The National Weather Service says the risk of wildfires is elevated today.
As it has several times so far this fall, the Weather Service office in Pleasant Hill today posted a statement saying high winds coupled with dry, warm conditions mean a high danger of fires this afternoon.
Both the city of Independence and the Central Jackson County Fire Protection District, which serves Blue Springs and Grain Valley, have had burn bans in effect for some time.
The Weather Service advises people to avoid outdoor burning if at all possible and urges extra caution when dealing with flammable materials and harvest machinery.
The fire-danger statement covers the entire Kansas City area and beyond: everything in Missouri west of Branson, Sedalia and Kirksville plus all of the Kansas counties that border Missouri.
In Eastern Jackson County, the high today is expected to be 76, and the winds of 18 to 24 mph could gust to 36 mph. Humidity remains low.
Some relief is coming. Clouds roll in tonight, and there’s an 80 percent chance of rain Wednesday, perhaps up to a quarter of an inch. It’ll be colder, with a high Wednesday of 61, and the rain might even turn to snow overnight. Thursday brings a return to this fall’s pattern of clear weather but with a high of just 50, followed by highs of 55 Friday and 62 Saturday.
National Weather Service, Pleasant Hill: www.weather.gov/kc
