Fire Weather Watch

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.

* 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.