Red Flag Warning issued March 2 at 5:34AM MST until March 3 at 8:00PM MST by NWS El Paso Tx/Santa Teresa NM

…EXTREMELY CRITICAL FIRE DANGER MONDAY…

Strong low pressure system moving over the central Rockies will
induce a 985 mb surface low over eastern Colorado. Rapid pressure
gradient tightening extending south across New Mexico and west
Texas will lead to strong winds Monday afternoon and evening. At
the same time, very dry air will be present with midday relative
humidity (RH) falling to single digits along the International
Border.

Sustained winds speeds of 25 to 35 mph expected, with peak gusts
up to 60 mph mid-afternoon. Record high ERCs are in place across
Gila and Lincoln National Forests, with a dryness component more
comparable to peak fire season than early March. Wildfire risk is
very much present on Monday and again on Tuesday though winds
will be a bit lighter. Strong winds expected again next
Thursday/Friday will additional fire headlines possible.

* AFFECTED AREA…Fire Weather Zone 055 Texas Fire Weather Zone
055 El Paso County, Fire Weather Zone 056 Texas Fire Weather
Zone 056 Hudspeth County, Fire Weather Zone 110 Southwest
Mountains/Gila NF/Apache NF/GLZ, Fire Weather Zone 111
Southwest Deserts and Lowlands/Las Cruces BLM/GLZ, Fire
Weather Zone 112 South Central Lowlands and Southern Rio
Grande Valley/BLM/GLZ and Fire Weather Zone 113 Capitan and
Sacramento Mountains/Lincoln NF/LNZ.

* TIMING…11 AM to 8 PM Monday.

* WINDS…West 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 60 mph.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY…5 to 15 percent.

* EXPERIMENTAL RFTI…6 to 8 or Critical to Extreme

* HIGHEST THREAT…portions of south-central New Mexico and far
west Texas, including the Lincoln National Forest.

* IMPACTS…any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly.
Outdoor burning is not recommended.