UPDATE: Fire weather watch affecting Methow Valley Friday - enhanced fire threat
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At 10:56 a.m. on Thursday, the NWS Spokane WA issued an updated fire weather watch valid for Friday between noon and 9 p.m. for Methow Valley.
"In Central Washington scattered showers and thunderstorms are tracking through Central WA this morning. This activity is expected become isolated going into the afternoon. Additional showers and storms will redevelop overnight. In Eastern Washington, scattered thunderstorms are expected to develop in the afternoon and track southwest to northeast into the evening. A few storms could be strong during this time with frequent lightning and hail. Gusty outflow winds around 60 mph will be possible with this activity. Affected Area: Methow Valley (Zone 704). Thunderstorms: Isolated to scattered coverage. A mix of wet and dry thunderstorms with rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch. Locally higher rainfall amounts possible where multiple storms move over the same area. Outflow Winds: Erratic outflow winds ranging from 20 to 40 mph. Prevailing Winds: Breezy north winds late this morning becoming breezy southeast winds this afternoon with sustained speeds around 10 mph and gusts to 25 mph. Breezy south to southeast winds increase Friday afternoon with gusts 25 to 30 mph. Humidity: Thursday: 18-23%. Friday: 14-19% Impacts: New fire starts from lightning. New fires could be impacted by gusty outflow winds. Gusty winds and low humidity on Friday could lead to swift fire spread with new or ongoing fires," states the NWS.
This watch is in effect until Friday at 9 p.m.
A fire weather watch means that critical fire weather conditions are possible. Listen for later forecasts and possible red flag warnings.
Source: The National Weather Service
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This story was originally published July 16, 2026 at 11:01 AM.