lightening

The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for the Lake Tahoe area from 2:00 p.m. Wednesday to 8:00 p.m. Thursday.

Thunderstorms with potentially dangerous lightening strikes are forecast along with heavy rain and possible flash flooding.

A negatively tilted trough is setting the stage for a widespread outbreak of thunderstorms this afternoon through Thursday from the northern Sierra and far western Nevada to the Oregon border.

There are nine small lightning caused fires currently burning in or around the Lake Tahoe Basin, the largest one is one-half acre in size.

Staff from the U.S. Forest Service is at each scene with firefighters from the Tahoe-Douglas and North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection Districts, working to extinguish them. Most of the fires are single-tree fires with some ground fire.

Winds are calm, and the Lake Tahoe Basin received substantial rainfall in the area of the fire starts, so the rate of spread is low.

A very strong storm cell is moving across the east side of Lake Tahoe and the Carson Valley this evening, causing some small fires.

The National Weather Service in Reno issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for western Carson City, Minden, Gardnerville, the Carson Valley and Lake Tahoe. The warning is through at least 6:15 p.m. and extends through the Carson Range.

It is expected to impact the east side of Lake Tahoe and into Carson City and Carson Valley. Wind gusts to 60 mph, penny sized hail and heavy rain are possible with this storm, according to the weather service.

1:35 p.m. update on 6/23/15

The fire figures were updated this afternoon. At 8 a.m. they report almost 16,000 acres, then downsized a bit at noon to 13,562 after analyzing infrared reports. The 1:35 p.m. update is as follows:

The Washington Fire is actively burning. It is spreading due to both fuel-and-slope-driven forces and in some some drainages off of the East Fork Carson River. It has also spread to the north and to the east.

Fire is burning in hazardous and inaccessible terrain and approaching an increasing number of structures and impacting travel corridors.

The annual procession of decorated City vehicles and other participants made it's way down Lake Tahoe Blvd on Saturday night, much to the delight of people along the parade route and at the tree lighting ceremony at the end.

As the row of cars and trucks passed by local businesses, those adorned with lights turned them on like one moving light switch.

At the "Shops at the Y" people gathered to watch the tree lightening ceremony along with treats and photos with Santa.

Lightening has caused a delay at Edgewood Tahoe for the 25th American Century Golf Championship. Television coverage on NBC will be switched over to NBCSN if play resumes.

The leaders at the time the storm horns sounded were Jeremy Roenick and Mark Rypien tied at 64, with Hall-of-Famer Annika Sorenstam currently in third place with 62 points. If the tournament is able to conclude, play will resume with the leaders playing the 16th hole.

Here is this week's fishing report for rivers, lakes and streams for Northern California, the Sierra and across Nevada. This report is for the week of August 16.