Red Flag Warning

RED FLAG WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA
225 PM PDT FRI SEP 11 2009

...RED FLAG WARNING FOR DRY LIGHTNING BEGINS AT 10 PM TONIGHT...

CAZ505>507-511-512-517-120600-
/O.UPG.KMTR.FW.A.0001.090912T0500Z-090912T1800Z/
/O.NEW.KMTR.FW.W.0002.090912T0500Z-090912T1800Z/
COASTAL NORTH BAY...INCLUDING POINT REYES NATIONAL SEASHORE-
NORTH BAY INTERIOR VALLEYS-NORTH BAY MOUNTAINS-
EAST BAY HILLS AND DIABLO RANGE-SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS-
SANTA LUCIA MOUNTAINS AND LOS PADRES NATIONAL FOREST-
225 PM PDT FRI SEP 11 2009

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 11 AM
PDT SATURDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA HAS ISSUED
A RED FLAG WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING
TO 11 AM PDT SATURDAY.

THE RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE COASTAL HILLS OF
MONTEREY COUNTY...THE SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS...THE EAST BAY HILLS
AND DIABLO RANGE OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY AND THE ENTIRE NORTH BAY
INCLUDING POINT REYES NATIONAL SEASHORE AND THE INTERIOR VALLEYS.

MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE THIS EVENING
ACROSS THE REGION. LATEST DATA INDICATES A HIGH POTENTIAL FOR
LIGHTNING STRIKES TO DEVELOP OVER THE OCEAN LATER THIS AFTERNOON
OR EVENING. THEN THE MAINLY DRY THUNDERSTORMS ARE FORECAST TO
TRACK OVER MUCH OF THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA. THE LOWER
ATMOSPHERE IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN FAIRLY DRY WITH ANY LIGHTNING
STRIKES BRINGING AN INCREASED LIKELIHOOD OF NEW FIRE STARTS GIVEN
THE VERY DRY FUEL BEDS.

THE THREAT OF DRY THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP WEST OF
BIG SUR AND THEN SPREAD NORTHWARD OVER THE SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS
AND INTO THE NORTH BAY OVERNIGHT INTO EARLY SATURDAY MORNING. BY
MIDDAY SATURDAY ANY THREAT OF DRY LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED TO BE
NORTH OF THE AREA.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF
DRY LIGHTNING...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND WARM TEMPERATURES WILL
CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL.