Forecast First Alert: High winds, increased wildfire danger Saturday

Forecast First Alert issued due to wind gusts

A Forecast First Alert has been issued for Saturday due to strong wind gusts and elevated fire risk.

Minnesota’s Weather Authority has issued a Forecast First Alert for Saturday due to high winds and an increased wildfire risk.

Wind gusts as high as 45 mph are expected throughout the day Saturday, particularly in the afternoon hours.

Those conditions will also create a dangerous environment for wildfires.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has already implemented burning restrictions in several parts of the state and notes that around half of Minnesota is already in “high” fire danger areas, including parts of the Twin Cities metro area and a large portion of south and western Minnesota. Click here for more details from the DNR. The Wisconsin DNR has also cited a high fire danger this weekend and urged people to avoid burning anything.

Winds are expected to stick around on Sunday, although they won’t be quite as strong, although they’ll make for a chilly St. Patrick’s Day. Temperatures will also continue to decline over the weekend before rebounding next week.

Click here for the latest forecast from Minnesota’s Weather Authority.