Breezy and dry conditions will take hold of the weather in the Northeast this weekend. NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has warned of an increased threat of wildfires.
NEW YORK – A cold front pushing off the Northeast coast is expected to leave dry and breezy conditions in its wake, setting the region up for another period of increased fire risks through the weekend and prompting one state to declare an emergency.
NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has highlighted much of the I-95 corridor from Washington, D.C. to Boston at an increased risk of wildfires at least through the early weekend. In addition, Fire Weather Warnings now cover all of Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island through Saturday evening.
In many communities, wind gusts are expected to reach 25-35 mph, and with the combination of dry vegetation, fires could grow rapidly out of control.
Large areas of the Northeast haven’t seen significant rainfall in about a month, leading October to be one of the driest periods on record.
According to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor, 64% of the region is experiencing unusually dry conditions with 30% officially seeing drought conditions.
(FOX Weather)
WILDFIRE DANGER PERSISTS IN NORTHEAST AS WORK TO EXTINGUISH DEADLY BLAZE IN CONNECTICUT CONTINUES
More than a dozen wildfires popped up during the workweek in Connecticut, forcing the state’s governor to declare a state of emergency.
“Due to the critical fire weather conditions Connecticut is continuing to experience, I am declaring a state of emergency,” Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont stated. “This will help provide state and local emergency management officials with the necessary tools to monitor and limit the threat of fires statewide.”
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said the combination of dry conditions and fallen leaves has created a unique fire situation.
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BERLIN, CONNECTICUT – OCTOBER 24: A helicopter is equipped with a Bambi bucket to fight the brush fire at Lamentation Mountain in Berlin, Conn. Oct. 24, 2024. Firefighters have been fighting the blaze all week and began implementing firefighting helicopters from the National Guard on Wednesday. (Tyler Sizemore/Connecticut Post via Getty Images)
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BERLIN, CONNECTICUT – OCTOBER 24: A brush fire continues to burn on Lamentation Mountain in Berlin, Conn. Oct. 24, 2024. Firefighters have been fighting the blaze all week and began implementing firefighting helicopters from the National Guard on Wednesday. (Tyler Sizemore/Connecticut Post via Getty Images) (Tyler Sizemore/Connecticut Post via Getty Images)
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BERLIN, CONNECTICUT – OCTOBER 22: Smoke rises from a brush fire still burning on Lamentation Mountain in Berlin, Conn., on Tuesday October 22, 2024. At right are homes at Silver Ridge. (Christian Abraham/Connecticut Post via Getty Images)
The fire burning near Berlin, Connecticut claimed a life when a retired firefighter from Hartford was killed when his utility task vehicle rolled over while on steep, rocky terrain. Three other firefighters were injured.
All eyes on the humidity
A saving-grace for fires could be the relatively humidity values, which are expected to generally stay above 30% through the weekend.
The air’s moisture can make fuels less combustible and fires less intense.
In the western U.S., relative humidity values during high-fire events are usually significantly below 20%, which causes erratic wildfire activity.
(FOX Weather)
TRICK-OR-TREATING IN SHORTS? WARM HALLOWEEN ON TAP FOR MANY ACROSS THE US
Another round of active fire weather is expected to take place next week as temperatures reach the 70s and 80s in the days and hours before Halloween.
On Thursday, cities such as Boston and New York are expecting daytime highs around 75 degrees, with temperatures falling to near 70 degrees after sunset, providing a stark contrast to the usual chilly evenings.
(FOX Weather)
A cold front is expected to trek through the region at the end of the workweek, bringing the best chance of precipitation in several weeks, but rainfall amounts are anticipated to remain on the light side.
Significant drought relief is not in the making before the start of the next month, meaning the threats of fire activity will likely continue through the extended forecast period.