[BNAWX] Public Information Statement

[EMWIN Server]

AXUS44 KOHX 081305
PNSBNA
TNZ005>011-022>034-056>066-075-077>080-093>095-082300-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN
800 AM CDT FRI OCT 8 2004

FIRE WEATHER/FIRE PREVENTION AWARENESS WEEK CONCLUDES TODAY WITH A
LOOK AT OUR FALL AND SPRING FIRE WEATHER SEASONS.

AS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES AND HIGH WIND
SPEEDS ARE TWO KEY INGREDIENTS WHICH ACT TO INCREASE THE DEGREE OF
FIRE DANGER. THESE TWO WEATHER INGREDIENTS COMBINED WITH DRIER
VEGETATION ARE MOST PREVALENT DURING THE FALL AND SPRING FIRE
WEATHER SEASONS.

THE FALL FIRE WEATHER SEASON RUNS FROM OCTOBER 15TH UNTIL DECEMBER
15TH. CLIMATOLOGICALLY FOR TENNESSEE...THE MONTHS WHICH LEAD INTO AND
START THE FALL SEASON...SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER...ARE GENERALLY THE
DRIEST MONTHS OF THE YEAR. DURING THIS TIME OF YEAR TEMPERATURES ARE
COOLING OFF. THIS SERVES TO REDUCE THE THREAT OF HEAVIER SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS WHICH ARE USUALLY DRIVEN BY WARMER SURFACE
TEMPERATURES. ALSO...THE JET STREAM...WHERE THE BETTER ORGANIZED
WEATHER SYSTEMS RESIDE...IS LOCATED WELL NORTH OF TENNESSEE.

TYPICALLY...IN THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER...THE VEGETATION BEGINS TO DRY
OUT. BY OCTOBER...A COMBINATION OF DRIER VEGETATION AND THE END OF
THE GROWING SEASON COULD LEAD TO AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF HIGHER FIRE
DANGER.

CLIMATOLOGICAL RECORDS FOR NASHVILLE INDICATE THAT THE TOP 10 DRIEST
MONTHS ON RECORD GENERALLY OCCURRED IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER.  IN
FACT...AN AVERAGE OF ONLY .20 INCHES OR LESS OF RAIN FELL DURING
THESE RECORD BREAKING MONTHS.

THE SPRING FIRE WEATHER SEASON BEGINS ON FEBRUARY 15TH AND LASTS
UNTIL MAY 1ST. AS WE GET INTO LATE FEBRUARY AND MARCH...MOST OF THE
VEGETATION IS STILL DORMANT AND TEMPERATURES ARE BEGINNING TO WARM.
THE WARMER TEMPERATURES SERVE TO INCREASE THE SURFACE EVAPORATION
RATE THEREBY KEEPING THE VEGETATION RATHER DRY. FURTHERMORE...IT IS
NOW CLOSE TO KITE FLYING WEATHER AND SOON THE MARCH WINDS WILL BEGIN
TO BLOW. WITH THESE INGREDIENTS IN PLACE...ELEVATED LEVELS OF FIRE
DANGER CAN OCCUR.

IN CONCLUSION...THOUGH WE HAVE DISCUSSED THE SEASONAL IMPACTS OF
WEATHER ON FIRES...KEEP IN MIND THAT FIRES CAN OCCUR AT ANY TIME OF
THE YEAR. WE SHOULD ALWAYS STRIVE TO STAY EDUCATED. BUT MOST
IMPORTANTLY...BE CAREFUL AND PLAY BY THE RULES.

FOR ADDITIONAL FIRE WEATHER INFORMATION...PLEASE GO TO THE FOLLOWING
WEBSITE: WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/OHX/FIREWX.HTM.

$$

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