Fire Weather Watch Issued For Santa Cruz Mountains

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CA — A fire weather watch for dry lightning has been issued for the Santa Cruz Mountains, the East Bay Hills and Diablo Range, and the North Bay Mountains.

The watch, which is in effect Sunday afternoon through Monday afternoon, means that critical fire weather conditions are forecast to occur. People should watch for later forecasts and possible red flags warnings, the National Weather Service San Francisco Bay Area said Friday.

"Isolated to scattered dry thunderstorms will be possible Sunday afternoon through Monday morning," the weather service said. "Given the dry fuels over the higher elevations, any cloud-to-ground lightning strikes have the potential of starting new wildfires."

The threat for thunderstorms diminishes Monday afternoon as the moisture moves northward.

Read the fire weather watch here.