Red Flag Warning | Weekend Outlook

The National Weather Service in Pendleton has placed Fire Weather Zone 700 (Central Mountains of Oregon) under a Red Flag Warning for Saturday afternoon and evening 3 PM to 8 PM PDT.

The alert remains in effect due to a combination of high winds and low relative humidity.

Saturday Night Forecast Metrics

National Weather Service text issued Saturday afternoon highlights specific weather conditions impacting the tri-county area through tonight:

• Winds: Northwest winds from 10 to 20 mph with gusts to around 30 mph in the evening, becoming light after midnight. For the East Slopes of the Cascades, west winds of 5 to 15 mph will include gusts up to 30 mph before becoming light.
• Relative Humidity: Levels drop as low as 9 percent.
• Overnight Lows: Clear skies tonight with lows dropping into the lower to mid-40s for the valleys, and upper 30s to mid-40s along the Cascade slopes.

Because conditions are dry, the National Weather Service notes that any fire that develops will spread quickly. Agricultural operations and outdoor recreators are advised to avoid outdoor burning and secure all vehicle tow chains to prevent accidental sparks.

Sunday and Extended Outlook

Dry conditions will continue through the remainder of the weekend before a warming trend begins next week:

• Sunday: Sunny skies with daytime highs in the lower to mid-80s across the tri-county region (upper 60s to upper 70s for higher Cascade elevations). Winds will be light, becoming north at 5 to 10 mph with afternoon gusts up to 20 mph. Lows Sunday night will range from the lower 40s to mid-50s.
• Monday through Wednesday: Clear and sunny as a warming trend brings valley highs into the upper 80s and mid-90s. Monday night features north winds at 5 to 15 mph with gusts to around 30 mph.
• Late Week Trends: Highs cool to the mid-to-upper 80s on Thursday. By Friday night and Saturday, a weather system brings a 20 percent chance of showers to the valleys and a 50 percent chance of rain showers to the East Slopes of the Cascades, with temperatures cooling into the 60s and 70s.

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