Persistent heat and dangerous wildfire conditions could impact these parts of the US this weekend
abcnews.com • • general
Key Points:
- The National Weather Service has issued red flag warnings for over 47 million Americans from the Great Plains to the Southeast on Saturday due to critical fire weather conditions, with wind gusts expected to reach 30 to 60 mph combined with low humidity and dry fuels.
- Gusty winds and dry conditions will affect areas from the Gulf Coast inland across the Southeast, including cities like Lake Charles, Jackson, Birmingham, Tallahassee, Charleston, and Asheville, increasing wildfire risk.
- A significant temperature drop is expected in the Midwest and Northeast on Saturday, with some areas experiencing 10 to 20 degrees cooler temperatures compared to Friday, following recent record highs.
- The Southeast will continue to experience record-shattering heat this weekend, with cities like Phoenix, Death Valley, and Tucson having already set daily record highs, and more records possible in Las Vegas and Phoenix.
- Since mid-March, the U.S. has seen an unusually high number of temperature records broken or tied, with over 1,100 daily records recorded nationwide since March 1, highlighting an intense and prolonged period of extreme weather.
