MOUNT HOLLY NJ – Anticipation of gusty winds, low humidity, and unseasonably high temperatures prompted the National Weather Service to issue a fire weather watch for Wednesday (April 12, 2023) covering all of Montgomery, Berks, and Chester counties.
Coming high heat, a lack of moisture, and dry fuels like fallen branches and grass heighten the potential of field and woods fires in the three-county area, it observed.
“There will be increased risk for rapid wildfire growth and spread” between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m., the Philadelphia regional weather forecasters said in a message from their Mount Holly NJ office. “Critical fire weather conditions are expected,” it stated.
For a nine-hour period from midday to mid-evening, the weather service predicts the area will be subjected to winds from the west of 10-20 miles per hour, gusting as high as 25 mph. They will combine with potential temperatures in the low-80-degrees range, and relative humidity as low as 30 percent, to create conditions under which fires could break out.
It urged residents to heed local burn restrictions in their municipalities, and to listen to radio, television or other broadcasts about “red flag warnings” for potential fires.
Also affected are Philadelphia, Delaware, Bucks, Carbon, Monroe, Lehigh, and Northampton counties.
Photo by The Post
