NWS upgrade Fire Weather Watch to Red Flag Warining in Northern California
(FOX40.COM) — The National Weather Service issued a Fire Weather Watch for the Northern and Central Sacramento Valley on Thursday, but has since been upgraded to a Red Flag Warning. The warning will go into effect Sunday at 8 a.m. and expected to last until Monday 8 p.m.
According to Chief Meteorologist Adam Epstein, the recent warm weather has dried out vegetation below 1000 feet in elevation. Grasses have become fuel for fires. If a fire starts, windy conditions on Sunday and Monday could quickly spread the flames.
Cal Fire released a statement stating these conditions mean critical fire weather.
NWS stated the humidity level will be between 15 to 25 percent, with the highest threat set to be in Central and Southern Sacramento Valley, along and west of the I-5 corridor, and the Northern San Joaquin Valley.
NWS shares some Fire Weather safety:
Proper disposal of cigarettes and matches
Avoid power equipment that creates sparks
Make sure no vehicle parts drag on growing, including towing chains
Do not park your vehicle over dry grass and vegetation
Starting next week, the Sacramento region can expect to experience consistent 90-degree high temperatures, according to the NWS.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fast Company
an hour ago
- Fast Company
‘Cuts have consequences': A South Florida meteorologist explains Trump's NOAA cuts are degrading weather forecasts
For more than 30 years, meteorologist John Morales has broadcasted weather forecasts to South Floridians, warning the hurricane-prone region about the storms headed toward its coast. But now, Morales's ability to give accurate, quality forecasts to those residents is being hampered because of the recent federal government cuts to science and climate research. The Trump administration has laid off thousands of workers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, the agency responsible for the National Weather Service and the National Hurricane center, amid other resources. Already, National Weather Service offices across the country are short staffed, and the department has curtailed its data collection—like launching fewer weather balloons. With fewer staff and data, weather forecasts are becoming less accurate. This means residents won't have the weather information they need about approaching storms like hurricanes. Morales illustrated this point in a recent broadcast on NBC 6 South Florida by looking back at a forecast he did six years ago, concerning Hurricane Dorian, a category 5 storm that decimated the northwest Bahamas. In the clip, he acknowledged that viewers had anxiety because it looked as if the storm was heading straight toward South Florida. But Morales had assured them: 'It's going to turn [away from the coast]. The turn was never forecast to be on Sunday. …The turn will come Monday afternoon, Monday evening into Tuesday.' 'Remember that?' Morales said in the broadcast after the old clip played. He had been right, and, thanks to proper data collection and forecasting, was able to ensure viewers were prepared. 'Confidently I went on TV and told you, it's going to turn, you don't need to worry,' he said. 'I'm here to tell you that I'm not sure I can do that this year, because of the cuts, the gutting, the sledgehammer attack on science in general.' National Weather Service offices across South and Central Florida are already 20-40% understaffed, Morales noted. There's also been a 20% reduction in weather balloon launches, which collect atmospheric data like wind speed, humidity, pressure, and so on. 'And what were starting to see,' Morales continued, 'is that the quality of the forecast is becoming degraded.' Because of federal government cuts, it's likely hurricane hunter aircrafts won't be able to fly this year, he added. Hurricane hunters fly directly into the eye of storms in order to make forecasts even more accurate, thanks to real-time data. 'With less reconnaissance missions,' Morales said, 'we may be flying blind.' That's especially dire considering this year's hurricane season is expected to come with an ' above-average ' number of storms. Last year was an intense hurricane season too, with five billion-dollar events and a total of more than $124 billion in damage. (The Trump administration has since cut NOAA's ability to track the cost of climate change-related weather disasters, so it's not clear if we'll know just how damaging this year's hurricane season ends up being.) For Morales South Florida viewers, all these federal cuts mean they may not know how strong a hurricane is before it reaches the coastline, he added, leaving them unprepared in the face of what could be a disastrous storm season. Morales has been forecasting the weather in South Florida for 34 years, and this isn't the first time he's spoken out about a dire reality. In October 2024, as Hurricane Milton was barreling toward Florida's west coast, Morales got emotional describing the storm's intensity. 'This is just horrific,' he had said then, while also making it clear to his viewers that record-hot seas, fueled by climate change, were driving that escalation. Scientists and meteorologists have been trying to translate the costs of the Trump administration's federal cuts to everyday Americans. Morales's broadcast does so bluntly. When sharing the clip to his Buesky account, Morales captioned it with the quip 'Cuts have consequences, illustrated.' And he ended the television segment with a call to action, as many scientists have been during the Trump administration. 'I just want you to know that what you need to do is call your representatives,' he told viewers, 'and make sure that these cuts are stopped.'
