Weather Alert in California
Fire Weather Watch issued July 29 at 3:29PM PDT until July 31 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Medford OR
AREAS AFFECTED: Modoc County Except for the Surprise Valley
DESCRIPTION: ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 2 PM TO 11 PM PDT WEDNESDAY FOR ABUNDANT LIGHTNING ON DRY FUELS FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONE 285... ...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING FOR ABUNDANT LIGHTNING ON DRY FUELS FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONE 285... * IMPACTS...Abundant lightning on dry fuels resulting in the potential for numerous new fire starts. * AFFECTED AREA...All of Fire weather zone 285. * TIMING...For today, 2p-11p. For Wednesday 2p-11p. For Thursday 2p-11p. * THUNDERSTORMS...Scattered thunderstorms with abundant lightning are expected today and Wednesday. Showers and isolated thunderstorms are possible earlier in the morning hours (between 0400-1100) on Wednesday, but the greatest coverage of storms is expected during the afternoon/evening hours. Another day of scattered coverage is possible on Thursday. Storms are likely to be wet, but lightning strikes outside of precipitation cores are possible, and cause for concern for new fire starts. * OUTFLOW WINDS...Gusts of 35 to 50 mph could travel outward up to 25 miles from thunderstorm cores. * DETAILED URL...View the hazard area in detail at https://www.wrh.noaa.gov/map/?wfo=mfr
INSTRUCTION: If you have not packed your go kit yet, now is the time to do so. This includes items like important documents and essentials you cannot live without. Fill your vehicle's fuel tank. Visit ready.gov/kit for more information. Follow all fire restrictions. You can find your county's emergency sign up form as well as links to fire restrictions at weather.gov/medford/wildfire. One less spark, one less wildfire. A Red Flag Warning is issued when we identify weather conditions that promote rapid spread of fire which may become life- threatening. This does not mean there is a fire. These conditions are either occurring now or will begin soon. It is important to have multiple ways to receive information from authorities. A Fire Weather Watch means that critical fire weather conditions are possible during the valid watch time. These conditions could promote the rapid spread of wildfires which could become life- threatening. Check weather.gov/medford for forecast updates and a possible upgrade of the this watch to a Red Flag Warning.
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Weather Topic: What is Rain?
Home - Education - Precipitation - Rain
Next Topic: Shelf Clouds
Precipitation in the form of water droplets is called rain.
Rain generally has a tendency to fall with less intensity over a greater period
of time, and when rainfall is more severe it is usually less sustained.
Rain is the most common form of precipitation and happens with greater frequency
depending on the season and regional influences. Cities have been shown to have
an observable effect on rainfall, due to an effect called the urban heat island.
Compared to upwind, monthly rainfall between twenty and forty miles downwind of
cities is 30% greater.
Next Topic: Shelf Clouds
Weather Topic: What is Sleet?
Home - Education - Precipitation - Sleet
Next Topic: Snow
Sleet is a form of precipitation in which small ice pellets are the primary
components. These ice pellets are smaller and more translucent than hailstones,
and harder than graupel. Sleet is caused by specific atmospheric conditions and
therefore typically doesn't last for extended periods of time.
The condition which leads to sleet formation requires a warmer body of air to be
wedged in between two sub-freezing bodies of air. When snow falls through a warmer
layer of air it melts, and as it falls through the next sub-freezing body of air
it freezes again, forming ice pellets known as sleet. In some cases, water
droplets don't have time to freeze before reaching the surface and the result is
freezing rain.
Next Topic: Snow
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