Red Flag Warning returns for NYC area. Map shows greatest fire risk.
NEW YORK -- A Red Flag Warning is back in effect for parts of New York and Connecticut, as gusty winds return to the forecast, along with the risk of wildfires.
After achieving record-setting warmth at a few locations Monday, temperatures struggled to reach the mid 50s Tuesday, retreating back to what's consider normal.
Unfortunately, with the leaves and brush rapidly drying out, fire spread is also a greater concern.
Map shows Red Flag Warning for Tri-State Area
The Red Flag Warning remains in effect until 6 p.m. for New York City, Long Island and southwestern Connecticut. The fire risk is still considered elevated across the rest of the Tri-State Area.
The National Weather Service centers in New York and New Jersey put out a joint statement Tuesday, reading in part, "Due to the combination of gusty winds and marginal relative humidity values, these conditions could support the rapid spread of any fires that ignite, which could quickly become difficult to control."
Dry, windy conditions fueling recent fires
The combination of dry and windy conditions have been fueling brush fires, like one that broke out last weekend in Brooklyn's Prospect Park.
It has also made it more difficult for the firefighters working to contain the Jennings Creek wildfire burning through 5,000 acres on the New York-New Jersey border near Greenwood Lake.
"Outdoor burning is strongly discouraged. Be sure to properly extinguish or dispose of any potential ignition sources, including smoking materials such as cigarette butts," the National Weather Service joint statement continued.
Drought stretches into another week
While the area received a little rainfall Sunday into Monday, it has been more than a month without a soaking rain, and drought conditions persist across the Northeast.
The winds kept up Tuesday night, as temperatures dropped down to the 30s and 20s. Crisp sunshine will dominate Wednesday, with temperatures running even colder. Thankfully, the winds won't be quite as strong, but do expect an elevated fire risk once again.
Thursday will likely be the coldest day of the week, with highs only in the 40s. While we expect more cloud cover that day, the wet weather will probably miss us to the south and west.
Coastal flood watches or advisories have been issued along much of the coast Thursday into Friday for minor to moderate local flooding.
