Fire Weather Watch in Effect Over Greater Chicago Area as Risk Peaks to Level 4

The Greater Chicago Area is under a Fire Weather Watch from 11 AM to 7 PM this Wednesday as risks reach Level 4.

Fire Weather Watch

The combination of strong winds, unseasonably warm temperatures, and low relative humidity levels of 20% to 25%, according to weather experts, will make it possible for any outdoor fire to spread quickly.

Officials also said that the risk of a fire spreading out of control is decreased by using caution when discarding smoking materials and postponing outdoor burning.

Critical fire weather events are anticipated when there is a fire weather watch.

Steady Warm Weather in Chicago

The warmest weather to hit Chicago in nearly 7 months, since last September, allows residents to throw open their windows. Temperatures have risen steadily from 49 degrees on Friday to 62 degrees on Saturday, 68 degrees on Sunday, 71 degrees on Monday, and possibly 78 degrees on Tuesday.

In Chicago, the first day with a high temperature of 80 degrees usually occurs on April 13. This week's Thursday falls on that day, which indicates that recent climatology predicts that the temperatures will reach the expected 80 degrees on Wednesday and Thursday. Back-to-back 80-degree days haven't occurred in the city since September.

Interestingly, 2023 is the wettest year on record in 151 years of weather data, but Wednesday's forecast for unseasonably warm weather, low relative humidity, gusty SW winds, and lots of sunshine increases the risk of wildfires.

But despite the warm air, southern Lake Michigan's water temperature is only 43.6 degrees. Despite how inviting it may seem given the air temperature, getting into the water for any length of time is dangerous. For any swimmer, hypothermia can develop quickly and cause serious problems, WGN9 reports.

Red Flag Warning

In addition to Lake County in Illinois and Indiana, the following counties are also under a Red Flag Warning: Porter, Winnebago, Ogle, Lee, Boone, McHenry, Newton, De Kalb, Jasper, and Cook. The same weather announcement will also be in effect over La Salle, Kane, DuPage, Benton, Kendall, Livingston, Iroquois, Grundy, Will, Kankakee, and Ford Counties. The warning will last until 7 PM today as winds blow southwest at speeds of 15 mph to 20 mph. Wind gusts today may reach 35 mph.

A Red Flag Warning means that there is an upcoming critical fire weather condition that locals and officials should be prepared for. Extreme and hazardous fire behavior may result from a combination of low relative humidity, strong winds, and warm temperatures, the National Weather Service reports.

Also Read: Shiveluch Volcano Spews Dust Clouds 65,600 Feet Up, Blankets 300 Miles of Russia with Ash After Eruption

Health and Weather in Chicago

With fire weather up in Chicago, air quality stays at a fair rating as inhalable particulate matter reaches 35 µg/m³. This is acceptable for most groups, however, some may experience symptoms from long-term exposure.

When it comes to allergens, tree pollen is at high levels today in Chicago and will remain so until next week, except on Friday when it will spike momentarily to very high levels. High wind speeds can potentially carry pollen around.

Dust and dander will stay at moderate levels but will return to low levels on the weekend. All other allergens are at low levels today, AccuWeather reports.