Red Flag Warning For The Mother Lode, Stanislaus National Forest

Photo by: BJ Hansen

A Red Flag Warning issued for the Mother Lode and the Stanislaus National Forest, will remain in effect until 11 PM this evening.

Additionally, a Red Flag Warning issued for the Northern San Joaquin Valley will expire at 2 PM this afternoon.

According to the National Weather Service, a weather system will continue to bring scattered showers and a few isolated thunderstorms today. The thunderstorm threat diminishes by mid to late morning for most areas with storms possible over the Sierra Nevada this afternoon.

Any thunderstorms have the potential to produce lightning as well as gusty and erratic winds. Thunderstorms are forecast to be quick-moving, leading to the possibility of dry lightning.

Gusty southwest winds of fifteen to twenty-five mph, with gusts around thirty-five mph, will persist in the northern Sierra Nevada today. The gusts may be higher near the ridgetops.

The combination of isolated dry lightning and gusty winds with the dry fuels will bring the potential for critical fire weather conditions.

The humidity is forecast to range from fifteen to thirty percent this afternoon.

New fires may ignite as a result of lightning. Rapid spread may occur with any gusty and erratic winds.

A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior.