Monsoonal air mass brings unstable weather, lightning risk; weather officials urge caution as storms could spark new fires
Ashland.news staff report
A monsoonal air mass will appear across Southern Oregon, bringing with it an elevated risk of lightning across the region, including Ashland, forecasters say.
The National Weather Service in Medford noted that the unstable conditions are capable of producing gusty winds, hail, and new fire starts across an already parched landscape.
Weather service officials also issued a red flag warning on Sunday, Aug. 24, for abundant lightning on dry fuels, along with associated outflow winds up to 50 mph.
The weather service issues a red flag warning when it identifies weather conditions that promote the rapid spread of fire, which may become life-threatening. It does not mean there is a fire.
The red flag warning will be in effect Monday, from 1 to 9 p.m., according to a Sunday, Aug. 24 online post.
The monsoonal air mass notice and red flag warning follow an extreme heat warning, which remains in effect until 8 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 25.
Cooling shelters will be open through Sunday at the Ashland Public Library at 410 Siskiyou Boulevard. The library is open from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
Email Ashland.news associate editor Steve Mitchell at stevem@ashland.news.
