Alert archive / North Dakota / Red Flag Warnings in 2008

Red Flag Warning 39, NWS Bismarck, ND

October 25, 20089 counties in North Dakota

NWS Bismarck, ND issued this red flag warning at Oct 25, 2008, 2:31 PM MDT for 9 counties in North Dakota. It took effect at Oct 26, 2008, 9:00 AM MDT. It was in force for 9 hr. 3 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Oct 25, 2008, 2:31 PM MDT (20:31 UTC)
In effect from
Oct 26, 2008, 9:00 AM MDT
Expired
Oct 26, 2008, 6:00 PM MDT
In force
9 hr
Issued by
NWS Bismarck, ND

Counties Adams County, ND, Billings County, ND, Bowman County, ND, Dunn County, ND, Golden Valley County, ND, Hettinger County, ND, McKenzie County, ND, Slope County, ND, Stark County, ND

The radar

The Bismarck radar (KBIS), 178 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:37 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.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Oct 26, 9:33 AM MDTNON-TSTM WND GST 59Dickinson Regional Airp, ND
Oct 26, 9:55 AM MDTHIGH SUST WINDS 40Bowman, ND
Oct 26, 11:28 AM MDTNON-TSTM WND GST 58Hettinger, NDSUSTAINED WINDS 44 MPH AT 1122 AM CDT

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Bismarck Municip, ND (KBIS), launched 12:00Z, 8.5 hours before the alert went out and 182 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, Bismarck Municip, ND at 12:00Z on 2008-10-25Temperature 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, Bismarck Municip, ND at 12:00Z on 2008-10-25The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 97 square meters per square second.1939587897117136156Sfc1 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
1882 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
54 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
97 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
156 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 
WWUS83 KBIS 252031
RFWBIS

RED FLAG WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
331 PM CDT SAT OCT 25 2008

...RED FLAG WARNING SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING FOR SOUTHWEST
AND WEST CENTRAL FIRE ZONES. ANOTHER RED FLAG WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED
FOR SUNDAY MORNING AND AFTERNOON FOR PARTS OF WEST CENTRAL AND
SOUTHWESTERN NORTH DAKOTA. THE WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR STRONG
WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES AND LOW VEGETATIVE GREENNESS...

.A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL BRING WINDY CONDITIONS TO NORTH DAKOTA
FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON. NORTHWEST WINDS
OF 25 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 50 MPH SATURDAY AFTERNOON WILL CONTINUE
THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING. AFTERNOON HIGHS IN THE 50S AND LOWER 60S
AND RELATIVE HUMIDITIES RANGING FROM 25 TO 30 PERCENT WILL COMBINE
WITH THE WINDS TO PRODUCE RED FLAG CONDITIONS OVER THOSE AREAS OF
WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWESTERN NORTH DAKOTA WITH THE LOWEST
VEGETATIVE GREENNESS. THIS AREA INCLUDES DUNN AND MCKENZIE
COUNTIES AND SOUTHWARD TO THE SOUTH DAKOTA BORDER. BY LATE
SATURDAY EVENING RELATIVE HUMIDITIES ARE EXPECTED TO RISE TO 40 TO
50 PERCENT AND WIND SPEEDS ARE EXPECTED TO LOWER TO 15 TO 25 MPH.
A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT TODAY FROM NOON MDT TO 9 PM MDT.

ON SUNDAY THE NORTHWEST WINDS ARE FORECAST TO INCREASE QUICKLY
AFTER SUNRISE...REACHING SUSTAINED SPEEDS OF 35 TO 45 MPH WITH
GUSTS RANGING FROM 50 TO 60 MPH. IN ADDITION...EVEN THOUGH COLD
AIR MOVING IN BEHIND THE COLD FRONT WILL KEEP TEMPERATURES IN THE
30S FOR MUCH OF THE DAY ON SUNDAY...DEW POINT TEMPERATURES IN THE
SINGLE DIGITS WILL RESULT IN AFTERNOON RELATIVE HUMIDITIES OF
AROUND 25 TO 30 PERCENT. WIND SPEEDS ARE EXPECTED TO DECREASE TO
15 TO 30 MPH BY EVENING. THUS THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH HAS BEEN
UPGRADED TO A RED FLAG WARNING ON SUNDAY FROM 9 AM MDT TO 6 PM
MDT.

