SOUTH LAKE TAHOE — The Lake Tahoe Basin will be under red flag conditions for several hours on Tuesday afternoon during a record-setting heat wave.

The National Weather Service in Reno on Tuesday morning upgraded from a fire weather watch to a red flag warning that is in effect from 2 to 11 p.m. due to a threat of thunderstorms and strong winds during a heat wave that has broken records for the past two days.

The service said thunderstorms are expected to develop by the late afternoon that will persist into the evening. Minimal rainfall is likely to fall allowing for a higher risk of dry lightning strikes.

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Winds are expected to exceed 40 mph and new lightning strikes could spark a wildfire, one that could rapidly grow before first responders can contain them.

Officials advise against any outdoor activities that can cause a spark near dry vegetation, such as yard work, target shooting, or campfires. During red flag warnings, all outdoor open flames are prohibited.

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The high temperature on Monday in South Lake Tahoe reached 91 degrees at about 1:30 p.m. that broke the record of 89 set in 2013.

It’s the fourth heat record that has been broken this year, all in the last couple of weeks. The first two happened on June 17-18.

Tuesday’s high is expected to reach into the mid 80s. The record high for the date is 89.

The service is forecasting isolated showers and thunderstorms for the rest of the week and into the holiday weekend.

The high temps are expected to drop slightly starting on Wednesday.

Bill Rozak is the Editor of the Tahoe Daily Tribune, a sister publication to the Sierra Sun. He can be reached at brozak@tahoedailytribune.com