Sunday, August 18, 2013

Urgent fire weather message from the National Weather Service

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SACRAMENTO CA
330 AM PDT SUN AUG 18 2013

.LOW PRESSURE WILL LINGER OFFSHORE THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA COAST
MOVING INLAND OVER NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AROUND MID-WEEK. THIS
SYSTEM WILL BRING THE THREAT OF THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUING THROUGH
AT LEAST WEDNESDAY. THE MAIN THREAT FOR LIGHTNING IS OVER THE
MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS BUT THE POTENTIAL FOR THUNDERSTORMS MAY
EXTEND INTO THE VALLEY. THESE STORMS MAY BRING ABUNDANT LIGHTNING
AND GUSTY WINDS WHICH COULD PRODUCE FIRE STARTS.

CAZ213-214-220-221-263-264-266>269-279-182300-
/O.CON.KSTO.FW.A.0007.130819T1800Z-130822T0600Z/
EASTERN PORTION OF SHASTA/TRINITY NF-
BURNEY BASIN AND NORTHEAST PLATEAU IN SHASTA COUNTY INCLUDING
NORTHWEST LASSEN NF NORTH OF LASSEN NP-
SOUTHERN MOTHERLODE FROM 1000 TO 3000 FT. INCLUDES PORTIONS OF
CALAVERAS-TUOLUMNE UNIT-STANISLAUS NF WEST OF THE SIERRA CREST-
SOUTHEAST EDGE SHASTA-TRINITY NF AND WESTERN PORTIONS OF TEHAMA-
GLENN UNIT-LAKE COUNTY PORTION OF LAKE-NAPA-SONOMA UNIT-
NORTHERN SIERRA FOOTHILLS FROM 1000 TO 3000 FT. INCLUDES PORTIONS
OF SHASTA-TRINITY AND BUTTE UNITS-
NORTHERN MOTHERLODE FROM 1000 TO 3000 FT. INCLUDES PORTIONS OF
NEVADA-YUBA-PLACER-AMADOR AND ELDORADO UNITS-
NORTHERN SIERRA INCLUDING LASSEN NP AND PLUMAS AND LASSEN NF/S
WEST OF THE SIERRA CREST (WEST OF EVANS PEAK-GRIZZLY PEAK-
BECKWORTH PEAK)-
NORTHERN SIERRA INCLUDING THE TAHOE AND ELDORADO NF/S WEST OF THE
SIERRA CREST-EASTERN MENDOCINO NF-
330 AM PDT SUN AUG 18 2013

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY MORNING
THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING FOR LIGHTNING FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES
213...214...220...221...263...264...266...267...268...269 AND
279...

* AFFECTED AREA...THE MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS OF INTERIOR NORTHERN
  CALIFORNIA. SOME STORMS MAY ALSO EXTEND INTO THE VALLEY EARLY
  NEXT WEEK.

* THUNDERSTORMS...THUNDERSTORMS WILL BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD BY
  MONDAY AND CONTINUE INTO AT LEAST WEDNESDAY. THE STRONGER STORMS
  WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING ABUNDANT LIGHTNING AND MAY ALSO BE
  ACCOMPANIED BY BRIEF HEAVY RAIN.

* OUTFLOW WINDS...LOCALLY GUSTY WINDS OVER 40 MPH ARE POSSIBLE.

* IMPACTS...LIGHTNING STRIKES MAY CREATE NEW FIRE STARTS. LOCALLY
  GUSTY AND ERRATIC WINDS FROM THE THUNDERSTORMS MAY CAUSE FIRES
  WHICH DEVELOP TO SPREAD RAPIDLY.