Why Is Illinois Under A Red Flag Warning & What Does It Mean?

Parts of Illinois are under a Red Flag Warning and if you're wondering what it means, so am I.  You are not alone!

Remember when Illinois was under a squall advisory?  Nobody knew what it meant and there were so many memes circulating the internet about it lol.

A squall: "an intense, but limited duration, period of moderate to heavy snowfall, accompanied by strong, gusty surface winds and possibly lightning" [NWS]

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Well, now we have another term a lot of Illinoisans are questioning.

What the heck is a RED FLAG WARNING and why is it in Illinois?

Since the weather has taken a drastic turn from winter to summer (yeah, spring seemed to be skipped this year), the National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning and here's all you need to know:

"A red flag warning is issued when the risk of fire danger is highest. 

These often include the presence of dry fuels and weather conditions like warm temperatures, low humidity and strong winds." [Weather.com]

Even though it's probably unlikely a fire will start anywhere near you, it's always better to know what could potentially happen.

Read More: Illinois Meteorologist's Pregnancy Announcment is too Cute 

If you live near fields of tons of forests, take extra precautions.  You're definitely more prone to fires with the dry heat.

This Red Flag Warning is different from a Fire Weather Watch, though.  Don't get them confused!

A Fire Weather Watch is issued up to 72 hours before the conditions are expected to occur.  Red Flag Warnings are issued when conditions are expected to happen or are occurring within 24 hours.

Read More: What Does A Fire Weather Watch Mean For Illinois? 

If you live in Illinois, make sure to always stay in the know on the Weather App on your phone or your local news stations!