What is a Red Flag Warning and why is Chicago under a Red Flag Warning?

Chicagoans, prepare for some pretty strange weather conditions.

Today could make history with temperatures about 20 degrees above average, reaching the lows and mid 80s.

As exciting as a warm day out might sound, the gusty winds we're dealing with, combined with said heat, can create a fire hazard – which is why authorities have issued a red flag warning. The latter is a forecast note issued by the National Weather Service that informs about the possibility of “burning and rapid spread of wildfires.” That actually sounds frightening.

“A red flag warning means that critical fire weather conditions are occurring either now or soon,” the National Weather Service said in an official statement. “A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior.”

Winds were blowing around 30 miles per hour in some areas this morning and that number has only increased since then.

The “Red Happy Warning” is in effect for parts of the area until 9:00 p.m. this evening. So you should stay indoors until then.

But we're not done yet: Lest you think you can enjoy a non-cold Halloween, think again. By Thursday, temperatures are expected to drop by around 15 degrees. To be honest, we're not all that unhappy about all of this: it'll still be relatively mild this evening, and a nice Chicago breeze to cool us off from our sweaty costumes is just what we need.