Alert archive / Colorado / Red Flag Warnings in 2009

Red Flag Warning 13, NWS Denver/Boulder, CO

March 15, 200913 counties in Colorado

NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued this red flag warning at Mar 15, 2009, 4:01 AM MDT for 13 counties in Colorado. It took effect at Mar 15, 2009, 12:00 PM MDT. It was in force for 8 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
Mar 15, 2009, 4:01 AM MDT (10:01 UTC)
In effect from
Mar 15, 2009, 12:00 PM MDT
Expired
Mar 15, 2009, 8:00 PM MDT
In force
8 hr
Issued by
NWS Denver/Boulder, CO

Counties Adams County, CO, Arapahoe County, CO, Boulder County, CO, Broomfield County, CO, Clear Creek County, CO, Denver County, CO, Douglas County, CO, Elbert County, CO, Gilpin County, CO, Jefferson County, CO, Larimer County, CO, Park County, CO, Weld County, CO

The radar

The Denver radar (KFTG), 39 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 10:03 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, 10.0 hours before the alert went out and 151 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 2009-03-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 58 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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 2009-03-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -9 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
58 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-40 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
2715 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
6 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-9 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
13 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 KBOU 151001
RFWBOU

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
401 AM MDT SUN MAR 15 2009

COZ214>216-238>241-151815-
/O.UPG.KBOU.FW.A.0003.090315T1800Z-090316T0200Z/
/O.NEW.KBOU.FW.W.0013.090315T1800Z-090316T0200Z/
CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST PARK COUNTY-
LARIMER AND BOULDER COUNTIES BETWEEN 6000 AND 9000 FEET-
JEFFERSON AND WEST DOUGLAS COUNTIES ABOVE 6000 FEET/GILPIN/CLEAR
CREEK/NORTHEAST PARK COUNTIES BELOW 9000 FEET-
LARIMER COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/NORTHWEST WELD COUNTY-
BOULDER AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES BELOW 6000 FEET/WEST BROOMFIELD
COUNTY-
NORTH DOUGLAS COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/DENVER/WEST ADAMS AND
ARAPAHOE COUNTIES/EAST BROOMFIELD COUNTY-
ELBERT/CENTRAL AND EAST DOUGLAS COUNTIES ABOVE 6000 FEET-
401 AM MDT SUN MAR 15 2009

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 8 PM MDT THIS
EVENING FOR LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES...GUSTY WINDS AND DRY FUELS...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DENVER HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 8 PM MDT THIS
EVENING. THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. 

THE RED FLAG WARNING INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING FIRE WEATHER ZONES
...214...215...216...238...239...240...241.

GUSTY WEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE FRONT RANGE
FOOTHILLS AND THEN SPREAD EASTWARD ACROSS THE NEARBY ADJACENT
PLAINS AND I-25 CORRIDOR THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EARLY EVENING HOURS.
WIND SPEEDS OF 15 TO 20 MPH WILL BE COMMON...WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH
POSSIBLE. IN ADDITION...RELATIVE HUMIDITY READINGS ARE EXPECTED TO
DROP INTO THE 10 TO 15 PERCENT RANGE. THE COMBINATION OF THESE
VERY LOW HUMIDITIES...GUSTY WINDS...AND EXTREMELY DRY GRASSLANDS
WOULD LEAD TO DANGEROUS FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS FROM NOON INTO THE
MID EVENING HOURS SUNDAY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING OR IMMINENT. PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE
OFFICIALS AND FIRE CREWS IN THE FIELD OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING.

&&

$$
2 follow-up statements
000 
WWUS85 KBOU 152107
RFWBOU

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
307 PM MDT SUN MAR 15 2009

COZ214>216-238>241-160200-
/O.CON.KBOU.FW.W.0013.000000T0000Z-090316T0200Z/
CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST PARK COUNTY-
LARIMER AND BOULDER COUNTIES BETWEEN 6000 AND 9000 FEET-
JEFFERSON AND WEST DOUGLAS COUNTIES ABOVE 6000 FEET/GILPIN/CLEAR
CREEK/NORTHEAST PARK COUNTIES BELOW 9000 FEET-
LARIMER COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/NORTHWEST WELD COUNTY-
BOULDER AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES BELOW 6000 FEET/WEST BROOMFIELD
COUNTY-
NORTH DOUGLAS COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/DENVER/WEST ADAMS AND
ARAPAHOE COUNTIES/EAST BROOMFIELD COUNTY-
ELBERT/CENTRAL AND EAST DOUGLAS COUNTIES ABOVE 6000 FEET-
INCLUDING...ELEVEN MILE CANYON RESERVOIR...FAIRPLAY...GUFFEY...
HARTSEL...LAKE GEORGE...SOUTH PARK...ESTES PARK...GLENDEVEY...
LARAMIE RIVER VALLEY...NEDERLAND...RED FEATHER LAKES...BAILEY...
CENTRAL CITY...EVERGREEN...GEORGETOWN...IDAHO SPRINGS...
NORTHERN RAMPART RANGE...TARRYALL...WESTCREEK...FORT COLLINS...
HEREFORD...LOVELAND...NUNN...WEST PAWNEE GRASSLANDS...ARVADA...
BOULDER...GOLDEN...LAKEWOOD...LONGMONT...AURORA...BRIGHTON...
CITY OF DENVER...DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...HIGHLANDS RANCH...
LITTLETON...PARKER...CASTLE ROCK...ELBERT...FONDIS...KIOWA...
LARKSPUR
307 PM MDT SUN MAR 15 2009

