A large portion of northern Illinois was under a “red flag warning” Tuesday. But what does that mean? On Tuesday afternoon, WNIJ’s Susan Stephens called Northern Illinois University meteorologist Gilbert Sebenste to get an explanation.
Sebenste says a red flag warning is issued when high temperatures, low humidity, and winds combine to create a serious danger of brush or forest fires.
- Winds must exceed 15 mph
- Relative humidity has to be below 25%
- There must be at least a few weeks of very dry conditions
Listen to the interview with Sebenste to hear how to behave while under a red flag warning, as well his forecast for some relief this week.