Red flag warning issued for Northern California. What’s the fire risk in Stanislaus County?

High winds and dry conditions have led to heightened fire risks across much of interior Northern California, including Stanislaus County, according to the National Weather Service.

The weather agency issued a red flag warning for Stanislaus County in effect from 11 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 17, to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19.

Other affected areas include the counties of San Joaquin, Butte, Sacramento and Solano.

Here’s what Stanislaus County residents can expect:

What does red flag warning mean for Stanislaus County?

The weather agency upgraded Stanislaus County’s fire weather watch to a red flag warning on Tuesday, Oct. 15, due to gusty winds and low humidity.

“The combination of gusty wind and low humidity can cause new fire starts and ongoing wildfires to rapidly grow in size and intensity,” the weather agency said.

The red flag warning predicts daytime humidity will drop to between 10% and 25%, with evening levels rising to 50%.

Wind advisory issued for Stanislaus County

On Tuesday, the National Weather Service also issued a wind advisory for Stanislaus County from 11 p.m. Thursday to 11 p.m. Friday.

The agency is predicting winds between 20 and 30 mph, with gusts reaching up to 55 mph.

“Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result,” the weather agency said. “Winds this strong can make driving difficult, especially for high profile vehicles. Use extra caution.”

Is there still rain in the weather forecast?

The latest forecast from the National Weather Service indicates that rain is on the way to areas across Northern California, including Modesto.

The incoming weather system is expected to sweep through the region starting Wednesday, Oct. 16, the weather agency said on X, formerly called Twitter.

“The next system is expected to move through mid week bringing shower and isolated mountain thunderstorm chances” to the interior of Northern California on Wednesday into Thursday, the weather agency said on X.

In Modesto, there’s a 20% chance of rain on Wednesday.

On Thursday, there is a 10% chance of rain.

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