PENDLETON — The National Weather Service issued a slew of warnings and advisories over the weekend warning of severe weather, dangerous heat and increased fire danger as high temperatures and thunderstorms blanketed the region.

According to the National Weather Service, the city of Pendleton recorded a high temperature of 103 degrees on Aug. 16, and back-to-back temperature records were recorded in Meacham with a high of 93 degrees on Aug. 15 and 99 degrees on Aug. 16, beating out records from 2003 and 2008, respectively.

Ann Adams, an assistant forecaster with the National Weather Service in Pendleton, said the high temperatures will be trending lower throughout the upcoming week, dipping to the upper 80s and low 90s during the day with overnight temperatures hovering around 60.

“There’s definitely a trend downward to less hot temperatures throughout the week,” Adams said, adding that Aug. 16 and Aug. 17 were expected to be the hottest days of the week.

Adams said the storm cell that moved over the region last weekend moved out to make way for a second storm cell beginning late afternoon and evening of Aug. 17.

The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning in effect for the Blue Mountains and Northeastern Oregon through 11 p.m. Aug. 18. Red flag warnings are issued in response to increased fire danger as a result of stronger winds, higher temperatures and low humidities.

“We’re expecting some isolated thunderstorm activity and since there is very little or no rain coming out of this cell, we put the red flag so that people are aware of the conditions,” Adams said.

Adams advised people to be conscious of adhering to burn restrictions, properly extinguishing fires and not throwing burning material, such as cigarettes or matches, from a moving vehicle.

A burn ban is in effect for the unincorporated areas of Umatilla County, along with the cities of Hermiston, Stanfield, Milton-Freewater, Umatilla and Pendleton.

The Umatilla National Forest will enter Phase B fire restrictions as of Aug. 18. The restrictions prohibit the use of campfires, wood stoves and briquette heaters with some limited allowances within designated campgrounds. In addition, use of chain saws and other internal combustion engines, vehicle travel off of developed forest roads and trails, and smoking outside of an enclosed vehicle or building are also prohibited with some exceptions.

The Blue Mountain Interagency Dispatch Center in La Grande, which coordinates wildland fire resources for Northeast Oregon and Southeast Washington, reported a trio of fires over the weekend, including the Ruby Fire, a 1-acre lightning strike fire near the Wolsey Creek Area in northeastern Grant County.

Despite stormy conditions, no lightning strike fires were reported by the Pendleton Fire Department, East Umatilla Fire and Rescue, Echo Fire Department or Umatilla County Fire District 1. All four agencies said they were closely monitoring weather conditions throughout the weekend and looking ahead to the middle portion of the week.

“We’ve definitely been keeping an eye on it,” said Pendleton Fire Department Capt. Steve Brost of the possibility of lightning strike fires.