000 WWUS84 KCRP 171230 RFWCRP RED FLAG WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CORPUS CHRISTI TX 630 AM CST TUE JAN 17 2006 TXZ229>234-239>247-172200- /O.NEW.KCRP.FW.A.0005.060118T1800Z-060119T0000Z/ /O.CON.KCRP.FW.W.0004.060117T1500Z-060117T2200Z/ LA SALLE-MCMULLEN-LIVE OAK-BEE-GOLIAD-VICTORIA-WEBB-DUVAL- JIM WELLS-KLEBERG-NUECES-SAN PATRICIO-ARANSAS-REFUGIO-CALHOUN- 630 AM CST TUE JAN 17 2006 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM CST THIS AFTERNOON... ...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON... VERY DRY AIR WILL FILTER INTO THE RIO GRANDE PLAINS AND COASTAL BEND IN THE WAKE OF LAST NIGHTS STRONG COLD FRONT. RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES ARE FORECAST TO DROP TO BETWEEN 15 AND 25 PERCENT THIS AFTERNOON. DURING THIS TIME...NORTHWEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO REACH SPEEDS BETWEEN 15 AND 25 MPH. WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED ACROSS MUCH OF THE REGION THROUGH NOON. WIND GUSTS WILL DIMINISH IN THE AFTERNOON BUT GUSTS UP TO 25 TO 30 MPH WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MID AFTERNOON. WINDS SUBSIDE SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE LATE AFTERNOON HOURS BECOMING LIGHT IN THE EVENING. ON WEDNESDAY...HIGH PRESSURE WILL SHIFT SOUTHEAST INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO. MEANWHILE ANOTHER AREA OF LOW PRESSURE WILL DEVELOP IN THE PLAINS. THIS WILL CAUSE WINDS TO TURN SOUTH AND INCREASE QUICKLY TO 15 TO 25 MPH ACROSS THE REGION. HUMIDITY LEVELS WILL NOT HAVE HAD TIME TO INCREASE...THEREFORE RELATIVE HUMIDITY LEVELS WILL DROP BELOW 30 PERCENT ACROSS MUCH OF THE REGION ONCE AGAIN WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. THE COMBINATION OF DRY FUELS...STRONG AND GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL RESULT IN A DANGEROUS FIRE BEHAVIOR SITUATION ON TODAY AND POSSIBLY ON WEDNESDAY. THIS MEANS THAT IF WILD FIRES DO OCCUR...THEY WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTAIN AND POSE A SERIOUS THREAT OF GROWING QUITE RAPIDLY IN AN UNCONTROLLABLE MANNER. THEREFORE RED FLAG WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT TODAY AND FIRE WEATHER WATCHES ARE IN EFFECT FOR WEDNESDAY. IF A WILDFIRE DOES DEVELOP AND ESCAPES AN INITIAL ATTACK... RESIDENTS ARE ADVISED TO EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY FOR A SAFE ZONE. MAYORS AND OR COUNTY JUDGES HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DEMAND MANDATORY EVACUATIONS WITHIN TEXAS. PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE OFFICIALS AND FIRE CREWS IN THE FIELD OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING. $$ MJG