Weather Alert in South Dakota
Red Flag Warning issued February 27 at 3:38PM MST until February 27 at 6:00PM MST by NWS Rapid City SD
AREAS AFFECTED: Bennett County Area; Mellette and Todd Counties; Tripp County
DESCRIPTION: ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON MST/100 PM CST TO 600 PM MST/700 PM CST FRIDAY FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 315, 317, 321, 322, 326, 333, 334, AND 335... .Very dry air is over parts of northeastern Wyoming as well as far southwestern into south-central South Dakota. Minimum relative humidities will drop to 15 to 20 percent as northwest winds blow at 10 to 25 mph with gusts from 25 to 40 mph, strongest over south-central South Dakota. Antecedent D1 to D2 drought conditions will exacerbate the fire potential. * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 333 Bennett County Area, 334 Mellette and Todd Counties and 335 Tripp County. * WINDS...Northwest 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 18 percent. * IMPACTS...The combination of gusty winds and low relative humidity would produce critical fire weather conditions.
INSTRUCTION: A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior.
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Weather Topic: What is Sleet?
Home - Education - Precipitation - Sleet
Next Topic: Snow
Sleet is a form of precipitation in which small ice pellets are the primary
components. These ice pellets are smaller and more translucent than hailstones,
and harder than graupel. Sleet is caused by specific atmospheric conditions and
therefore typically doesn't last for extended periods of time.
The condition which leads to sleet formation requires a warmer body of air to be
wedged in between two sub-freezing bodies of air. When snow falls through a warmer
layer of air it melts, and as it falls through the next sub-freezing body of air
it freezes again, forming ice pellets known as sleet. In some cases, water
droplets don't have time to freeze before reaching the surface and the result is
freezing rain.
Next Topic: Snow
Weather Topic: What are Stratocumulus Clouds?
Home - Education - Cloud Types - Stratocumulus Clouds
Next Topic: Stratus Clouds
Stratocumulus clouds are similar to altocumulus clouds in their
fluffy appearance, but have a slightly darker shade due to their additional mass.
A good way to distinguish the two cloud types is to hold your hand out and measure
the size of an individual cloud; if it is the size of your thumb it is generally
an altocumulus cloud, if it is the size of your hand it is generally a
stratocumulus cloud.
It is uncommon for stratocumulus clouds to produce precipitation, but if they do
it is usually a light rain or snow.
Next Topic: Stratus Clouds
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