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM MDT THIS
EVENING FOR THE FRONT RANGE FOOTHILLS...PARK COUNTY AND THE 
ADJACENT PLAINS FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY...

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

THE RED FLAG WARNING INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING FIRE WEATHER ZONES
...214...215...216...238...239...240...241.

GUSTY WEST WINDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE FRONT
RANGE FOOTHILLS AND THE NEARBY ADJACENT PLAINS AS WELL AS THE I-25
CORRIDOR THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EARLY EVENING HOURS. SOME GUSTS
COULD REACH 35 MPH...PARTICULARLY ALONG THE FOOTHILLS. IN
ADDITION...RELATIVE HUMIDITY READINGS WILL REMAIN AROUND
10 PERCENT. THE COMBINATION OF THESE VERY LOW HUMIDITIES...GUSTY
WINDS...AND EXTREMELY DRY GRASSLANDS WOULD LEAD TO DANGEROUS FIRE
WEATHER CONDITIONS INTO THE MID EVENING HOURS SUNDAY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING OR IMMINENT. PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE
OFFICIALS AND FIRE CREWS IN THE FIELD OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING.

&&

$$
LESZCYNSKI
000 
WWUS85 KBOU 160136
RFWBOU

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
736 PM MDT SUN MAR 15 2009

COZ214>216-238>241-160245-
/O.EXP.KBOU.FW.W.0013.000000T0000Z-090316T0200Z/
CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST PARK COUNTY-
LARIMER AND BOULDER COUNTIES BETWEEN 6000 AND 9000 FEET-
JEFFERSON AND WEST DOUGLAS COUNTIES ABOVE 6000 FEET/GILPIN/CLEAR
CREEK/NORTHEAST PARK COUNTIES BELOW 9000 FEET-
LARIMER COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/NORTHWEST WELD COUNTY-
BOULDER AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES BELOW 6000 FEET/WEST BROOMFIELD
COUNTY-
NORTH DOUGLAS COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/DENVER/WEST ADAMS AND
ARAPAHOE COUNTIES/EAST BROOMFIELD COUNTY-
ELBERT/CENTRAL AND EAST DOUGLAS COUNTIES ABOVE 6000 FEET-
INCLUDING...ELEVEN MILE CANYON RESERVOIR...FAIRPLAY...GUFFEY...
HARTSEL...LAKE GEORGE...SOUTH PARK...ESTES PARK...GLENDEVEY...
LARAMIE RIVER VALLEY...NEDERLAND...RED FEATHER LAKES...BAILEY...
CENTRAL CITY...EVERGREEN...GEORGETOWN...IDAHO SPRINGS...
NORTHERN RAMPART RANGE...TARRYALL...WESTCREEK...FORT COLLINS...
HEREFORD...LOVELAND...NUNN...WEST PAWNEE GRASSLANDS...ARVADA...
BOULDER...GOLDEN...LAKEWOOD...LONGMONT...AURORA...BRIGHTON...
CITY OF DENVER...DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...HIGHLANDS RANCH...
LITTLETON...PARKER...CASTLE ROCK...ELBERT...FONDIS...KIOWA...
LARKSPUR
736 PM MDT SUN MAR 15 2009

...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING...

THE RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING. 

THE RED FLAG WARNING INCLUDED THE FOLLOWING FIRE WEATHER ZONES
...214...215...216...238...239...240...241.

GUSTY WEST WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO 5 TO 15 MPH AND RELATIVE
HUMIDITY WILL CONTINUE TO CLIMB THIS EVENING. THEREFORE...THE RED
FLAG WARNING WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE AT 8 PM. 

$$

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Colorado, 2009Every red flag warning in 2009

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.