Hazardous Weather Outlook Issued for Putnam

PUTNAM COUNTY, NY — The National Weather Service has issued a Hazardous Weather Outlook for Orange, Putnam, Rockland and northern Westchester counties. The NWS warns of an elevated risk for fire spread potential later this morning and afternoon.

A dry air mass will combine with increasing south to southwest winds to create conditions more conducive for fire spread late this morning and this afternoon. As temperatures warm through the 70s, and into the 80s over portions of the area, relative humidity is expected to decrease to 30 to 40 percent during this time, while wind gusts increase to 15 to 20 mph.

These conditions would likely aid fire spread if ignition occurs.

It's the second time in 2017 that brush fires have been a tangible threat for the lower Hudson Valley, which saw a rash of brush fires in March before the extended period of snow and rain.