...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FOR NORTHEAST AND EAST CENTRAL NEW MEXICO FROM 12 PM TO 8 PM TODAY DUE TO STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY... ...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FOR NORTHEAST, CENTRAL, AND EAST CENTRAL NEW MEXICO FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING DUE TO STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY... .Strong southwest winds and low humidity returns to northeast and east-central New Mexico today. Four to nine hours of single- digit humidity will be present for many areas with strong southwesterly winds gusting 35 to 45 mph focused over the northeastern quadrant of New Mexico this afternoon. West to southwest winds increase Friday with gusts up to 50 mph. Four to six hours of single-digit humidity will be present again in areas with strong winds. Any new fire starts will be able to spread rapidly. * AREA AND TIMING...Northeast Plains and Highlands (Zones 104 and 123), Central Highlands (Zone 125), and East Central Plains (Zone 126). For Thursday, 12 PM through 8 PM MDT. For Friday, 10 AM through 8 PM MDT. * 20 FOOT WINDS...For Thursday, southwest winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 45 mph. For Friday, west to southwest winds 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 55 mph. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...For Thursday, minimum values of 5 to 9 percent. For Friday, minimum values of 8 to 12 percent. * IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly. Outdoor burning is not recommended.

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FOR NORTHEAST AND EAST CENTRAL NEW MEXICO FROM 12 PM TO 8 PM TODAY DUE TO STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY... ...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FOR NORTHEAST, CENTRAL, AND EAST CENTRAL NEW MEXICO FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING DUE TO STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY... .Strong southwest winds and low humidity returns to northeast and east-central New Mexico today. Four to nine hours of single- digit humidity will be present for many areas with strong southwesterly winds gusting 35 to 45 mph focused over the northeastern quadrant of New Mexico this afternoon. West to southwest winds increase Friday with gusts up to 50 mph. Four to six hours of single-digit humidity will be present again in areas with strong winds. Any new fire starts will be able to spread rapidly. * AREA AND TIMING...Northeast Plains and Highlands (Zones 104 and 123), Central Highlands (Zone 125), and East Central Plains (Zone 126). For Thursday, 12 PM through 8 PM MDT. For Friday, 10 AM through 8 PM MDT. * 20 FOOT WINDS...For Thursday, southwest winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 45 mph. For Friday, west to southwest winds 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 55 mph. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...For Thursday, minimum values of 5 to 9 percent. For Friday, minimum values of 8 to 12 percent. * IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly. Outdoor burning is not recommended.

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY FRIDAY EVENING FOR 20-FT WINDS ABOVE 20 MPH, RELATIVE HUMIDITY BELOW 15%, AND HIGH FIRE DANGER FOR SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO, THE SACRAMENTO FOOTHILLS, GUADALUPE AND DELAWARE MOUNTAINS, EASTERN CULBERSON COUNTY AND THE NORTHWEST PERMIAN BASIN... The National Weather Service in Midland/Odessa has issued a Fire Weather Watch for wind and low relative humidity, which is in effect from Friday afternoon through Friday evening. * WINDS...West 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph. Higher winds and gusts in the mountains. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 6 percent. * RFTI...6 or critical. * IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly. Outdoor burning is not recommended. * SEVERITY... FUELS (ERC)...50th-69th percentile...3 (out of 5). WEATHER...Critical...3 (out of 5). FIRE ENVIRONMENT...7 (out of 10).

...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS POSSIBLE FOR SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO ON FRIDAY... Thursday will set the stage as relative humidity values drop close to 5 percent and winds become breezy, resulting in elevated to near-critical fire weather conditions. Dry and breezy to windy conditions are forecast on Friday as an upper-level trough swings through the Rockies. West-southwest winds increase to 15 to 25 mph during the day with gusts to 35 mph in the afternoon. Relative humidity values fall to about 10 percent on Friday. Widespread tree mortality and dieback fuels will increase the wildfire risk in both the Gila and Lincoln National Forests as ERCs deteriorate towards the 90th percentile through Thursday. The National Weather Service in El Paso Tx/Santa Teresa has issued a Fire Weather Watch, which is in effect from Friday afternoon through Friday evening. * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zone 110 Southwest Mountains/Gila NF/Apache NF/GLZ, Fire Weather Zone 111 Southwest Deserts and Lowlands/Las Cruces BLM/GLZ, Fire Weather Zone 112 South Central Lowlands and Southern Rio Grande Valley/BLM/GLZ and Fire Weather Zone 113 Capitan and Sacramento Mountains/Lincoln NF/LNZ. * TIMING...From noon to 8 PM Friday. * WINDS...West 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 35 mph. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 9 percent. * EXPERIMENTAL RFTI...3 to 5, or Near Critical to Critical. * IMPACTS...any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly. Outdoor burning is not recommended.