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High winds and record-setting temperatures cause weather concerns across the Midwest

The Associate Director of the Midwest Regional Climate Center says record-setting temperatures and high winds ahead of a cold front are increasing the risk for severe weather this week. 

Melissa Widhelm says parts of the Plains and Midwest regions are 20 to 35 degrees above average for this time of year, prompting Red Flag Warnings to take effect on Tuesday.

“Paired with the lack of rainfall that we’ve seen and the really low humidity value, there’s not a lot of moisture in the air and then you crank up those winds,” she says. “That puts us at a serious risk of fire spreading if it’s ignited, so people need to be extra careful about the high fire risks.”

She tells Brownfield drought conditions have intensified.

“It really stepped up in October,” she says. “We’re talking about record or near record dryness to start this month and into the the whole month of October.”

Widhelm says La Nina could cause weather shifts this winter.

“We’re looking at conditions in the Equatorial Pacific to see what kind of impact it could have on increasing our precipitation amounts and keeping our temperatures a little warmer than usual,” she says.

Widhelm says there is a possibility of severe weather throughout the week with above average temperatures. Expected rainfall could relieve dry conditions and elevated fire risks on Wednesday night.

AUDIO: Melissa Widhelm, Midwest Regional Climate Center