The arrival of a dry cold front expected Thursday morning has prompted the National Weather Service to issue a fire weather watch for the Rio Grande Valley.
Humidity levels are expected to drop to below 25 percent in many areas.
That extreme dry air, coupled with high northwest winds and abundant fuel due to the recent hard freeze, were the reasons for the alert.
“Explosive spread and growth of any wildfires that are sparked can be expected with extremely dry and abundant fuels,” the alert reads.
The alert area covers Cameron, Willacy, Hidalgo, Kenedy, Jim Hogg, Brooks, Starr and Zapata counties. It goes into effect at 9 a.m. Thursday and will last until 6 p.m.
The front will be accompanied by winds out of the northwest between 15 and 30 mph, with gusts to around 40.
The weak cold front will barely change temperatures this week, however, with the forecast for highs Thursday, Friday and Saturday at around 80, with lows in the lower 60s.
Outdoor burning is not recommended during the fire alert watch period.
