Red Flag Warning
URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGENATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA
856 AM PDT SAT AUG 10 2013
...ABUNDANT LIGHTNING EXPECTED FOR MUCH OF WESTERN WASHINGTON
THROUGH SUNDAY...
.AN UPPER LOW NEAR THE FAR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA COAST THIS
MORNING WILL SLOWLY MOVE DUE NORTH THIS WEEKEND...REACHING A
LOCATION JUST OFF THE WASINGTON COAST LATE SUNDAY. THE LOW CENTER
WILL BRING SOUTHEAST FLOW ALOFT...ALLOWING THUNDERSTORMS WHICH
DEVELOP OVER THE CASCADES TO MOVE WEST INTO THE LOWLANDS. IN
FACT...A NEAR-REPEAT OF LAST NIGHT`S LIGHTING IS POSSIBLE AGAIN
TONIGHT. THE AIR MASS WILL START TO DRY ON SUNDAY AFTEROON
WAZ656>659-662-110000-
/O.CON.KSEW.FW.W.0003.000000T0000Z-130812T0600Z/
NORTHEAST PUGET SOUND LOWLANDS GENERALLY BELOW 1500 FEET-
SOUTHEAST PUGET SOUND LOWLANDS GENERALLY BELOW 1500 FEET-
WEST SLOPES OF THE NORTH CASCADES GENERALLY ABOVE 1500 FEET-
WEST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL CASCADES GENERALLY ABOVE 1500 FEET-
EAST PORTION OF NORTH CASCADES NATIONAL PARK/LAKE CHELAN NATIONAL
RECREATIONAL AREA-
856 AM PDT SAT AUG 10 2013
...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM PDT SUNDAY FOR
ABUNDANT LIGHTNING...
* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 658...659 AND 662. THIS
INCLUDES THE WEST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL AND NORTH CASCADES...
AS WELL AS THE EASTERN PORTION OF THE NORTH CASCADE NATIONAL
PARK COMPLEX.
* THUNDERSTORMS...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP
OVER THE CASCADES LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...WITH THE
LIGHTNING THREAT LASTING INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. MORE
THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT IS EXPECTED ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON.
* WIND...THUNDERSTORMS OFTEN PRODUCE GUSTY AND ERRATIC WINDS.
THE STRONGEST WIND GUSTS ARE FREQUENTLY AT THE LEADING EDGE
OF A THUNDERSTORM.
* IMPACTS...ABUNDANT LIGHTNING IN DRY FUELS CAN CAUSE MULTIPLE
FIRE STARTS. HOWEVER...RAIN WITH LAST NIGHT`S THUNDERSTORMS
LIKELY MOISTENED SOME FUEL BEDS ENOUGH TO LESSEN THE THREAT OF
NEW FIRES.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. ABUNDANT LIGHTNING IN
DRY FUELS CAN CONTRIBUTE TO MULTIPLE FIRE STARTS...ALONG WITH
ERRATIC AND GUSTY WINDS. FIREFIGHTING AGENCIES WILL WANT TO PLAN
ACCORDINGLY.
