Hazardous Weather Outlook for Rabun County

The National Weather Service in Greenville and Spartanburg, South Carolina has issued an increased fire danger from noon through Friday evening, April 23, for piedmont North Carolina, western North Carolina, upstate South Carolina, and northeast Georgia, including Rabun County.  A dry air mass will linger across the western Carolinas and northeast Georgia through Friday evening. With low surface dew points persisting, relative humidity values of 25 to 30 percent are likely this afternoon. Brush and other small fuels remain quite dry and the risk of fire danger will be enhanced through the afternoon and into the evening.  Please refer to your local burn permitting authorities on whether you can burn. If you do burn, use extreme caution as fires can quickly get out of hand under these conditions.  In addition, strong to severe thunderstorms will be possible on Saturday.  Damaging winds, locally heavy rainfall, cloud-to-ground lightning, and an isolated tornado will be possible. Please continue to monitor the forecast leading up to the event.