304
WWUS86 KSEW 161006
RFWSEW
URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA
306 AM PDT THU JUL 16 2026
WAZ652-658-659-661-170000-
/O.CON.KSEW.FW.W.0001.000000T0000Z-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-
306 AM PDT THU JUL 16 2026
...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM PDT THIS
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...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORM COVERAGE IN THE CASCADES
AND OLYMPIC MOUNTAINS. TIMING ON THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT WILL
BE EARLY THURSDAY MORNING AND AGAIN IN THE AFTERNOON AND
EVENING.
* 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 RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER IMMINENT OR OCCURRING NOW. ANY FIRES THAT DEVELOP WILL
LIKELY SPREAD QUICKLY. OUTDOOR BURNING IS NOT RECOMMENDED.
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