Red flag (fire weather) warning for Houston area: What it means

HOUSTON - A red flag warning, or fire weather warning, is in effect for several Houston-area counties on Tuesday due to windy conditions and low humidity.

According to the National Weather Service, if dry grass or vegetation were to catch fire, it could rapidly grow and move quickly due to the conditions.

Red flag warning for Houston area

Local perspective:

The red flag warning is in effect for Madison, Walker, Brazos, Grimes, Montgomery, Waller, Harris, Fort Bend, Brazoria, Galveston, Jackson, Matagorda, Brazoria, Burleson, Washington, Colorado, Austin and Wharton counties. It generally includes areas along and west of I-45.

Timeline:

After the morning rain moves out, drier and windy conditions will move in.

The Red Flag Warning begins at 10 a.m. Tuesday. It remains in effect until 7 p.m.

By the numbers:

Winds could be around 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 45 mph, according to the NWS.

Relative humidity could be as low as 14% in some areas.

What is a Red Flag Warning?

Big picture view:

According to the National Weather Service, a red flag warning means there is an increased risk of fire danger due to a combination of warm temperatures, low humidity and stronger winds.

What you can do:

The National Weather Service says the public should take actions to avoid wildfires, including covering burn barrels, not throwing cigarettes or matches out of a moving vehicle, extinguishing outdoor fires properly and never leaving a fire unattended.

Dig deeper:

Find more red flag warning tips here.