East winds to stoke fire danger in Western WA
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Despite the recent showers and dip in temperatures over the weekend, wildfire danger will spike Tuesday across Western Washington.
The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for much of the region, which will begin at 5 a.m. and stand until 11 p.m. A red flag warning is issued when critical fire weather conditions are happening or are imminent.
Reid Wolcott, warning coordination meteorologist with the weather service, said the combination of high winds coming from the east, high temperatures and low humidity severely heightens the risk not only for existing fires but new ones as well.
The western foothills of the central Cascade Mountains are a particular area of concern, Wolcott said. Places from Monroe and Skykomish in Snohomish County, down past Buckley in Pierce County, are of particular concern, he said. Even portions of the Cowlitz Valley will be at risk.
Such sweeping red flag warnings aren’t exactly unprecedented for Western Washington but they’re uncommon, Wolcott said. Especially ones that begin so early in the morning, which is when the eastward winds are expected to start in earnest. The weather service is predicting gusts up to 45 mph.
Red flag warning issued for Western Washington
The National Weather Service warned that dry temperatures mixed with fast, easterly winds heightened wildfire risk for much of Western Washington early this week. The service issued a red flag warning Monday afternoon, which will remain in effect until Tuesday night.
The entire state currently suffers from drought conditions after a poor winter snowpack, followed by a hot, dry summer. Some portions, particularly along the Cascade Mountains are considered to be in extreme drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
These drought conditions are growing worse as global warming cuts into mountain snowpack. Not only does this dry out potential fuels like trees and shrubs across the American West but it also means the wildfire season tends to start earlier in the year and last longer.
Typically the region’s wind blows in from the west, Wolcott said. But with temperatures expected well into the 80s across the region, a low pressure system will bring in air from the east, which has a drying effect and can feed wildfires dangerously fast.
Several fires are already burning in Western Washington. One brush fire Monday, near Boeing Field and Beacon Hill, spread to four homes and injured two people.
Strong gusts also carry the potential for wind damage this early in the year, Wolcott added. Most trees still have their leaves, which can act like “little sails” in the wind, bringing down branches and limbs.
While the red flag warning will expire Tuesday night, wildfire risk can remain until the fall rains arrive, Wolcott said. More precipitation is expected in the coming weeks, which should tamp down the danger.