Fire Weather Watch Declared for Thursday Afternoon

A heat wave combined with windy conditions has caused the National Weather Service to issue a watch for Thursday.

A fire weather watch will be in effect Thursday afternoon for a chunk of the South Plains, due to high winds and low relative humidity.

The fire weather watch will be in effect for Lubbock, Parmer, Castro, Swisher, Bailey, Lamb, Hale, Cochran, Hockley, Yoakum, Terry, and Lynn Counties.

The minimum relative humidity for the area is expected to be around 5 to 10 percent, and sustained winds of 20 miles per hour or greater are expected, with the greatest threat peaking in the late afternoon and early evening hours.

Outdoor burning is not recommended, since any fires that develop are likely to spread rapidly.