Fire Weather Watch

The National Weather Service in Seattle has issued a Fire Weather Watch for lightning and gusty outflow winds, which is in effect from Wednesday afternoon through Thursday afternoon.

* AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zone 655 Black Hills and Southwest Interior Lowlands and Fire Weather Zone 659 West Slopes of the Central Cascades Generally above 1500 Feet.

* LIGHTNING...Isolated to scattered thunderstorm coverage is possible across the southern Cascade Mountains and portions of southwest Washington. Thunderstorms will develop late Wednesday night and move from south to north across the area.

* OUTFLOW WINDS...Any storms that develop will be capable of gusty and erratic outflow winds between 25 and 30 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.