National Weather Services says enhanced fire danger could develop Tuesday afternoon.
US SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT UNTIL 7PM EST TUE ...ENHANCED FIRE DANGER WILL DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING ACROSS EAST TENNESSEE..SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA...AND SOUTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA... CRITICALLY DRY CONDITIONS WILL DEVELOP BY EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...AS RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES WILL DROP INTO THE MID TEENS TO UPPER 20S. WINDS WILL GENERALLY BE LIGHT AND VEER TO THE SOUTH AND EAST BY THE AFTERNOON...BUT SOME LOCALLY HIGHER...ERRATIC GUSTS ARE POSSIBLE...PARTICULARLY ALONG THE HIGHER TERRAIN.
THIS WILL PRODUCE ENHANCED FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ACROSS THE ENTIRE REGION THROUGH THIS EVENING. WILDFIRES WILL BE EASIER TO IGNITE AND MUCH HARDER TO CONTROL. RESIDENTS OF EAST TENNESSEE...SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA...AND SOUTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA NEED TO BE EXTRA VIGILANT TO PREVENT WILDFIRES...DUE TO THE ENHANCED POTENTIAL FOR FIRE GROWTH AND SPREAD.