Brief heat wave brings fire weather

Mother Nature is turning up the heat today in the southern Rockies and west Texas, bringing critical fire weather along with it.

A strong high-pressure ridge has been building in the southern tier and this is pushing warm, dry air north and northeast. By 4 p.m. CST, the TemperatureRadar shows highs in the mid-to-upper 80s across west Texas.

28-year-old records are set to be tied or broken in places like Childress, Amarillo, and Midland. We could even see temperatures in the 90s in far-west Texas! Average temperatures this time of year are typically in the mid-to-upper 60s, for reference.

On top of above-average heat comes fire weather in the southern Front Range down to far west Texas. Not only will it be quite dry, with humidity levels between 6 and 15 percent, but the down-sloping gusty winds will kick up to 55 mph, with the sustained being as high as 35 mph.

Plentiful fuel is already present out here as every level of drought can be found from far west Texas into New Mexico. Just one strike of a match that is thrown could quickly cause issues, and with these winds, the flames would spread quickly.

Red flag warnings are in place from Marathon and El Paso, Texas, to Carlsbad and Albuquerque, N.M., and through Colorado Springs and Springfield, Colo.

Mind the gusty winds on the WindRadar and dress for the heat. Make sure to drink plenty of water and wear light clothing.