Alert archive / Massachusetts / Red Flag Warnings in 2007

Red Flag Warning 9, NWS Boston/Norton, MA

May 15, 200710 counties in Massachusetts; Bristol County, Kent County, Providence County, Rhode Island; Capitol Planning Region, Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut

NWS Boston/Norton, MA issued this red flag warning at May 15, 2007, 4:32 AM EDT for 10 counties in Massachusetts; Bristol County, Kent County, Providence County, Rhode Island; Capitol Planning Region, Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut. It took effect at May 15, 2007, 11:00 AM EDT. It was in force for 5 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 15, 2007, 4:32 AM EDT (08:32 UTC)
In effect from
May 15, 2007, 11:00 AM EDT
Expired
May 15, 2007, 4:26 PM EDT
In force
5 hr
Issued by
NWS Boston/Norton, MA

Counties Capitol Planning Region, CT, Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region, CT, Bristol County, MA, Essex County, MA, Franklin County, MA, Hampden County, MA, Hampshire County, MA, Middlesex County, MA, Norfolk County, MA, Plymouth County, MA, Suffolk County, MA, Worcester County, MA, Bristol County, RI, Kent County, RI, Providence County, RI

The radar

The Boston radar (KBOX), 48 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 08:32 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.

The nearest sounding before it

Chatham, MA (KCHH), launched 00:00Z, 8.5 hours before the alert went out and 149 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, Chatham, MA at 00:00Z on 2007-05-15Temperature 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°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Chatham, MA at 00:00Z on 2007-05-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 106 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
2189 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
50 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
106 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
120 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
WWUS81 KBOX 150832
RFWBOX

RED FLAG WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
432 AM EDT TUE MAY 15 2007

CTZ002>004-MAZ002>019-026-NHZ011-012-015-RIZ001>005-151645-
/O.UPG.KBOX.FW.A.0011.070515T1500Z-070516T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KBOX.FW.W.0009.070515T1500Z-070516T0000Z/
HARTFORD CT-TOLLAND CT-WINDHAM CT-WESTERN FRANKLIN MA-
EASTERN FRANKLIN MA-NORTHERN WORCESTER MA-CENTRAL MIDDLESEX MA-
WESTERN ESSEX MA-EASTERN ESSEX MA-WESTERN HAMPSHIRE MA-
WESTERN HAMPDEN MA-EASTERN HAMPSHIRE MA-EASTERN HAMPDEN MA-
SOUTHERN WORCESTER MA-WESTERN NORFOLK MA-SOUTHEAST MIDDLESEX MA-
SUFFOLK MA-EASTERN NORFOLK MA-NORTHERN BRISTOL MA-
WESTERN PLYMOUTH MA-EASTERN PLYMOUTH MA-NORTHERN MIDDLESEX MA-
CHESHIRE NH-EASTERN HILLSBOROUGH NH-
WESTERN AND CENTRAL HILLSBOROUGH NH-NORTHWEST PROVIDENCE RI-
SOUTHEAST PROVIDENCE RI-WESTERN KENT RI-EASTERN KENT RI-
BRISTOL RI-
432 AM EDT TUE MAY 15 2007

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM EDT
THIS EVENING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TAUNTON HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM EDT
THIS EVENING FOR CENTRAL AND NORTHERN RHODE ISLAND...AS WELL AS 
INTERIOR SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS. THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS NO
LONGER IN EFFECT.

SOUTHWEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE TO BETWEEN 20 AND 30 MPH
WITH GUSTS BETWEEN 35 AND 45 MPH LATE THIS MORNING AND INTO THE
AFTERNOON. ALTHOUGH DEW POINT TEMPERATURES WILL BE INCREASING
TODAY...THE AIR TEMPERATURE WILL ALSO BE WARMER AND THUS MINIMUM
AFTERNOON RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES ARE STILL EXPECTED TO FALL TO
BETWEEN 25 AND 30 PERCENT. IN ADDITION...THIS REGION HAS BEEN VERY
DRY DURING THE LAST TWO WEEKS WITH MOST LOCATIONS RECEIVING LESS THAN
ONE THIRD INCH OF RAIN.

