Alert archive / Colorado / Red Flag Warnings in 2008

Red Flag Warning 21, NWS Pueblo, CO

May 18, 200813 counties in Colorado

NWS Pueblo, CO issued this red flag warning at May 18, 2008, 4:19 AM MDT for 13 counties in Colorado. It took effect at May 18, 2008, 2:00 PM MDT. It was in force for 7 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 18, 2008, 4:19 AM MDT (10:19 UTC)
In effect from
May 18, 2008, 2:00 PM MDT
Expired
May 18, 2008, 9:00 PM MDT
In force
7 hr
Issued by
NWS Pueblo, CO

Counties Alamosa County, CO, Conejos County, CO, Costilla County, CO, Crowley County, CO, Custer County, CO, El Paso County, CO, Fremont County, CO, Huerfano County, CO, Las Animas County, CO, Otero County, CO, Pueblo County, CO, Rio Grande County, CO, Saguache County, CO

The radar

The Pueblo radar (KPUX), 103 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 10:18 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

Denver, CO (KDNR), launched 00:00Z, 10.3 hours before the alert went out and 274 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, Denver, CO at 00:00Z on 2008-05-18Temperature 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 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Denver, CO at 00:00Z on 2008-05-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 1 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
3090 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
23 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
1 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
98 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 
WWUS85 KPUB 181019
RFWPUB

RED FLAG WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
419 AM MDT SUN MAY 18 2008

...A RED FLAG WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITY...GUSTY WINDS OVER 25 MPH...HIGH HAINES INDEX AND 
DRY FUELS FROM 2 PM THROUGH 8 PM TODAY FOR ELEVATIONS BELOW 9000
FEET IN FIRE WEATHER ZONES 222...224...225...AND 227 THROUGH 
233...WHICH INCLUDES THE SAN LUIS VALLEY...SANGRE DE CRISTO
MOUNTAINS AND WET MOUNTAINS...FREMONT COUNTY...THE I-25 CORRIDOR
FROM COLORADO SPRINGS TO RATON AND CROWLEY  AND OTERO COUNTIES...

.THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PUEBLO...IN COORDINATION WITH
AREA LAND MANAGEMENT AGENCIES...HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG WARNING FOR
PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST COLORADO THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

RELATIVE HUMIDITIES IN THE LOWER TEENS..TEMPERATURES IN THE
80S...HAINES INDICES OF 5 TO 6...AND GUSTY WEST WINDS WILL
CONTRIBUTE TO CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON
AND EVENING. 

COZ234>237-181130-
/O.CAN.KPUB.FW.A.0016.080518T2000Z-080519T0300Z/
KIOWA COUNTY-BENT COUNTY-PROWERS COUNTY-BACA COUNTY-
419 AM MDT SUN MAY 18 2008

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS CANCELLED...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PUEBLO HAS CANCELLED THE FIRE
WEATHER WATCH. 

VERY LOW HUMIDITIES AND TEMPERATURES IN THE UPPER 80S TO LOWER 90S
WILL CONTRIBUTE TO HIGH FIRE DANGER...BUT WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO
REMAIN LIGHT TO MODERATE.

$$

COZ222-224-225-227>233-190230-
/O.UPG.KPUB.FW.A.0016.080518T2000Z-080519T0300Z/
/O.NEW.KPUB.FW.W.0021.080518T2000Z-080519T0300Z/
FREMONT COUNTY-SAN LUIS VALLEY-SOUTHERN FRONT RANGE-
SOUTHERN EL PASO COUNTY-PUEBLO COUNTY-HUERFANO COUNTY-
WESTERN LAS ANIMAS COUNTY-CROWLEY COUNTY-OTERO COUNTY-
EASTERN LAS ANIMAS COUNTY-
419 AM MDT SUN MAY 18 2008

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 2 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 9 PM
MDT THIS EVENING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PUEBLO HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 2 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 9 PM MDT
THIS EVENING. THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. 

THIS WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE SAN LUIS VALLEY...EASTERN
MOUNTAINS BELOW 9000 FEET...INTERSTATE 25 CORRIDOR FROM SOUTHERN
EL PASO COUNTY TO THE RATON...AND CROWLEY AND OTERO COUNTIES.

