Wildfire in Florida, May 19, 2001

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
950 AM EDT SAT MAY 19 2001

PILOT REPORTS FROM INTERIOR SOUTH FLORIDA SHOW VISIBILITIES UP
ALMOST TO 5 THOUSAND FEET REDUCED TO 4 TO 5 MILES IN SMOKE GENERALLY
FROM LAKE OKEECHOBEE WEST TO THE FORT MYERS AND NAPLES AREAS. THIS
SMOKE AREA WILL DISPERSE MORE AS THE GROUND HEATS UP TODAY.
AFTERNOON SEA BREEZES SHOULD CONFINE SMOKE FROM AREA FIRES TO THE
INTERIOR SECTIONS BUT IT WILL LIKELY BE DETECTABLE AGAIN TONIGHT IN
THE METRO AREAS OF THE GULF AND ATLANTIC COASTS.

THIS MORNINGS SOUNDING IS NOT AS DRY AS LAST NIGHTS...PRECIPITABLE
WATER IS UP FROM 0.5 INCH TO 0.9 INCH...SO MORE CUMULUS CLOUDS
LIKELY TODAY AND WHERE SEA BREEZES COLLIDE AN ISOLATED SHORT LIVED
SHOWER COULD DEVELOP I GUESS BUT CERTAINLY STILL VERY DRY.

FOR THE COASTAL ZONES...MINOR UPDATES FOR WIND DIRECTION
ANTICIPATED AS WIND CONTINUES SOUTHEAST AT 10 KNOTS OR LESS.

FOR FIRE WEATHER, FIRE DANGER REMAINS HIGH INTERIOR COUNTIES AS
RELATIVE HUMIDITY PLUNGES BELOW 35 PERCENT BEGINNING AROUND NOON AND
ENDING AROUND 5 PM FOR GLADES...HENDRY...INTERIOR COLLIER...WESTERN
PALM BEACH...AND WESTERN BROWARD COUNTIES. SEAS BREEZES SHOULD KEEP
COASTAL AREAS ABOVE 35 PERCENT.

.MIA...RED FLAG WARNING INTERIOR COUNTIES TODAY.
       FIRE WEATHER WATCH INTERIOR SECTIONS SUNDAY AFTERNOON.