ROANOKE, Va. – The fire risk for the day is up. Low humidity and high winds are two main reasons why the risk is elevated.
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It has also been a while since we’ve seen any form of precipitation. The last time we got rain was Jan. 19 when .17 inches fell in Roanoke. Because of the lack of rain in the past 10 days, abnormally dry conditions have built in with a moderate drought forming in Southside.
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Wednesday’s winds peak in the afternoon with gusts reaching as high as 40 mph.
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The dew point, a measure of the amount of moisture, is also very low. You may have noticed that your lips are chapped, or your hands are really dry. This is the reason.
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Wind advisories are in place through 6 p.m. Winds gradually fall off after sunset.
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Thankfully, the risk for elevated fire weather will not be long-lived. Rain enters the region Thursday night into Friday and is expected to bring near half an inch to most of Southwest and Central Virginia. This will help combat the drought conditions we are starting to see.
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