The National Weather Service in Seattle has issued a Fire Weather Watch for lightning and gusty outflow winds, for late Wednesday night through Thursday evening for the Olympic Mountains as well as the Cascades.
Forecasters say 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.
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.
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 fires 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 Thursdays lightning activity.
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.