000 FLUS42 KJAX 231200 HWOJAX HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL 800 AM EDT WED MAY 23 2007 FLZ020>025-030>033-035>038-040-GAZ132>136-149>154-162>166-231600- ALACHUA-APPLING-ATKINSON-BACON-BAKER-BRADFORD-BRANTLEY- CAMDEN (COASTAL)-CAMDEN (INLAND)-CHARLTON-CLAY-CLINCH-COFFEE- COLUMBIA-DUVAL-ECHOLS-FLAGLER-GILCHRIST-GLYNN (COASTAL)- GLYNN (INLAND)-HAMILTON-JEFF DAVIS-MARION-NASSAU-PIERCE-PUTNAM- ST JOHNS-SUWANNEE-UNION-WARE-WAYNE- 800 AM EDT WED MAY 23 2007 THIS OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST FLORIDA AND SOUTHEAST GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT... ...RED FLAG WARNING FOR ALACHUA...COLUMBIA...GILCHRIST...HAMILTON... MARION AND SUWANNEE COUNTIES. ...LAKE WIND ADVISORY FOR COASTAL COUNTIES OF NORTHEAST FLORIDA AND SOUTHEAST GEORGIA AS WELL AS CLAY AND PUTNAM COUNTIES FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 7 PM EDT THIS EVENING... ...MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS WITH INCREASING SURF... .WILDFIRE IMPACT... EASTERLY WINDS OF 15 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 25 MPH WHEN COMBINED WITH LOW AFTERNOON RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL LEAD TO CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS OVER THE SUWANNEE VALLEY AS WELL AS ALACHUA AND MARION COUNTIES. THESE WEATHER CONDITIONS FAVOR TO RAPID FIRE SPREAD AND PERSONS IN OR NEAR WOODED AREA SHOULD EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION TODAY. SEVERAL LARGE WILDFIRES CONTINUE ACROSS THE AREA WITH EASTERLY WINDS PUSHING SMOKE TO THE WEST OF THE FIRES. RESIDENTS ARE URGED TO FOLLOW THE ADVICE OF LOCAL AUTHORITIES. PEOPLE WITH RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS AND THE ELDERLY SHOULD REMAIN INDOORS IN AREAS WITH THICK SMOKE. .WIND IMPACT... STRONG EASTERLY WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED OVER THE AREA TODAY. THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE NEAR THE EAST COAST WITH SPEEDS OF 20 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 30 MPH. .RIP CURRENT IMPACT... A MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS IS EXPECTED TODAY AT AREA BEACHES. BREAKERS WILL LIKELY INCREASE TO THE 3 TO 5 FOOT RANGE BY LATE THIS AFTERNOON. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY... GUSTY EASTERLY WINDS WILL CONTINUE ON THURSDAY ALTHOUGH AFTERNOON RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES WILL INCREASE SOMEWHAT. SMOKE FROM WILDFIRES WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT AREAS TO THE WEST OF THE FIRES DUE TO THE PERSISTENT EASTERLY FLOW THROUGH THE PERIOD. DUE TO THE WINDS AND BUILDING EASTERLY SWELLS AN ELEVATED RISK OF RIP CURRENTS IS EXPECTED THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK. SURF CONDITIONS WILL BECOME DANGEROUS AS BREAKERS CONTINUE TO INCREASE THURSDAY AND FRIDAY...AND A HIGH SURF ADVISORY MAY BE REQUIRED BY THURSDAY. MINOR BEACH EROSION AND MINOR COASTAL FLOODING WILL BE POSSIBLE AROUND THE TIMES OF HIGH TIDE. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT REQUESTED AT THIS TIME. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...VISIT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN JACKSONVILLE WEBSITE ON THE INTERNET AT WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/JAX. $$ SANDRIK