Fox News
an hour ago
- Fox News
White House insists FEMA is taking hurricane season 'seriously,' blasts 'sloppy' reporting
The White House insisted Tuesday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency is taking hurricane season "seriously" while criticizing the media following reports claiming its director was unaware of such a time period. During a recent meeting, acting FEMA administrator David Richardson told staff he was unaware the U.S. had a hurricane season, Reuters and the New York Times reported Monday, citing people familiar with the remarks. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security later told Reuters that the comment was a joke and that FEMA is ready for the season, which began on June 1 and runs through Nov. 30. "Well, of course, we know that we are into hurricane season now, and I know FEMA is taking this seriously, contrary to some of the reporting we have seen, based on jokes that were made and leaks from meetings. But Secretary Kristi Noem and the FEMA leadership are all over this," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday when asked about the reporting. "They are committed to ensuring that federal resources and tax dollars are there for Americans in need. And the president continues to review requests for emergency aid and carefully considering them. However, this president has made it clear – we're not going to enable states to make bad decisions with federal tax dollars and then have the federal government later have to bail these states out," Leavitt continued. "We want to see states be responsible with their tax dollars to do as much as they possibly can. And then the president will deeply and thoughtfully consider any requests for federal aid that come to his desk. And I think some of the media reporting we've seen on this is, frankly, sloppy and irresponsible. There are serious people who are taking this issue seriously, starting with the president himself," she also said. However, the reporting didn't stop Democrats from pouncing on Richardson. "I'm unaware of why he hasn't been fired yet," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., wrote on X while flagging the Reuters article about his alleged remarks. "Suffice to say, disaster response is no joke. If you don't know what or when hurricane season is, you're not qualified to run FEMA. Get someone knowledgeable in there," Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., told Reuters. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said last week, "Forecasters within NOAA's National Weather Service predict above-normal hurricane activity in the Atlantic basin this year."
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Severe thunderstorm warning issued for Milwaukee, Waukesha, Counties
Severe weather is moving into Wisconsin. A severe thunderstorm warning was issued by the National Weather Service in Milwaukee-Sullivan for southwestern Milwaukee County and parts of Racine, Waukesha and Kenosha Counties. Meteorologists warn of winds as strong as 60 mph. NWS officials warn of hail as large as 0.75 inches. At 1:03 p.m., the NWS issued a statement including the following information: "The National Weather Service in Milwaukee/Sullivan has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for: Walworth County in southeastern Wisconsin, Southeastern Rock County in south central Wisconsin, Until 1:45 p.m. CDT. At 1:03 p.m. CDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from 6 miles southeast of Orfordville to Cherry Valley, moving northeast at 50 mph. HAZARD: 60 mph wind gusts. SOURCE: Radar indicated. IMPACT: Expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees. Locations impacted include: Janesville, Beloit, Whitewater, Elkhorn, Delavan, Lake Geneva, Milton, East Troy, Williams Bay, Genoa City, Walworth, Clinton, Fontana-On-Geneva Lake, Sharon, Darien, Como, Pell Lake, Potter Lake, Powers Lake, and Burlington. People attending Music at the Marv in Janesville should seek safe shelter immediately!" A severe thunderstorm warning means the area is experiencing or is about to experience a storm with winds of 58 mph or higher or hail an inch in diameter or larger. Once in a shelter, stay away from windows and avoid electrical equipment and plumbing. Keep a battery-powered weather radio nearby in case of loss of power. Remember to bring pets inside. If there is time, secure loose objects outside as these objects often become dangerous flying debris in high winds. Postpone outdoor activities until the storms have passed. This weather report was generated automatically using information from the National Weather Service and a story written and reviewed by an editor. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Severe thunderstorm warning issued for Rock County
