Red Flag Warning

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

...HIGH-BASED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TONIGHT AND SATURDAY 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 Saturday. 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 overnight through Saturday morning along the Washington Cascades and Saturday afternoon for the northeast Blue Mountains.

The National Weather Service in Pendleton has issued a Red Flag Warning for wind and low relative humidity, which is in effect from noon to 10 PM PDT Saturday. The Fire Weather Watch is no longer in effect.

* AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 690 Kittitas Valley, 691 Lower Columbia Basin of Oregon, 691 Lower Columbia Basin of Washington and 703 Warm Springs Reservation.

* TIMING...From noon to 10 PM PDT Saturday.

* WINDS...West 15 to 25 mph with gusts of 25 to 40 mph.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...15 to 25 percent in the afternoon.

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