000 WWUS84 KCRP 041156 SPSCRP SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CORPUS CHRISTI TX 556 AM CST MON FEB 4 2008 TXZ229>234-239>247-042200- LA SALLE-MCMULLEN-LIVE OAK-BEE-GOLIAD-VICTORIA-WEBB-DUVAL- JIM WELLS-KLEBERG-NUECES-SAN PATRICIO-ARANSAS-REFUGIO-CALHOUN- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...COTULLA...ENCINAL...TILDEN... GEORGE WEST...THREE RIVERS...BEEVILLE...SKIDMORE...GOLIAD... VICTORIA...LAREDO...RIO BRAVO...FREER...BENAVIDES...SAN DIEGO... ALICE...PREMONT...KINGSVILLE...CORPUS CHRISTI...ROBSTOWN... PORT ARANSAS...PORTLAND...INGLESIDE...ARANSAS PASS...SINTON... MATHIS...ROCKPORT...REFUGIO...WOODSBORO...PORT LAVACA... PORT O'CONNOR...SEADRIFT 556 AM CST MON FEB 4 2008 ...CRITICAL FIRE DANGER THREAT ON TUESDAY ACROSS SOUTH TEXAS... SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL INCREASE THIS AFTERNOON IN ADVANCE OF A DEVELOPING LOW PRESSURE. WINDS ACROSS THE COASTAL BEND WILL INCREASE TO BETWEEN 15 AND 25 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS...AND ACROSS THE RIO GRANDE PLAINS TO BETWEEN 10 AND 20 MPH TODAY. RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES THIS AFTERNOON WILL REMAIN HIGH ACROSS THE COASTAL BEND...BETWEEN 55 AND 75 PERCENT. ACROSS THE RIO GRANDE PLAINS RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES WILL DIP TO BETWEEN 35 AND 45 PERCENT THIS AFTERNOON. ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON A COLD FRONT WILL USHER IN MODERATE TO STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS AND MUCH DRIER AIR...WITH GUSTS AROUND 30 MPH POSSIBLE AND RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES IN THE TEENS AND LOW 20S. FUELS REMAIN VERY DRY ACROSS ALL OF SOUTH TEXAS...WITH THE EXCEPTION OF PORTIONS OF VICTORIA...CALHOUN AND ARANSAS COUNTIES. A CRITICAL FIRE DANGER THREAT IS EXPECTED TUESDAY AFTERNOON GIVEN THESE DRY FUELS...IN COMBINATION WITH THE GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY BEHIND THE FRONT. A FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING FOR ALL OF SOUTH TEXAS. TEXANS FACE SEVERE DANGER OF WILDFIRE AND SHOULD BE EXTREMELY CAUTIOUS ABOUT ANY OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES THAT MIGHT CAUSE SPARKS OR FIRES. SPARKS CAN EASILY ESCAPE FROM BURNING TRASH. AVOID USE OF WELDING OR GRINDING EQUIPMENT NEAR WEEDS AND GRASS. AVOID PARKING VEHICLES IN TALL...DRY GRASS AND WEEDS THAT COULD BE IGNITED BY HOT CATALYTIC CONVERTERS. DO NOT TOSS LIT CIGARETTE BUTTS OUTSIDE. BURN BANS REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR LA SALLE...LIVE OAK...REFUGIO AND NUECES COUNTIES. REPORT WILD FIRES QUICKLY TO THE NEAREST FIRE DEPARTMENT OR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICE. $$ JR