“One of the most critical fire weather setups in years for Western Washington” was the message issued from the National Weather Service in Seattle Wash. on Saturday, July 25.
“A red flag warning is issued when dry lightning or the combination of strong winds and low humidities are imminent or occurring.”
The weather alert was issued for the Strait of Juan de Fuca, central and south Puget Sound lowlands, west slopes of the north and central Cascades and eastern portion of the Olympic Mountains.
The “red flag” warning will be in effect until 5 a.m. Sunday morning. It states that “an upper level low pressure center will help thunderstorms to … develop… They will first move in an unusual southwesterly direction toward the north interior of Washington… this evening and then south through the central Cascades and the Puget Sound lowlands later this evening. Thunderstorms could also clip the east slopes of the Olympic Mountains.
“Some of these thunderstorms are expected to be unusually prolific lightning producers. Given the expected abundance of lightning and critically dry fuel states… multiple fire ignitions are expected.
“One thing that makes this round of lighting so critical is that it will be followed on Sunday and Monday by a building heat wave. Unlike Western Washington’s typical lightning pattern which is followed by cool marine air… this lightning pattern will be followed by hot… dry and increasingly unstable weather on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.
“This will make holdover and sleeper fires a much greater concern than with a more typical lightning episode for Western Washington.
“Firefighting agencies should be ready for several busy days of initial attack.”
Orcas Island experienced severe thunderstorms on Saturday evening, accompanied by heavy rainfall.
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