It was a cold start to this Wednesday! Keep the heavier coat with you all day because high temperatures will stay mostly in the 40s. It is another dry day too with a lower rapid fire spread risk. It is still very dry, but the wind gusts today will be at worst 10 to 20 mph out of the north-northeast and not anywhere near the gusts from yesterday. This should give firefighters an opportunity to get a better handle on the Greenwood Lake area fire.

Air quality will be good away from the immediate area of any fires today.

Tonight into Thursday will be cold again with morning temperatures tomorrow mostly in the 20s. Thankfully, the wind will continue to be light tomorrow. The only change for Thursday is that it will be more of a cloudy day.

The fire spread risk will increase Friday and into the weekend as the wind picks up again. Especially on Saturday, the wind can gust between 20 and 40 mph again.

Drought conditions also continue with no major threats of rain. There may be a few showers on Monday with a steadier rain chance possible into the end of next week.

Have a nice and safe Wednesday!

FIRE SPREAD RISK: Much lower than yesterday, but it is still very dry. Open flames should not be used. Burn bans are in effect.

DROUGHT MONITOR: We are still in a "moderate drought" across the entire lower Hudson Valley.

LOCAL FOLIAGE: Widespread peak to past peak color with any leaves still left.

TROPICS: The National Hurricane Center is monitoring a potential area of development in the western and central Caribbean Sea, but no developed storms are active right now and there are certainly no threats to the lower Hudson Valley.

FORECAST:

TODAY: Mostly sunny and chilly with highs around 48 degrees. Breezy at times, but not nearly as windy as yesterday with a north-northeast wind around 5 to 15 mph with isolated gusts near 20 mph. Air quality is good away from the immediate surrounding area of any fires. The overall fire spread risk is lower than yesterday, but still exists due to very dry conditions.

TONIGHT: Bundle up again! Mostly clear and cold. Lows near 26 degrees with a light wind.

THURSDAY: Partly sunny to mostly cloudy. Highs around 47 degrees. Lows around 35 degrees.

FRIDAY: Sun and clouds and turning a bit more windy again. Highs around 55 degrees. Lows near 39 degrees.

SATURDAY: Sun and clouds, windy and a bit warmer with highs around 59 degrees. The fire spread risk will be much higher due to the increase in wind gusts between 20 and 40 mph. Lows near 42 degrees.

SUNDAY: Mostly sunny and breezy, but not as windy as Saturday with highs around 61 degrees. Lows near 42 degrees.

MONDAY: Mostly cloudy with a few rain showers possible. Highs around 59 degrees. Lows around 43 degrees.

TUESDAY: Sun and clouds. Highs near 59 degrees. Lows near