The lightning show forecast for Clallam and Jefferson counties this weekend was expected to have vanished by today, and with it the red-flag alert indicating a danger of wildfires, the National Weather Service said.
But the predicted storms were not expected to carry enough rain to ameliorate tinder-dry forest conditions brought about by weeks of little-to-no rain on much of the North Olympic Peninsula, fire weather forecaster Andy Haner said Saturday.
Thunderstorms
Thunderstorms bearing lightning were expected to roll through the Peninsula on Saturday afternoon, when the heaviest concentration of bolts was expected, Haner said.
A red flag warning, which indicates extreme fire danger due to lack of rain, was to continue in effect for the western side of the Peninsula from Lake Crescent west through 11 p.m. Saturday and the eastern side of the Peninsula from Lake Crescent through Port Townsend until 5 a.m. today, Haner said.
“I’m pretty sure by the time the expiration times come around, the lightning threat will have ended,” he said, adding he expects the lightning will actually have ended by about midnight tonight.
The thunderstorms were expected to produce less than the quarter-inch of rain that is normally needed to pierce a forest canopy and dampen the tinder-dry forest floor, Haner said.
“The thunderstorms are supposed to produce very little rain, if any,” he said.
It’s been about a month since it’s rained a quarter-inch in any single shower in Clallam and Jefferson counties, Haner said.
Threat of wildfires
The threat of wildfires was great enough for the state Department of Natural Resources to move 55 fire engines from wildfire-prone Eastern Washington to west of the Cascades, Haner said.
A return to cooler weather is expected today, with a high of 67 forecast for Port Angeles and Port Townsend and lows of 52 for Port Angeles and 54 in Port Townsend forecast for tonight.
Today is expected to be cloudy with a few sun breaks in the afternoon — and little to no rainfall, Haner said.
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Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5060, or at paul.gottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.
