Alert archive / Washington / Flash Flood Warnings in 2026

Flash Flood Warning 7, NWS Spokane, WA

August 12, 2026Okanogan County, Washington

NWS Spokane, WA issued this flash flood warning at Aug 12, 2026, 3:47 PM PDT for Okanogan County, Washington. It was in force for 3 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Aug 12, 2026, 3:47 PM PDT (22:47 UTC)
Expired
Aug 12, 2026, 6:19 PM PDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Spokane, WA
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

County Okanogan County, WA

The radar

The Seattle radar (KATX), 156 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:51 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this flash flood warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The nearest sounding before it

Quillayute State, WA (KUIL), launched 12:00Z, 10.8 hours before the alert went out and 307 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Quillayute State, WA at 12:00Z on 2026-08-12Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Quillayute State, WA at 12:00Z on 2026-08-12The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -6 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
700 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
26 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-6 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
30 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

213 
WGUS56 KOTX 122247
FFWOTX
WAC047-130130-
/O.NEW.KOTX.FF.W.0007.260812T2247Z-260813T0130Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Spokane WA
347 PM PDT Wed Aug 12 2026

The National Weather Service in Spokane has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  The Cedar Creek Burn Scar in...
  West Central Okanogan County in north central Washington...

* Until 630 PM PDT.

* At 347 PM PDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing 
  heavy rain over the Cedar Creek Burn Scar. Rain amounts between 
  0.30 to 0.50 inches has been estimated over the past hour and 
  additional 0.25 to 0.75 inches is possible in the next few hours, 
  as additional precipitation moves over the region.  Flash flooding 
  is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.

Excessive rainfall over the warning area will cause mud slides near 
steep terrain. The mud slide can consist of rock, mud, vegetation 
and other loose materials.

  HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms in and around
           the burn scar.

  SOURCE...Radar.

  IMPACT...Flooding of areas in and around the burn scar.

* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
  Rural areas of West Central Okanogan County and areas south of 
  Mazama near State Route 20.

&&

LAT...LON 4859 12042 4850 12028 4842 12026 4842 12029
      4845 12032 4842 12034 4846 12040 4845 12048
      4846 12046 4849 12050 4850 12041 4852 12049
      4854 12048 4854 12054 4858 12054 4857 12060
      4860 12059

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED

$$

Solveig
1 follow-up statement
222 
WGUS76 KOTX 130119
FFSOTX

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Spokane WA
619 PM PDT Wed Aug 12 2026

WAC047-130129-
/O.CAN.KOTX.FF.W.0007.000000T0000Z-260813T0130Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Okanogan WA-
619 PM PDT Wed Aug 12 2026

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR THE BURN SCAR IS CANCELLED FOR WEST 
CENTRAL OKANOGAN COUNTY...

The heavy rain has ended. Flooding is no longer expected to pose a 
threat. Please continue to heed remaining road closures.

&&

LAT...LON 4859 12042 4850 12028 4842 12026 4842 12029
      4845 12032 4842 12034 4846 12040 4845 12048
      4846 12046 4849 12050 4850 12041 4852 12049
      4854 12048 4854 12054 4858 12054 4857 12060
      4860 12059

$$

JCLEV

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Spokane, WA wrote its last area forecast discussion before this flash flood warning went out at Aug 12, 3:00 PM PDT, 47 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Haze and areas of smoke continues, with some improvement possible in some areas due to gusty north to northeast winds into Thursday.
  • Red Flag Warning has been issued for scattered showers and thunderstorms through Wednesday evening for portions of Central Washington and into early Thursday morning for portions of Northeast Washington into the Idaho Panhandle.
Area forecast discussion, Aug 12, 3:00 PM PDT, 47 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Spokane WA
300 PM PDT Wed Aug 12 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Haze and areas of smoke continues, with some improvement
  possible in some areas due to gusty north to northeast winds
  into Thursday.

- Red Flag Warning has been issued for scattered showers and
  thunderstorms through Wednesday evening for portions of
  Central Washington and into early Thursday morning for
  portions of Northeast Washington into the Idaho Panhandle.

&&

.SYNOPSIS...
A weather system skirting the region will bring scattered
showers and thunderstorms through Wednesday Night to portions of
Central and Northeast Washington into the Idaho Panhandle. Most
of the region will see drier weather Thursday through the
weekend except for a chance of showers and thunderstorms
primarily in the mountains.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Tonight: Scattered showers and thunderstorms along the East
Slopes of the Cascades and northern mountains will continue to
develop into the evening hours due to increased lift and
instability with a passing upper level trough. Precipitable
water values around 150% of normal and slow storm motion will
allow for rain to occur with these storms, which could be
locally heavy along the East Slopes of the Cascades and Okanogan
Highlands where storm motion is slowest. If a storm goes over a
vulnerable burn scar debris flows would be possible and
something that will continue to be monitored. Elevated
instability over NE WA into the ID Panhandle will allow for some
storms to persist into the overnight hours and thus the Red Flag
Warning for much of NE WA/N Idaho was extended through 8 AM
Thursday. This passing weather system will also allow a backdoor
cold front to move in from the north and northeast with gusty
winds developing this evening. Several of the high resolution
models show widespread gusts of 25-40 MPH developing and thus
evening winds were increased. As of 2 PM some of these gusts
were already materializing with gusts to around 35 MPH in the
Okanogan Valley and 25 MPH around Bonners Ferry.

