Special Weather Statement Issued for Connecticut

As temperatures rise into the 80s today in Connecticut, the National Weather Service has issued a "Special Weather Statement" for the entire state. The advisory is for an enhanced risk of fire spread this afternoon, the weather service cautions.

In its Special Weather Statement for Southern Connecticut, the weather service says, "Wind gusts late this morning through early this evening will increase to around 20 to 30 mph as relative humidities fall to around 30 percent. This will continue to dry the fine fuels over southeast New York and southern Connecticut, resulting in an enhanced risk for fire spread today across these areas.

And for Hartford, Tolland and Windham counties, the weather service says, "Mid to upper 80 high temperatures combined with low to mid 40 dewpoints will yield relative humidity values around 20 to 25 percent towards late morning into afternoon. In addition to southwest winds sustained 15 to 20 mph with gusts upwards of 30 mph, there is an elevated fire weather potential and the possibility that weather conditions may warrant a red flag. Please use extreme caution if burning today."

For Litchfield County, the weather service says, "Mid 80 degree high temperatures combined with low to mid 40 degree dew point temperatures will yield relative humidity values around 20 to 25 percent towards late morning into the afternoon. In addition, sustained southwest winds of 15 to 20 mph with gusts upwards of 30 mph are possible, yielding an elevated fire weather risk today."

Temps today will be 20 degrees above normal with most of the state ending up in the 80s. "Warm temperatures will continue into the overnight hours, with lows only falling into the mid 60s across urban areas and the upper 50s to lower 60s elsewhere."

"Clouds will gradually increase during the day on Thursday as a cold front begins to approach from the west and the high to our south slowly moves offshore. This will result in a chance for showers and thunderstorms Thursday afternoon....," the National Weather Service says.

And then there is this too.

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Here is the updated weather forecast for Southern Connecticut:

Today: Sunny, with a high near 81. Southwest wind 5 to 15 mph.

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 62. Southwest wind 6 to 11 mph.

Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 81. Southwest wind 7 to 13 mph.

Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. Southwest wind 6 to 8 mph.

Friday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 80. Southwest wind 9 to 14 mph.

Friday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 58.

Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 70.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 54.

Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 64.

Here is the updated weather forecast for Northern Connecticut:

Today: Sunny, with a high near 88. Southwest wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 63. Southwest wind 5 to 11 mph.

Thursday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Some of the storms could produce gusty winds. Partly sunny, with a high near 87. Southwest wind 5 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Thursday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 67. Southwest wind 5 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Friday: A chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 10am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 83. Light southwest wind increasing to 5 to 9 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Friday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before midnight, then a slight chance of showers between midnight and 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 56. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 75.

Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 55.

Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 71.