High wind warning issued for much of northern Red River region

Expect sustained southerly winds near 40 mph with gusts as high as 50 mph for much of this afternoon and early evening, the National Weather Service cautions.

A high wind warning has been issued from 11 this morning until 9 tonight.

Red flag warnings about the potential danger of wildfires are in effect for areas on the fringe of the Red River region, including Bottineau, Towner, Pierce and Rollette counties in north-central Minnesota and Minnesota's Beltrami, Clearwater, Mahnomen and Lake of the Woods counties.

Here's the weather service statement on the high wind warning:

...VERY STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS TODAY...

.A VIGOROUS LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE ACROSS THE NORTHERN

PLAINS TODAY...RESULTING IN VERY STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS. WINDS

APPROACHING 30 MPH AT TIMES EARLY THIS MORNING WILL INCREASE

DRAMATICALLY LATE THIS MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON ACROSS EASTERN

NORTH DAKOTA INTO PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL

MINNESOTA. SUSTAINED WINDS NEAR 40 MPH WITH GUSTS AS HIGH AS 50

MPH ARE EXPECTED FOR MUCH OF THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING IN

THESE AREAS.

FARTHER EAST AND ACROSS TOWNER COUNTY...WINDS WILL NOT BE QUITE AS

STRONG...BUT STILL INCREASE TO NEAR 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 45 MPH

THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING.

WEST POLK-NORMAN-CLAY-KITTSON-ROSEAU-WEST MARSHALL-EAST MARSHALL-

PENNINGTON-RED LAKE-EAST POLK-WILKIN-CAVALIER-PEMBINA-BENSON-

RAMSEY-EASTERN WALSH-EDDY-NELSON-GRAND FORKS-GRIGGS-STEELE-TRAILL-

BARNES-CASS-RANSOM-SARGENT-RICHLAND-WESTERN WALSH-

INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CROOKSTON...EAST GRAND FORKS...

HALSTAD...MOORHEAD...HALLOCK...ROSEAU...WARREN...NEWFOLDEN...

THIEF RIVER FALLS...RED LAKE FALLS...FOSSTON...BRECKENRIDGE...

LANGDON...CAVALIER...MADDOCK...LEEDS...DEVILS LAKE...GRAFTON...

NEW ROCKFORD...LAKOTA...GRAND FORKS...COOPERSTOWN...FINLEY...

MAYVILLE...VALLEY CITY...FARGO...LISBON...GWINNER...WAHPETON...

ADAMS

...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 9 PM

CDT THIS EVENING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND FORKS HAS ISSUED A HIGH

WIND WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 9 PM

CDT THIS EVENING. THE HIGH WIND WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* SOUTHERLY WINDS NEAR 40 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED

THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

* WAVES OF 3 TO 6 FEET MAY BE GENERATED IN THE DEVILS LAKE BASIN

AND RESULT IN ROADBED EROSION IN SUSCEPTIBLE AREAS INTO THIS

EVENING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A HIGH WIND WARNING MEANS A HAZARDOUS HIGH WIND EVENT IS EXPECTED

OR OCCURRING. SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS OF AT LEAST 40 MPH OR GUSTS

OF 58 MPH OR MORE CAN LEAD TO PROPERTY DAMAGE.