Fire Weather Watch

...RED FLAG WARNING FOR THUNDERSTORMS THURSDAY, FIRE WEATHER WATCHES FOR WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY FRIDAY AND SATURDAY...

A ridge breakdown will first bring a threat for thunderstorms across portions of central and north-central Washington today and tonight. Drier weather arrives Friday and Saturday, though winds will become increasingly gusty with critical fire weather conditions likely.

* Affected Area: Okanogan Valley (Zone 703), Methow Valley (Zone 704) and Foothills of Central Washington Cascades (Zone 705).

* Winds: Gusty and erratic outflow winds up to 35mph possible in any thunderstorms Thursday. West 15 to 20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph Friday, windiest in Okanogan Valley. Saturday, winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts to 40 mph.

* Timing: For the Red Flag Warning, there is an isolated threat for lightning Thursday morning. Scattered thunderstorms are then expected Thursday afternoon into early Friday morning. For the Fire Weather Watch, critical wind and humidity values are expected Friday and Saturday afternoons.

* Relative Humidities: 13 to 21 percent Friday, 14 to 26 percent Saturday.

* Temperatures: Up to 98 Friday, and up to 94 Saturday.

* Lightning: A 5 to 10% chance of lightning Thursday morning, with a 30% chance Thursday afternoon into Thursday night.

* Impacts: New fire starts from lightning Thursday. New and existing fires could be impacted by gusty outflow winds. Gusty winds and low humidity Saturday afternoon may lead to rapid fire spread with any new or ongoing fires.