WEST WINDS GUSTING FROM 25 TO 40 MPH WILL INCREASE IN THE LATE AFTERNOON
AND CONTINUE THROUGH EARLY EVENING. RELATIVE HUMIDITIES IN THE
LOWER TEENS TO POSSIBLY SINGLE DIGITS ARE EXPECTED AS TEMPERATURES
APPROACH 90 DEGREES OVER THE PLAINS.

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.

$$
2 follow-up statements
000 
WWUS85 KPUB 182054
RFWPUB

RED FLAG WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
254 PM MDT SUN MAY 18 2008

...A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...
GUSTY WINDS OVER 25 MPH...HIGH HAINES INDEX AND DRY FUELS THROUGH
9 PM FOR ELEVATIONS BELOW 9000 FEET IN FIRE WEATHER ZONES
222...224...225...AND 227 THROUGH 233...WHICH INCLUDES THE SAN
LUIS VALLEY...SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS AND WET
MOUNTAINS...FREMONT COUNTY...THE I-25 CORRIDOR FROM COLORADO
SPRINGS TO RATON AND CROWLEY AND OTERO COUNTIES...

.THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PUEBLO...IN COORDINATION WITH
AREA LAND MANAGEMENT AGENCIES...HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG WARNING FOR
PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST COLORADO THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

RELATIVE HUMIDITIES IN THE LOWER TEENS..TEMPERATURES IN THE 80S...
HAINES INDICES OF 5 TO 6...AND GUSTY WEST WINDS WILL CONTRIBUTE
TO CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS INTO THIS EVENING.

COZ222-224-225-227>233-190300-
/O.CON.KPUB.FW.W.0021.000000T0000Z-080519T0300Z/
FREMONT COUNTY-SAN LUIS VALLEY-SOUTHERN FRONT RANGE-
SOUTHERN EL PASO COUNTY-PUEBLO COUNTY-HUERFANO COUNTY-
WESTERN LAS ANIMAS COUNTY-CROWLEY COUNTY-OTERO COUNTY-
EASTERN LAS ANIMAS COUNTY-
254 PM MDT SUN MAY 18 2008

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM MDT THIS
EVENING...

A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING.

THIS WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE SAN LUIS VALLEY...EASTERN
MOUNTAINS BELOW 9000 FEET...INTERSTATE 25 CORRIDOR FROM SOUTHERN
EL PASO COUNTY TO THE RATON...AND CROWLEY AND OTERO COUNTIES.

NORTHWEST TO WEST WINDS WILL GUST FROM 25 TO 35 MPH AT TIMES THROUGH
EARLY EVENING. RELATIVE HUMIDITIES IN THE LOWER TEENS OR SINGLE
DIGITS AND VERY DRY FUELS BELOW 9000 FEET COMBINED WITH THE GUSTY
WINDS WILL CREATE CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

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.

$$
000 
WWUS85 KPUB 190255
RFWPUB

RED FLAG WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
855 PM MDT SUN MAY 18 2008

...RED FLAG WARNING FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 222...224...225...AND
227 THROUGH 233 WILL EXPIRE AT 9PM...

.THE COOLER EVENING TEMPERATURES HAVE ALLOWED HUMIDITIES TO
INCREASE TO MORE THAN 15 PERCENT OVER THE REGION...AND WINDS OVER
THE REGION HAVE WEAKENED.

COZ222-224-225-227>233-190400-
/O.EXP.KPUB.FW.W.0021.000000T0000Z-080519T0300Z/
FREMONT COUNTY-SAN LUIS VALLEY-SOUTHERN FRONT RANGE-
SOUTHERN EL PASO COUNTY-PUEBLO COUNTY-HUERFANO COUNTY-
WESTERN LAS ANIMAS COUNTY-CROWLEY COUNTY-OTERO COUNTY-
EASTERN LAS ANIMAS COUNTY-
855 PM MDT SUN MAY 18 2008

...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING...

THE RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING. 

HUMIDITIES WILL REMAIN ABOVE 15 PERCENT FOR THE REST OF THE NIGHT
WITH GENERALLY LIGHT WINDS.

$$

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Colorado, 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.