LOCK HAVEN — A beautiful week is ahead after a long, cold winter — and many of us are looking forward to getting outside and cleaning up the debris in our yards, woodlots and so forth.

However, despite the clear, wonderful forecast, a wildfire danger lurks. Most of this is due to elevated wind speeds which are expected to continue through the week.

According to the National Weather Service, wind gusts between 20-30 miles per hour are forecast today, alongside a steady west-southwest breeze.

As of Monday afternoon, NWS meteorologists were not expecting a Fire Weather Watch, however, a Special Weather Statement noting the elevated fire danger was expected for most of Tuesday.

Expect unseasonably warm temperatures today, with the high pushing the 70-degree mark. A brief cold front will push through tomorrow, cooling temperatures to near 50, however, heating will resume almost immediately with the highs returning to the low-mid 60s in time for the weekend.

Speaking of the weekend, a potent system is forecast to hit this weekend, with preliminary storm totals around an inch of rain. Ahead of that storm, NWS is noting that tightening pressure gradients will keep the chances for strong winds elevated all week.

Later this week, closer to the storm’s arrival, NWS has noted the possibility of a wind advisory, although current forecasts are keeping the gusts a bit under the necessary criteria of sustained winds 31-39 mph for at least an hour and/or wind gusts of 46-57 mph.

Still, with warm days and relatively dry fuels, extreme caution is suggested if you intend on any burning-based clean-up.