RED FLAG WARNING

National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning for the lower Columbian basin and eastern southern portion of the Columbian basin effective today 12 p.m. until 8 p.m. This affects portions of Asotin, Garfield, Columbia, Walla Walla, Franklin, Benton, Kittitas, Yakima, and Klickitat Counties. The combination of breezy winds and low relative humidities will pose a threat of rapid fire spread.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PENDLETON HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG WARNING WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 8 PM PDT THIS EVENING.*

AFFECTED AREA: IN OREGON...FIRE ZONE 631 COLUMBIA BASIN OF OREGON. IN WASHINGTON...FIRE ZONE 631 LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN OF WASHINGTON...FIRE ZONE 675 EASTERN WASHINGTON SOUTHERN COLUMBIA BASIN.

* TIMING: WINDS WILL INCREASE LATER THIS MORNING THEN BECOME BREEZY BY MID AFTERNOON. RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL LOWER TO AROUND 12 TO 20 PERCENT ALSO DURING THE MID AFTERNOON AND WILL REMAIN VERY LOW INTO THE EARLY EVENING HOURS.* WIND: SOUTHWEST TO WEST WINDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED OVER MOST OF THE LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN.* HUMIDITY: RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES WILL RANGE FROM 12 TO 20 PERCENT.*

IMPACTS: THE COMBINATION OF BREEZY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL POSE A THREAT OF RAPID FIRE SPREAD.


A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW OR WILL SHORTLY. THESE CONDITIONS WILL CREATE THE POTENTIAL FOR EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH.

FOR ADDITIONALWEATHER INFORMATION...VISIT OUR WEB SITE ATWWW.WEATHER.GOV/PENDLETON.