Strong winds prompt Charlotte fire-danger warning. Avoid outdoor burning, NWS advises
Expected strong winds prompted a fire-danger warning in the Charlotte area on Saturday.
“Outdoor burning is discouraged,” according to a special weather statement at 8:30 a.m. by the National Weather Service office in Greer, S.C.
NWS meteorologists issued the warning for Mecklenburg and surrounding counties, the N.C. foothills and parts of the N.C. mountains, including Asheville.
Winds with 36-mph gusts are forecast at Charlotte’s airport Saturday morning and afternoon, according to the 10 a.m. NWS forecast.
Gusts under 40 mph don’t generally knock down trees onto power lines, but recent rains could have loosened the soil enough so that dead trees could fall, NWS meteorologist Ashley Pratt said on Saturday morning.
The winds, combined with relatively low humidity, pose the increased fire danger risk especially from 2 to 8 p.m., meteorologists said in the statement.
Charlotte otherwise is expected to be partly cloudy with a predicted high of 76 degrees Saturday, according to the forecast.
Sunday and Monday should be sunny, with respective highs of 66 and 70 degrees, the forecast shows.
Clouds are predicted to roll in on Tuesday, while Wednesday has an 80% chance of showers, according to the forecast. Tuesday’s high could reach 72 and Wednesday’s 70, meteorologists said.
This story was originally published March 19, 2022 at 11:00 AM.