Warm weather, low humidity lead to fire weather watch in Chicago area

The Chicago area is going to see well-above-average temperatures on Wednesday, but that taste of spring will also come with an elevated chance of brush fires.

The National Weather Service has issued a fire weather watch for the entire Chicago area beginning Wednesday morning and lasting until the evening hours.

According to the NBC 5 Storm Team, high temperatures Wednesday will rise into the mid-to-upper 60s, well above their seasonal averages.

Forecasts indicate those temperatures will be accompanied by ferocious wind gusts, which could exceed 40 miles per hour at times. Sustained winds of 15-to-25 miles per hour are also expected.

Finally, relative humidity Wednesday is expected to only be around 15% on Wednesday, meaning that the air will be extremely dry.

Those conditions all stacked upon one another will make things dangerous if any fires start in the area, with fires rapidly spreading according to officials.

Outdoor burning is strongly discouraged, and the National Weather Service is alerting residents that a red flag warning could be issued if conditions dictate.

Winds are expected to ease Thursday, but a chance of showers and strong thunderstorms will emerge in the forecast, dropping temperatures back toward their seasonal averages by the weekend.