Residents of Northeast Urged to Be Aware of Wildfire Danger

The threat of wildfires will remain elevated in the Northeast in the days ahead as the mercury will once again be on the upswing. Here is a look at what you need to be aware of heading into the weekend and the new week.

Conditions Ripe for Wildfire Development in the Northeast

The lack of moisture, unseasonably warm temperatures, and windy conditions will amplify the threat of wildfires through the end of October in the northeastern U.S. After a brief cooldown, the temperatures will start to climb upward again and raise concerns for wildfire danger.

Saturday will bring gusty winds, ample sunshine, and low humidity throughout much of the mid-Atlantic and up into New England. These are the same types of conditions that laid the groundwork for the Hawthorne Fire to ignite in Connecticut earlier in the week.

A cold front pushing through the Northeast to start the week will trigger the breezy conditions. Unfortunately for the parched region, this cold front is not packing a significant amount of moisture, exacerbating the already record dryness across the region.

It has been well documented in recent days that neither New York City nor Philadelphia have recorded any measurable rain this month. Measurable rain is defined as rainfall of 0.01 of an inch or greater. This drought has put both major metro areas on pace to record the driest month in recorded history.