National weather service warns of ‘elevated fire concerns’ in CT Monday

The National Weather Service is warning of elevated fire weather concerns in parts of Connecticut on Monday afternoon.

The weather service issued a special weather statement on Sunday, advising Connecticut residents that as temperatures rise into the low to mid 50s Monday afternoon, concerns for fire weather could increase as well.

On Sunday, the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection placed the forest fire danger at high. The agency said the danger was moderate in eastern New London and castern Windham counties and high in all other areas.

According to the NWS, Fire Weather Watches are issued anytime an area has been dry for long period amount of time, or for a shorter period during “spring green-up,” the National Fire Danger Rating System is high to extreme, and critical weather conditions are expected within 48 hours.

In the statement issued Sunday, the NWS said a dry air mass for late March will be over the Connecticut region Monday and minimum relative humidities will drop near or below 30 percent.

Combined with increasing west winds of 20 to 25 mph, fire weather concerns will be elevated for Hartford, Windsor Locks, Union, Vernon, Putnam and Willimantic, the NWS said.