SEVERE FIRE WEATHER WARNING!

Source: http://forecast.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=sew&wwa=red%20flag%20warning

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE - NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA 3:48 PM PDT SAT JUL 25 2009...

ONE OF THE MOST CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER SETUPS IN YEARS FOR WESTERN WASHINGTON....AN UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE CENTER CONTINUES TO SPIN OVER CENTRAL WASHINGTON THIS AFTERNOON.

WARNING TO STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA AND NORTHWEST INTERIOR LOWLANDS-CENTRAL AND SOUTH PUGET SOUND LOWLANDS-WEST SLOPES OF THE NORTH CASCADES-WEST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL CASCADES-NORTH CASCADES-CENTRAL CASCADES-EAST PORTION OF THE OLYMPIC MOUNTAINS-EAST PORTION OF NORTH CASCADES NATIONAL PARK/LAKE CHELAN NATIONALRECREATIONAL AREA

RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 AM PDT SUNDAY...AN UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE CENTER CONTINUED TO SPIN OVER CENTRAL WASHINGTON ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON. THUNDERSTORMS HAD ALREADY DEVELOPED OVER SOUTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA AND WILL MOVE SOUTHWEST INTO WESTERN WASHINGTON LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT AS THEY TRACK AROUND THE PERIPHERY OF THE UPPER LOW. THE STORMS WILL FIRST REACH THE NORTH CASCADES AND NORTH INTERIOR...THEN SPREAD SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH THIS EVENING THROUGH THE CENTRAL CASCADES AND THE PUGET SOUND LOWLANDS. 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 LIGHTNING SO CRITICAL IS THAT IT WILL BE FOLLOWED UP ON SUNDAY AND MONDAY BY A BUILDING AND PROLONGED HEAT WAVE. UNLIKE WESTERN WASHINGTON`S TYPICALLIGHTNING PATTERN IN WHICH LIGHTNING IS FOLLOWED BY COOL MARINE AIR...THIS LIGHTNING PATTERN WILL BE FOLLOWED INSTEAD BY HOT...DRY AND INCREASINGLY UNSTABLE WEATHER ON SUNDAY...MONDAY AND TUESDAY. THIS WILL MAKE HOLDOVER AND SLEEPER FIRES A GREAT CONCERN IN THE DAYS TO COME.

PLEASE RELAY THIS MESSAGE TO FIRE AND ENGINE CREWS IN THE FIELD. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...PEOPLE WHO WILL BE OUTDOORS FROM THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE LIGHTNING THREAT AND THE ENHANCED THREAT OF WILDFIRES. MAKE AN EXTRA EFFORT TO FULLY EXTINGUISH CAMPFIRES AND REPORT ANY NEW WILD FIRES WHICH YOU MIGHT SEE. FIREFIGHTING AGENCIES SHOULD BE READY FOR SEVERAL BUSY DAYS OF INITIAL ATTACK.

A RED FLAG WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN DRY LIGHTNING OR THECOMBINATION OF STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES ARE IMMINENT OR OCCURRING.

WEATHER.GOV/SEATTLE