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 693 Canyon Grasslands of Wallowa County and 693 Southeast Washington Grande Ronde Valley.

* TIMING...From 10 AM this morning to 8 PM PDT this evening.

* WINDS...Southwest 10 to 20 mph with gusts of 20 to 30 mph, shifting to the northwest 10 to 20 mph with gusts of 20 to 30 mph late afternoon and evening.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...10 to 20 percent late morning and afternoon.

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