be blown around with some of the higher gusts. Pockets of blowing dust are also possible where the ground has dried from the earlier snowmelt.The high winds will also combine with the warm, dry air to produce very high to extreme fire danger. A Red Flag / Fire Weather Warning has been issued for most of the the state. Fires can spark easily with the dry air, and spread quickly out of control due to the high winds. Activities that produce a significant amount of sparks outdoors should be avoided, and any planned burns should be delayed. Smoking material and any other objects that can produce embers should be carefully discarded.

High winds gusting to nearly 50 mph will produce high fire danger and difficult driving conditions for high profile vehicles today.

Interactive Radar | Weather Alerts

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Wind gusts have already topped 40 mph as of mid-morning, and are expected to increase throughout the day. A Wind Advisory has been issued for most of central and northern Iowa through Friday evening. Wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph can be expected in the advisory area, with a few gusts close to 55 mph possible over northern and northeastern Iowa.

wind advisory for central and northern iowa through 6pm
Hearst Owned
Wind Advisory for central and northern Iowa through 6pm

Winds will be out of the west and northwest, making for occasionally difficult driving conditions on north-south highways. I-35 will be particularly vulnerable as a direct crosswind is expected at times. The strongest winds will occur during the early afternoon through about 4 p.m.

expected wind gusts across iowa this afternoon
Hearst Owned
Expected wind gusts across Iowa this afternoon

Winds in Des Moines are expected to peak between 40 and 50 mph, with regular gusts of 40 to 45 mph. Any outdoor furniture, decorations, or other lightweight objects that are not secured could be blown around with some of the higher gusts. Pockets of blowing dust are also possible where the ground has dried from the earlier snowmelt.

des moines wind gust forecast for friday afternoon
Hearst Owned
Des Moines wind gust forecast for Friday afternoon

The high winds will also combine with the warm, dry air to produce very high to extreme fire danger. A Red Flag / Fire Weather Warning has been issued for most of the the state. Fires can spark easily with the dry air, and spread quickly out of control due to the high winds. Activities that produce a significant amount of sparks outdoors should be avoided, and any planned burns should be delayed. Smoking material and any other objects that can produce embers should be carefully discarded.

extreme fire danger friday afternoon
Hearst Owned
Extreme fire danger Friday afternoon