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 10 AM to 8 PM PDT Saturday.

* AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 693 Canyon Grasslands of Wallowa County and 693 Southeast Washington Grande Ronde Valley.

* TIMING...From 10 AM to 8 PM PDT Saturday.

* 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.