Thursday: As the short wave associated with the upper trough
exits large scale lift moves out. However residual moisture and
daytime heating is expected to allow isolated showers and
thunderstorms to develop over the high terrain, especially along
the East Slopes of the Cascades.

Friday through Wednesday: Ensemble means show the upper trough
retrograding to off the coast putting the Inland NW in a broad
south to southwest flow for several days. We will need to
closely watch for additional weather disturbances coming through
the region. Yet at this time most of these look on the weaker
side supporting the chance of daily afternoon and evening
thunderstorm chances mainly over the mountains.

Regarding smoke: The strong shift in north to northeast this
evening, with winds remaining out of the north-northeast into
Thursday and Friday may help clear some smoke out of the
region, especially over NE Washington and N Idaho. Yet with the
potential for new fire starts from lightning this is not a high
confidence situation. Several Air Quality agencies have issued
Air Quality Alerts and Advisories which remain in effect for
several counties. JW

&&

.AVIATION...
18Z TAFs: VFR/MVFR conditions will continue the next 24 hours
with areas of smoke and haze. Winds will be breezy through the
Cascade gaps including at KEAT. A chance for -shra and -tsra
today and tonight, especially across the northern counties,
including places like Winthrop, Omak and Colville. Lesser
chances at TAF locations and primarily after 00Z for these
locations.

FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND/OR ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: High confidence
in smoke and haze continuing to impact the area terminals, but
low confidence in extent of reduced vis/cigs. Alternate scenario
near KGEG/KSFF/KCOE, low confidence risk for t-storms after
22-00Z. Outflow winds gusting near 20-30kts possible.

-----------------------

Confidence descriptors:

Low - Less than a 30 percent chance
Moderate - 30 to 70 percent chance
High - Greater than a 70 percent chance

For additional probabilistic information for NWS Spokane airports,

please refer to the Aviation Dashboard on our webpage:
https:/www.weather.gov/otx/avndashboard

&&

.Preliminary Point Temps/PoPs...
Spokane        55  81  54  83  53  87 /  40  10   0   0   0   0
Coeur d'Alene  55  80  53  82  53  86 /  30  10   0   0   0   0
Pullman        47  82  46  82  47  86 /   0   0   0   0   0  10
Lewiston       60  88  60  87  60  91 /   0   0  10  10   0  20
Colville       44  78  41  81  43  84 /  80  30  10   0   0   0
Sandpoint      47  72  45  77  46  82 /  60  40  10   0   0   0
Kellogg        52  78  51  78  51  83 /  20  30   0  20   0   0
Moses Lake     57  85  58  86  56  89 /  30   0   0   0   0   0
Wenatchee      63  85  65  84  64  87 /  70  10  20  20  10   0
Omak           57  85  57  85  57  88 /  50  10  20  10   0   0

&&

.OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WA...Air Quality Alert until further notice for Central Chelan
County-Lower Garfield and Asotin Counties-Moses Lake Area-
Northeast Blue Mountains-Northeast Mountains-Okanogan Highlands-
Okanogan Valley-Spokane Area-Upper Columbia Basin-Washington
Palouse- Waterville Plateau-Wenatchee Area-Western Chelan
County-Western Okanogan County.

Red Flag Warning until 8 AM PDT Thursday for Colville
Reservation (Zone 702)-Foothills of Northeast Washington (Zone
701)-Okanogan Highlands and Kettle Mountains (Zone 699)-Selkirk
Mountains of Northeast Washington (Zone 700).

Red Flag Warning until 11 PM PDT this evening for East Portion
of North Cascades National Park/Lake Chelan National Recreation
Area (Zone 697)-East Washington Central Cascades (Zone 696)-East
Washington North Cascades (Zone 698)-Foothills of Central
Washington Cascades (Zone 705)- Methow Valley (Zone
704)-Okanogan Valley (Zone 703)- Waterville Plateau (Zone 706).

ID...Air Quality Alert until noon PDT Friday for Lewis and
Southern Nez Perce Counties-Lewiston Area- Northern Panhandle.

Red Flag Warning until 8 AM PDT Thursday for Northern and
Central Idaho Panhandle (Zone 101).

&&

The office that day

Everything else NWS Spokane, WA issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 12, 4:36 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementOTXFerry39 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Washington, 2026Every flash flood warning in 2026

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.