NDZ017-018-031>033-040-041-043-044-260445-
/O.UPG.KBIS.FW.A.0018.081026T1500Z-081027T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KBIS.FW.W.0039.081026T1500Z-081027T0000Z/
/O.CON.KBIS.FW.W.0038.000000T0000Z-081026T0300Z/
MCKENZIE-DUNN-GOLDEN VALLEY-BILLINGS-STARK-SLOPE-HETTINGER-BOWMAN-
ADAMS-
331 PM CDT SAT OCT 25 2008 /231 PM MDT SAT OCT 25 2008/

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM CDT /9 PM MDT/
THIS EVENING...
...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM CDT /9 AM MDT/ TO 7 PM
CDT /6 PM MDT/ SUNDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BISMARCK HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM CDT /9 AM MDT/ TO 7 PM
CDT /6 PM MDT/ SUNDAY. THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS NO LONGER IN
EFFECT. A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM CDT
/9 PM MDT/ THIS EVENING. 

EXPECT AFTERNOON AND EVENING NORTHWEST WINDS BETWEEN 25 AND 40
MPH WITH GUSTS TO 50 MPH WITH RELATIVE HUMIDITIES 25 TO 30
PERCENT. ON SUNDAY THE NORTHWEST WINDS WILL AGAIN INCREASE AFTER
SUNRISE AND REACH SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS OF 35 TO 45 MPH WITH GUSTS
BETWEEN 50 AND 60 MPH. AFTERNOON RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL BE IN
THE 25 TO 35 PERCENT RANGE.

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.

$$
ABELING
5 follow-up statements
000 
WWUS83 KBIS 260216
RFWBIS

RED FLAG WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
916 PM CDT SAT OCT 25 2008

...THE RED FLAG WARNING FOR PARTS OF THE WEST AND SOUTHWEST HAS
BEEN CANCELLED THIS EVENING...
...ANOTHER RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR SUNDAY MORNING AND
AFTERNOON FOR PARTS OF WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWESTERN NORTH DAKOTA.
THE WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITIES AND LOW VEGETATIVE GREENNESS...

.ON SUNDAY MORNING NORTHWEST WINDS ARE FORECAST TO INCREASE
QUICKLY AFTER SUNRISE...REACHING SUSTAINED SPEEDS OF 35 TO 45 MPH
WITH GUSTS RANGING FROM 50 TO 60 MPH. IN ADDITION...EVEN THOUGH
THE COLD AIR HAS MOVED INTO THE REGION...DEW POINT TEMPERATURES IN
THE SINGLE DIGITS WILL RESULT IN AFTERNOON RELATIVE HUMIDITIES OF
AROUND 25 TO 30 PERCENT. WIND SPEEDS ARE EXPECTED TO DECREASE TO
15 TO 30 MPH BY EVENING. THUS THE A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT
ON SUNDAY FROM 9 AM MDT TO 6 PM MDT.

NDZ017-018-031>033-040-041-043-044-261030-
/O.CAN.KBIS.FW.W.0038.000000T0000Z-081026T0300Z/
/O.CON.KBIS.FW.W.0039.081026T1500Z-081027T0000Z/
MCKENZIE-DUNN-GOLDEN VALLEY-BILLINGS-STARK-SLOPE-HETTINGER-BOWMAN-
ADAMS-
916 PM CDT SAT OCT 25 2008 /816 PM MDT SAT OCT 25 2008/

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM CDT /9 AM MDT/
TO 7 PM CDT /6 PM MDT/ SUNDAY...
...RED FLAG WARNING IS CANCELLED THIS EVENING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BISMARCK HAS CANCELLED THE RED
FLAG WARNING THIS EVENING. A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT 
FROM 10 AM CDT /9 AM MDT/ TO 7 PM CDT /6 PM MDT/ SUNDAY.

