Morehead City, NC — A combination of strong winds, very low relative humidity, and ongoing drought stress will create dangerous fire weather conditions across eastern North Carolina this afternoon. The National Weather Service warns that a dry cold front crossing the region early to mid-afternoon will dramatically increase the risk of fires starting and spreading rapidly.
As the front passes, winds will shift sharply from the west to the northwest and increase to 10–20 mph, with gusts reaching 25–35 mph. These gusts are capable of quickly pushing flames through dry vegetation, especially in areas where drought continues to impact fuel moisture. Even small sparks from outdoor equipment, power tools, or improperly discarded cigarette butts could ignite fires that are difficult to control.
Relative humidity values will fall into the 25–35% range—low enough to dry out surface fuels like grass, brush, and fallen leaves during the warmest part of the afternoon. These factors make the environment especially receptive to fire spread, even in locations that do not typically experience frequent wildfire risk.
Several counties across eastern North Carolina, particularly those north and west of Morehead City, are under a Red Flag Warning, indicating that the combination of weather conditions and fuels meets critical fire-weather criteria. Areas farther south and east remain under an Increased Fire Danger Statement, meaning conditions are hazardous but not yet at warning-level thresholds.
Residents, visitors, and outdoor workers should avoid any form of outdoor burning today. This includes yard debris burning, fire pits, bonfires, and agricultural burns. Those operating vehicles, machinery, or tools that could generate sparks should take extra caution. The National Weather Service also urges people to refrain from discarding cigarettes or matches outdoors.
Conditions are expected to improve this evening as humidity slowly recovers and winds diminish. Until then, the region should remain alert and exercise caution to prevent accidental fire starts during this period of heightened danger.