LIGHTNING IS ALSO POSSIBILITY AS SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MAY
DEVELOP IN SOUTHWEST NEW HAMPSHIRE AND NORTHWEST AND NORTH CENTRAL
MASSACHUSETTS LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF
STRONG WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND WARM TEMPERATURES WILL
CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL.

$$
FIELD
2 follow-up statements
000 
WWUS81 KBOX 151242
RFWBOX

RED FLAG WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
842 AM EDT TUE MAY 15 2007

MAZ002>007-014-015-026-NHZ011-012-015-151345-
/O.CAN.KBOX.FW.W.0009.070515T1500Z-070516T0000Z/
WESTERN FRANKLIN MA-EASTERN FRANKLIN MA-NORTHERN WORCESTER MA-
CENTRAL MIDDLESEX MA-WESTERN ESSEX MA-EASTERN ESSEX MA-
SOUTHEAST MIDDLESEX MA-SUFFOLK MA-NORTHERN MIDDLESEX MA-
CHESHIRE NH-EASTERN HILLSBOROUGH NH-
WESTERN AND CENTRAL HILLSBOROUGH NH-
842 AM EDT TUE MAY 15 2007

...RED FLAG WARNING IS CANCELLED...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TAUNTON HAS CANCELLED THE RED
FLAG WARNING NORTH OF THE MASSACHUSETTS TURNPIKE.

WHILE GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED TODAY...THERE WILL BE MORE
CLOUDS ALONG WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS WHICH WILL KEEP TEMPERATURES
COOLER THAN PREVIOUSLY FORECASTED. HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL BE MAINLY
IN THE 70S WITH MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITIES REMAINING ABOVE THE
CRITICAL THRESHOLD OF 30 PERCENT. THUS THE RED FLAG WARNING HAS BEEN
CANCELLED NORTH OF THE MASSACHUSETTS TURNPIKE.

$$

CTZ002>004-MAZ008>013-016>019-RIZ001>005-152045-
/O.CON.KBOX.FW.W.0009.070515T1500Z-070516T0000Z/
HARTFORD CT-TOLLAND CT-WINDHAM CT-WESTERN HAMPSHIRE MA-
WESTERN HAMPDEN MA-EASTERN HAMPSHIRE MA-EASTERN HAMPDEN MA-
SOUTHERN WORCESTER MA-WESTERN NORFOLK MA-EASTERN NORFOLK MA-
NORTHERN BRISTOL MA-WESTERN PLYMOUTH MA-EASTERN PLYMOUTH MA-
NORTHWEST PROVIDENCE RI-SOUTHEAST PROVIDENCE RI-WESTERN KENT RI-
EASTERN KENT RI-BRISTOL RI-
842 AM EDT TUE MAY 15 2007

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS
EVENING...

A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING.

SOUTHWEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE TO BETWEEN 20 AND 30 MPH
WITH GUSTS BETWEEN 35 AND 45 MPH LATE THIS MORNING AND INTO THE
AFTERNOON. ALTHOUGH DEW POINT TEMPERATURES WILL BE INCREASING
TODAY...THE AIR TEMPERATURE WILL ALSO BE WARMER AND THUS MINIMUM
AFTERNOON RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES ARE STILL EXPECTED TO FALL TO
BETWEEN 25 AND 30 PERCENT. IN ADDITION...THIS REGION HAS BEEN
VERY DRY DURING THE LAST TWO WEEKS WITH MOST LOCATIONS RECEIVING
LESS THAN ONE THIRD INCH OF RAIN.

LIGHTNING IS ALSO POSSIBILITY AS SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
MAY DEVELOP IN SOUTHWEST NEW HAMPSHIRE AND NORTHWEST AND NORTH
CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF
STRONG WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND WARM TEMPERATURES WILL
CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL.

$$

KJC
000 
WWUS81 KBOX 152026
RFWBOX

RED FLAG WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
426 PM EDT TUE MAY 15 2007

CTZ002>004-MAZ008>013-016>019-RIZ001>005-152130-
/O.CAN.KBOX.FW.W.0009.000000T0000Z-070516T0000Z/
HARTFORD CT-TOLLAND CT-WINDHAM CT-WESTERN HAMPSHIRE MA-
WESTERN HAMPDEN MA-EASTERN HAMPSHIRE MA-EASTERN HAMPDEN MA-
SOUTHERN WORCESTER MA-WESTERN NORFOLK MA-EASTERN NORFOLK MA-
NORTHERN BRISTOL MA-WESTERN PLYMOUTH MA-EASTERN PLYMOUTH MA-
NORTHWEST PROVIDENCE RI-SOUTHEAST PROVIDENCE RI-WESTERN KENT RI-
EASTERN KENT RI-BRISTOL RI-
426 PM EDT TUE MAY 15 2007

...RED FLAG WARNING IS CANCELLED...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TAUNTON HAS CANCELLED THE RED
FLAG WARNING. WINDS WILL DIMINISH AND RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES WILL
INCREASE EARLY THIS EVENING.

$$

The office that day

Everything else NWS Boston/Norton, MA issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 15, 5:41 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOXHampshire34 min
May 15, 5:51 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOXHampden, Worcester39 min
May 15, 6:44 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOXHampden46 min
May 15, 6:55 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOXCapitol Planning Region26 min

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Massachusetts, 2007Red Flag Warnings in Rhode Island, 2007Red Flag Warnings in Connecticut, 2007Every red flag warning in 2007

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.