The National Weather Service (NWS) first issued a red flag warning at 3:11 a.m. Saturday for increased fire danger in Lake County and much of Northern California along the Coastal Range of mountains through Saturday evening.
The low pressure system that moved over Northern California, drawing up tropical moisture from the remnants of Hurricane Linda beginning Saturday, created conditions for the formation of thunderstorms and dry lightning strikes, especially over Mendocino National Forest, according to the NWS.
Lightning strikes and light rain were recorded in Lake County before 5:30 a.m. Saturday morning, with the San Francisco Bay Area and Santa Cruz Mountains receiving the brunt of early morning lightning strikes, according to the lightning tracker system in San Luis Obispo.
Isolated rain showers were reported throughout the county Saturday.
Because of the threat of fire starts from this weather system, the NWS first issued a red flag warning for Lake County and much of the Coastal Mountain Range, from Central Oregon down to Monterey on Saturday, and issued a hazardous weather outlook on Saturday evening which will be in effect through Monday morning due the chance of thunderstorms, bringing with it dry lightning strikes.
Sunday is expected to be mostly sunny and cooler, with highs only reaching the mid to low 70s, as a stronger weather system moves in, increasing the chance of showers to 30 percent overnight into Monday.
The greatest chances for precipitation are before 11 a.m. Monday, although the NWS predicted that a slight chance of rain will persist throughout the day.
Cooler, fall-like temperatures will remain throughout the week, with a gradual warming trend towards week's end, with highs on Tuesday in the 70s, and Wednesday through Friday warming into the 80s, the NWS said.
Overnight lows are expected to remain in the 60s throughout the week, forecasters said.
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