EXPECT NORTHWEST WINDS TO INCREASE QUICKLY AFTER SUNRISE...
REACHING SUSTAINED SPEEDS OF 35 TO 45 MPH WITH GUSTS RANGING FROM
50 TO 60 MPH. IN ADDITION...EVEN THOUGH THE COLD AIR HAS MOVED
INTO THE REGION...DEW POINT TEMPERATURES IN THE SINGLE DIGITS WILL
RESULT IN AFTERNOON RELATIVE HUMIDITIES OF AROUND 25 TO 30
PERCENT. WIND SPEEDS ARE EXPECTED TO DECREASE TO 15 TO 30 MPH BY
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.

$$

VJ
000 
WWUS83 KBIS 260913
RFWBIS

RED FLAG WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
413 AM CDT SUN OCT 26 2008

...RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR SUNDAY MORNING AND AFTERNOON
FOR PARTS OF WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWESTERN NORTH DAKOTA. THE WARNING
HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES AND
LOW VEGETATIVE GREENNESS...

.NORTHWEST WINDS OF 35 TO 45 MPH WITH GUSTS BETWEEN 50 TO 60 MPH
COMBINED WITH MINIMUM HUMIDITIES OF AROUND 25 TO 30 PERCENT WILL
CREATE CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER BEHAVIOR. RANGELAND FIRE DANGER
INDICES ARE ALSO IN THE VERY HIGH CATEGORY OVER THESE AREAS. WIND
SPEEDS ARE EXPECTED TO DECREASE TO 15 TO 30 MPH BY EVENING. THUS
THE RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT TODAY FROM 9 AM MDT TO 6 PM MDT.

NDZ017-018-031>033-040-041-043-044-261730-
/O.CON.KBIS.FW.W.0039.081026T1500Z-081027T0000Z/
MCKENZIE-DUNN-GOLDEN VALLEY-BILLINGS-STARK-SLOPE-HETTINGER-BOWMAN-
ADAMS-
413 AM CDT SUN OCT 26 2008 /313 AM MDT SUN OCT 26 2008/

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM CDT /9 AM MDT/
THIS MORNING TO 7 PM CDT /6 PM MDT/ THIS EVENING...

A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM CDT /9 AM MDT/
THIS MORNING TO 7 PM CDT /6 PM MDT/ THIS EVENING. 

NORTHWEST WINDS OF 35 TO 45 MPH WITH GUSTS RANGING FROM 50 TO 60
MPH ALONG WITH MINIMUM HUMIDITIES OF AROUND 25 TO 30 PERCENT WILL
CREATE CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER BEHAVIOR. WIND SPEEDS ARE EXPECTED
TO DECREASE TO 15 TO 30 MPH BY 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.

$$

KS
000 
WWUS83 KBIS 261603
RFWBIS

RED FLAG WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
1103 AM CDT SUN OCT 26 2008

...RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON FOR
PARTS OF WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWESTERN NORTH DAKOTA. THE WARNING
HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES AND
LOW VEGETATIVE GREENNESS...

.NORTHWEST WINDS OF 35 TO 45 MPH WITH GUSTS BETWEEN 50 TO 60 MPH
COMBINED WITH MINIMUM HUMIDITIES OF AROUND 25 TO 30 PERCENT WILL
CREATE CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER BEHAVIOR. RANGELAND FIRE DANGER
INDICES ARE ALSO IN THE VERY HIGH CATEGORY OVER THESE AREAS. WIND
SPEEDS ARE EXPECTED TO DECREASE TO 15 TO 30 MPH BY EVENING. THUS
THE RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT TODAY UNTIL 6 PM MDT.

