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.

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING... .A low pressure system will remain off the coast with unstable southerly flow over the region. Scattered thunderstorms are expected over central and northeast Oregon during the afternoon and evening hours...ending after midnight. ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM PDT THIS EVENING FOR ABUNDANT LIGHTNING FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES OR642, OR644, AND OR645... * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 642 Southern Blue and Strawberry Mountains, 644 Central Blue Mountains and 645 Wallowa District. * IMPACTS...Numerous lightning starts will be possible owing to the potential for scattered storms after a period of hot and dry conditions. Additionally, locally breezy winds and low relative humidity values will continue. Hot temperatures and low RH conditions will follow this weekend into early next week. * THUNDERSTORMS...LAL of 3 to 4. * OUTFLOW WINDS...Gusts of 25 to 30 mph with gusts possible to 45 mph with stronger thunderstorms.