More Thunderstorms, Lightning Likely Above the Pass Thursday Afternoon

Towering thunderheads were building over the San Gorgonio Wilderness again Thursday afternoon, and the National Weather Service advised more thunderstorms and cloud-to-ground lightning strikes were likely.

"Clouds will continue to develop and increase across the high terrain . . . leading to isolated thunderstorms," the Weather Service said in a statement Thursday afternoon.

"These storms will be capable of a period of heavy rain . . . frequent cloud to ground lightning and small hail. Storms will be slow moving and tend to remain along the highest terrain. The strongest activity will be over the Riverside mountains and San Bernardino National Forest."

The Forest Service reported one lightning-strike fire at 11:28 a.m. Thursday in the Fish Creek area south of Heart Bar and east of Barton Flats, well north of Banning and Cabazon.

On Wednesday, four different lightning-strike fires were reported in and near the mountainous San Gorgonio Wilderness, according to the Forest Service.

"Currently the fires do not pose a threat to local communities, no roads or recreational facilities are impacted," the Forest Service advised. All the spot fires were less than one acre in size.

On Tuesday, the Forest Service reported nine different lightning-strike fires in the San Gabriel, San Bernardino and San Jacinto mountains. They were also considered spots fires less than an acre each.