NDZ017-018-031>033-040-041-043-044-270000-
/O.CON.KBIS.FW.W.0039.000000T0000Z-081027T0000Z/
MCKENZIE-DUNN-GOLDEN VALLEY-BILLINGS-STARK-SLOPE-HETTINGER-BOWMAN-
ADAMS-
1103 AM CDT SUN OCT 26 2008 /1003 AM MDT SUN OCT 26 2008/

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT /6 PM MDT/
THIS EVENING...

A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT /6 PM MDT/
THIS EVENING. 

NORTHWEST WINDS OF 35 TO 45 MPH WITH GUSTS RANGING FROM 50 TO
60 MPH ALONG WITH MINIMUM HUMIDITIES OF AROUND 25 TO 30 PERCENT
WILL CREATE CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER BEHAVIOR. WIND SPEEDS ARE
EXPECTED TO DECREASE TO 15 TO 30 MPH BY 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.

$$

WAA
000 
WWUS83 KBIS 262009
RFWBIS

RED FLAG WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
309 PM CDT SUN OCT 26 2008

...RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON FOR
PARTS OF WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWESTERN NORTH DAKOTA. THE WARNING
IS FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES AND LOW
VEGETATIVE GREENNESS...

.NORTHWEST WINDS OF 35 TO 45 MPH WITH GUSTS BETWEEN 50 TO 60 MPH
COMBINED WITH MINIMUM HUMIDITIES OF AROUND 25 TO 30 PERCENT WILL
CREATE CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER BEHAVIOR. RANGELAND FIRE DANGER
INDICES ARE ALSO IN THE VERY HIGH CATEGORY OVER THESE AREAS. WIND
SPEEDS ARE EXPECTED TO DECREASE TO 15 TO 30 MPH BY EVENING. THUS
THE RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM MDT.

NDZ017-018-031>033-040-041-043-044-270000-
/O.CON.KBIS.FW.W.0039.000000T0000Z-081027T0000Z/
MCKENZIE-DUNN-GOLDEN VALLEY-BILLINGS-STARK-SLOPE-HETTINGER-BOWMAN-
ADAMS-
309 PM CDT SUN OCT 26 2008 /209 PM MDT SUN OCT 26 2008/

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT /6 PM MDT/
THIS EVENING...

A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT /6 PM MDT/
THIS EVENING. 

NORTHWEST WINDS OF 35 TO 45 MPH WITH GUSTS RANGING FROM 50 TO
60 MPH ALONG WITH MINIMUM HUMIDITIES OF AROUND 25 TO 30 PERCENT
WILL CREATE CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER BEHAVIOR. WIND SPEEDS ARE
EXPECTED TO DECREASE TO 15 TO 30 MPH BY 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.

$$
WAA
000 
WWUS83 KBIS 270000
RFWBIS

RED FLAG WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
700 PM CDT SUN OCT 26 2008

...RED FLAG WARNING EXPIRED FOR WESTERN NORTH DAKOTA...

.DECREASING WINDS HAVE ALLOWED THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TO
EXPIRE THE RED FLAG WARNING AT 700 PM CDT...600 PM MDT...FOR
WESTERN NORTH DAKOTA.

NDZ017-018-031>033-040-041-043-044-270100-
/O.CAN.KBIS.FW.W.0039.000000T0000Z-081027T0000Z/
MCKENZIE-DUNN-GOLDEN VALLEY-BILLINGS-STARK-SLOPE-HETTINGER-BOWMAN-
ADAMS-
700 PM CDT SUN OCT 26 2008 /600 PM MDT SUN OCT 26 2008/

...RED FLAG WARNING IS EXPIRED...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BISMARCK HAS EXPIRED THE RED FLAG
WARNING.

BY 700 PM CDT THE WIND WAS DECREASING AND SO THE RED FLAG THREAT
HAD DECREASED. THE WARNING IS EXPIRED.

$$

JP MARTIN

The office that day

Everything else NWS Bismarck, ND issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Oct 25, 2:44 AM MDTHigh Wind WatchBISAdams, Billings, Bottineau, Bowman, Burke, Burleigh and 26 more24 hr

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in North Dakota, 2008Every red flag warning in 2008

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.