- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
National Weather Service issues red flag warning for Rocky fire area
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The National Weather Service in Sacramento on Thursday afternoon issued a red flag warning due to predictions of thunderstorms over the Rocky fire area and other parts of Northern California.
The urgent fire weather message, which goes into effect at 8 p.m. Thursday and continues until 11 a.m. Friday, covers the southern half of Lake County and several neighboring counties in the Sacramento Valley as well as along the coast.
A red flag warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or will occur shortly, the National Weather Service said.
The National Weather Service said a low pressure system is moving eastward over the region and will bring isolated and scattered dry thunderstorms with little rainfall to much of interior Northern California from Thursday evening into Friday morning.
“A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity and warm temperatures will create explosive fire growth potential,” according to the message.
The red flag warning for the Rocky fire area was broadcast to firefighters on Thursday afternoon.
Radio reports from the Rocky fire indicated firefighters were gearing up for the potential for thunderstorms, and preparing to move teams off exposed areas if necessary.
The specific forecast for the Rocky fire area in Lake County calls for a 20-percent chance of showers and thunderstorms on Thursday night, with a low of about 64 degrees and a west wind of between 5 and 7 miles per hour.
New rainfall amounts are expected to be less than a tenth of an inch unless thunderstorms occur.
On Friday morning, the 20-percent chance of showers and thunderstorms is forecast to continue until about 11 a.m., after which sunny conditions with a high of 89 degrees are predicted.
A south southwest wind of 5 to 7 miles per hour is anticipated on Friday evening, with Friday night being partly cloudy.
Conditions through the weekend and into early next week are expected to be mostly clear, with daytime highs up to around 90 degrees and nighttime temperatures in the high 50s, the National Weather Service said.
The Rocky fire had burned 69,600 acres and was 40-percent contained as of Cal Fire's last acreage estimate on Thursday morning. An acreage update is expected Thursday night.
Full containment on the fire is expected on Aug. 13.
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