DELMARVA - Tuesday will begin with dry and mild before winds strengthen and humidity drops, creating another day of elevated fire weather concern across southern Delaware.
Southwest winds will increase Tuesday to 10 to 20 mph, with gusts of 25 to 35 mph. Humidity during the warmest part of the day is expected to fall into the 25% to 30% range in many areas, while fuel moisture may decrease because of significant heating and a gusty breeze.
Inland Sussex County, including Georgetown, is expected to be mostly clear Tuesday with a high near 82. Afternoon humidity could drop to about 29%, with southwest winds gusting near 31 mph. No rain is expected Tuesday or Tuesday night, meaning grasses, brush and other fine fuels will remain dry.
The beaches will be slightly more humid, but still breezy. Rehoboth Beach is forecast to reach the upper 70s Tuesday, with south to southwest winds gusting over 30 mph at times. Even with higher coastal humidity, gusty winds could help any fire spread if one starts.
The fire risk is not expected to reach all-out critical levels everywhere, but conditions will be supportive of fire spread, especially away from the immediate coast. The concern comes as Sussex County remains in drought, with Drought.gov reporting that all residents in the county are affected by drought and that March ranked as the 13th driest on record for the county.
Clouds will increase late Tuesday night into early Wednesday as a cold front approaches from the west. Early Wednesday morning should mark the transition toward a wetter pattern, but meaningful drought relief is more likely later Wednesday into Wednesday night and Thursday, when showers are expected to become more widespread.
The rain will be beneficial after the recent dry stretch, but one round of showers will not erase the longer-term drought. Until the rain arrives, residents should avoid outdoor burning, secure anything that could spark a fire and use extra caution with equipment, vehicles and discarded smoking materials.
