Potent Northwest storm advancing inland to produce gusty winds

Following a stormy start to the weekend in the Northeast, a storm spinning ashore will continue to produce gusty winds inland across the West, elevating the fire risk.

An unusually potent North Pacific storm for mid-August slowly swinging inland in the northwestern United States and will produce areas of drenching rain and gusty winds this weekend, AccuWeather meteorologists say.

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August is typically a rain-lean month for the Northwest, including the coastal areas. Seattle and Olympia, Washington, average less than 1 inch the entire month. Portland, Oregon, tends to pick up just over 0.50 of an inch with less than 0.40 of an inch for a historical average in Eugene, Oregon.

Enough rain will fall along the I-5 corridor to create slick conditions and possibly cause ponding in areas that drain poorly. The combination of water and oily residues that have built up on the highways can make for extra slippery conditions and may lead to an increase in vehicular accidents.

Little to no rainfall is expected from the incoming storm east of the Cascades. However, gusty winds will make the effects felt, fanning ongoing flames and posing a risk for new fire development. The gusty winds will extend well to the south as well with areas east of the Sierra Nevada being at a high risk of wildfire ignition this weekend.

"A multi-day stretch of windy conditions are expected across the mountainous terrain of California and a majority of the interior Northwest and Great Basin into next week, leading to a prolonged risk of wildfire activity," Buckingham said.

If any new fires ignite, firefighting conditions could be very difficult because of the wind and low humidity levels.

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