Red Flag Warning

...WIDESPREAD BREEZY WESTERLY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY TODAY...

...HIGH-BASED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON ALONG THE WASHINGTON CASCADES AND BLUE MOUNTAINS...

.An approaching low-pressure system will bring widespread breezy westerly winds through the Cascade gaps, across the Columbia Basin, and into portions of the Blue Mountains today. Coupled with low relative humidity, this will lead to critical fire weather conditions. Moreover, high-based showers and thunderstorms are forecast, with the best chances of abundant lightning through the remainder of this morning along the Washington Cascades and this afternoon for the northeast Blue Mountains.

* AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 696 John Day Valley, 698 Southern Blue Mountains and 700 Central Mountains of Oregon.

* TIMING...From noon today to 10 PM PDT this evening.

* WINDS...West 10 to 20 mph with gusts of 25 to 35 mph.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...10 to 20 percent in the afternoon.

* IMPACTS...Any fire that develops will catch and spread quickly. Outdoor burning is not recommended.