Red Flag Warning for West Portion of the Olympic Mountains; West Slopes of the North Cascades Generally above 1500 Feet; East Portion of the Olympic Mountains

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The National Weather Service in Seattle has issued a Fire Weather Watch for lightning and gusty outflow winds, which is in effect from Thursday morning through Thursday evening. * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zone 652 West Portion of the Olympic Mountains, Fire Weather Zone 658 West Slopes of the North Cascades Generally above 1500 Feet and Fire Weather Zone 661 East Portion of the Olympic Mountains. * LIGHTNING...Isolated to scattered thunderstorm coverage is possible across the northern Cascade Mountains and the Olympic Mountains. Thunderstorms will develop today from the northwest and spread across the area. * OUTFLOW WINDS...Any storms that develop will be capable of gusty and erratic outflow winds between 20 and 30 miles per hour. 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.