838  
WWUS86 KSEW 150915  
RFWSEW  
 
URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA  
215 AM PDT WED JUL 15 2026  
 
WAZ652-658-659-661-160000-  
/O.CON.KSEW.FW.A.0001.260716T0800Z-260717T0600Z/  
WEST PORTION OF THE OLYMPIC MOUNTAINS-  
WEST SLOPES OF THE NORTH CASCADES GENERALLY ABOVE 1500 FEET-  
WEST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL CASCADES GENERALLY ABOVE 1500 FEET-  
EAST PORTION OF THE OLYMPIC MOUNTAINS-  
215 AM PDT WED JUL 15 2026  
 
...FIRE WEATHER WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH  
THURSDAY EVENING FOR LIGHTNING AND GUSTY OUTFLOW WINDS FOR FIRE  
WEATHER ZONES 652, 658, 659, AND 661...  
 
* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 652 WEST PORTION OF THE  
OLYMPIC MOUNTAINS, FIRE WEATHER ZONE 658 WEST SLOPES OF THE  
NORTH CASCADES GENERALLY ABOVE 1500 FEET, FIRE WEATHER ZONE  
659 WEST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL CASCADES GENERALLY ABOVE 1500  
FEET AND FIRE WEATHER ZONE 661 EAST PORTION OF THE OLYMPIC  
MOUNTAINS.  
 
* LIGHTNING...ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM COVERAGE IN THE CASCADES  
GENERALLY NORTH OF WHITE PASS WITH STORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING  
FREQUENT LIGHTNING. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORM  
COVERAGE IN THE OLYMPICS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING FREQUENT  
LIGHTNING. TIMING ON THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT WILL BE EARLY  
THURSDAY MORNING AND AGAIN IN THE AFTERNOON.  
 
* OUTFLOW WINDS...ANY STORMS THAT DEVELOP WILL BE CAPABLE OF  
GUSTY AND ERRATIC OUTFLOW WINDS BETWEEN 35 AND 50 MILES PER  
HOUR. OUTFLOW WINDS CAN OCCUR AHEAD OF AND BEHIND STORMS AND  
CAUSE ERRATIC WIND DIRECTIONS.  
 
* IMPACTS...SCATTERED LIGHTNING IN DRY FUELS CAN CAUSE MULTIPLE  
FIRE STARTS. THUNDERSTORMS CAN ALSO BRING SUDDEN SHARP WIND  
SHIFTS ON EXISTING FIRES, CAUSING RAPID CHANGES IN A FIRE'S  
RATE OF SPREAD AND DIRECTION OF SPREAD. THUNDERSTORM OUTFLOW  
WINDS CAN BE A THREAT FOR SEVERAL HOURS FOLLOWING THE START OF  
A NEW LIGHTNING-CAUSED FIRE. IF A FIRE WERE TO BEGIN, AIR  
QUALITY MAY DIMINISH IN THE SURROUNDING AREA. VERY WARM  
WEATHER FRIDAY INTO NEXT WEEK INCREASES THE CHANCES OF  
INCREASED FIRE ACTIVITY ON POTENTIAL NEW STARTS FROM  
THURSDAY'S LIGHTNING ACTIVITY.  
 
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...  
 
A FIRE WEATHER WATCH MEANS THAT THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR CRITICAL  
FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS TO DEVELOP. MONITOR THE FORECASTS FOR  
POSSIBLE RED FLAG WARNINGS.  
 

 
 

 
 
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