Weather Alert in Washington
Red Flag Warning issued August 27 at 9:21AM PDT until August 27 at 8:00PM PDT by NWS Seattle WA
AREAS AFFECTED: West Slopes of the North Cascades Generally above 1500 Feet; West Slopes of the Central Cascades Generally above 1500 Feet; East Portion of the Olympic Mountains
DESCRIPTION: * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zone 658 West Slopes of the North Cascades Generally above 1500 Feet, Fire Weather Zone 659 West Slopes of the Central Cascades Generally above 1500 Feet and Fire Weather Zone 661 East Portion of the Olympic Mountains. * THUNDERSTORMS...Thunderstorms are favored along the eastern slopes of the Olympic mountains between 11 AM and 3 PM, and more so in the Cascades from 3 PM to 8 PM. Wetting rains are possible, but lightning strikes on very dry fuel are capable of new fire starts. * OUTFLOW WINDS...Outflow winds of 25 to 30 mph are possible. Outflow winds can occur ahead of and behind storms and cause erratic wind directions. * IMPACTS...Scattered lightning in dry fuels can cause multiple fire starts. Thunderstorms can also bring sudden sharp wind shifts on existing fires, causing rapid changes in a fire's rate of spread and direction of spread. Thunderstorm outflow winds can be a threat for several hours following the start of a new lightning-caused fire. If a fire were to begin, air quality may diminish in the surrounding area. * THUNDERSTORMS...Multiple lightning strikes occurred in the higher terrain of the Cascades mountains yesterday afternoon and evening and that will resume this afternoon and evening. Multiple days in a row of lightning strikes on our dry fuels could result in a critical number of new wildfires.
INSTRUCTION: A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either imminent or occurring now. Any fires that develop will likely spread quickly. Outdoor burning is not recommended.
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Weather Topic: What is Graupel?
Home - Education - Precipitation - Graupel
Next Topic: Hail
Graupel is a form of precipitation that is created by atmospheric conditions
which cause supercooled water droplets to contact snow crystals and freeze to
their surface.
Sometimes known as soft hail or snow pellets, graupel is delicate and easily
destroyed by touch. Whereas hail usually falls during severe weather, graupel
doesn't require such conditions to form, and can form in mild precipitation
similar to situations which produce snowfall.
Next Topic: Hail
Weather Topic: What are Hole Punch Clouds?
Home - Education - Cloud Types - Hole Punch Clouds
Next Topic: Mammatus Clouds
A hole punch cloud is an unusual occurrence when a disk-shaped
hole appears in a cirrostratus, cirrocumulus, or altocumulus cloud.
When part of the cloud forms ice crystals, water droplets in the surrounding area
of the cloud evaporate. The effect of this process produces a large elliptical
gap in the cloud. The hole punch cloud formation is rare, but it is not specific
to any geographic area.
Other names which have been used to describe this phenomena include fallstreak hole,
skypunch, and cloud hole.
Next Topic: Mammatus Clouds
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