Weather Alert in South Dakota

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Red Flag Warning issued March 24 at 9:55PM MDT until March 25 at 10:00PM MDT by NWS Rapid City SD

AREAS AFFECTED: Northern Black Hills; Central Black Hills; Southern Black Hills; Fall River County Area; Northern Foot Hills; Eastern Foot Hills; Custer County Plains; Pine Ridge Area; Badlands Area; Bennett County Area; Northern Campbell; Southern Campbell; Crook County Plains; Weston County Plains; Wyoming Black Hills

DESCRIPTION: ...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTHEASTERN WYOMING, THE BLACK HILLS, AND SOUTHWESTERN SOUTH DAKOTA... .Well above average temperatures Wednesday with highs in the 70s to mid 80s; warmest along and south of I90. Very dry air will be in place with daytime relative humidity around 10 to 20 percent. Westerly winds will be strongest across southern Campbell County and far southwestern South Dakota. Expect more southwesterly winds from Pine Ridge northward into Rapid during the early afternoon. The combination of low relative humidity, warm temperatures, gusty winds, and drought conditions supports critical fire weather conditions. Additionally, a cold front will push through the forecast area late Wednesday night into Thursday with gusty northwest winds (and dry conditions) behind the front. * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 314 Northern Campbell, 315 Southern Campbell, 316 Crook County Plains, 317 Weston County Plains, 318 Wyoming Black Hills, 319 Northern Black Hills, 320 Central Black Hills, 321 Southern Black Hills, 322 Fall River County Area, 323 Northern Foot Hills, 324 Eastern Foot Hills, 325 Custer County Plains, 326 Pine Ridge Area, 332 Badlands Area and 333 Bennett County Area. * WINDS...West 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 40 mph. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 10 percent. * IMPACTS...The combination of gusty winds and low relative humidity will produce critical fire weather conditions.

INSTRUCTION: A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior.

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Weather Topic: What are Cirrostratus Clouds?

Home - Education - Cloud Types - Cirrostratus Clouds

Next Topic: Cirrus Clouds

Cirrostratus clouds are high, thin clouds that form above 20,000 feet and are made mostly of ice crystals. They sometimes look like giant feathers, horse tails, or curls of hair in the sky. These clouds are pushed by the jet stream and can move at high speeds reaching 100 mph.

What do they indicate?
They indicate that a precipitation is likely within 24 hours.

Next Topic: Cirrus Clouds

Weather Topic: What is Condensation?

Home - Education - Precipitation - Condensation

Next Topic: Contrails

Condensation is the process which creates clouds, and therefore it is a crucial process in the water cycle. Condensation is the change of matter from a state of gas into a state of liquid, and it happens because water molecules release heat into the atmosphere and become organized into a more closely packed structure, what we might see as water droplets.

Water is always present in the air around us as a vapor, but it's too small for us to see. When water undergoes the process of condensation it becomes organized into visible water droplets. You've probably seen condensation happen before on the surface of a cold drink!

Next Topic: Contrails