Alert archive / Alabama / Red Flag Warnings in 2009

Red Flag Warning 4, NWS Mobile, AL

January 13, 200910 counties in Alabama

NWS Mobile, AL issued this red flag warning at Jan 13, 2009, 1:52 PM CST for 10 counties in Alabama. It took effect at Jan 14, 2009, 5:00 AM CST. It was in force for 13 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
Jan 13, 2009, 1:52 PM CST (19:52 UTC)
In effect from
Jan 14, 2009, 5:00 AM CST
Expired
Jan 14, 2009, 6:00 PM CST
In force
13 hr
Issued by
NWS Mobile, AL

Counties Butler County, AL, Choctaw County, AL, Clarke County, AL, Conecuh County, AL, Covington County, AL, Crenshaw County, AL, Escambia County, AL, Monroe County, AL, Washington County, AL, Wilcox County, AL

The radar

The Mobile radar (KMOB), 138 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:54 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

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 7.9 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, Birmingham, AL at 12:00Z on 2009-01-13Temperature 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, Birmingham, AL at 12:00Z on 2009-01-13The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -55 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
1986 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
91 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-55 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
91 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 
WWUS84 KMOB 131952
RFWMOB

RED FLAG WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
152 PM CST TUE JAN 13 2009

...A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR INLAND OKALOOSA COUNTY IN
NORTHWEST FLORIDA UNTIL 5 PM CST THIS AFTERNOON FOR A LONG DURATION
OF CRITICALLY LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY BELOW 35 PERCENT...

...A RED FLAG WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM TO 6 PM WEDNESDAY
FOR THE WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE FOR EXPECTED LONG DURATIONS OF
CRITICALLY LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY BELOW 35 PERCENT...

...A FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS NOW IN EFFECT THURSDAY AFTERNOON FOR THE
WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE FOR EXPECTED LONG DURATIONS OF CRITICALLY
LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY BELOW 35 PERCENT...

.DISCUSSION...A SERIES OF STRONG...COLD AND DRY ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE
SYSTEMS WILL IMPACT THE GULF COAST...BRINGING AN INCREASED RISK OF
WILDFIRE EACH DAY. A LONG DURATION OF CRITICALLY LOW DAYTIME
HUMIDITY WILL HAVE A HIGH LIKELIHOOD OF EXTENDING INTO FRIDAY AND
SATURDAY AS WELL.

FLZ005-141200-
/O.UPG.KMOB.FW.A.0002.090114T1700Z-090114T2300Z/
/O.NEW.KMOB.FW.W.0004.090114T1600Z-090115T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KMOB.FW.A.0003.090115T1800Z-090116T0000Z/
/O.CON.KMOB.FW.W.0003.000000T0000Z-090113T2300Z/
INLAND OKALOOSA-
152 PM CST TUE JAN 13 2009

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM CST THIS
AFTERNOON...
...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM TO 6 PM CST WEDNESDAY...
...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT THURSDAY AFTERNOON...

THE RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM CST THIS
AFTERNOON.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MOBILE HAS UPGRADED THE FIRE WEATHER
WATCH OVER THE WEST FLORIDA PANHANDLE WEDNESDAY TO A RED FLAG
WARNING. THE RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM TO 6 PM CST
WEDNESDAY.

A FIRE WEATHER WATCH HAS NOW BEEN ISSUED FOR THE WESTERN FLORIDA
PANHANDLE FOR THURSDAY AFTERNOON. 

DRY HIGH PRESSURE BRINGS LOWEST HUMIDITIES DOWN TO NEAR 20 PERCENT ON
WEDNESDAY FOR SEVERAL HOURS. BY THURSDAY...WITH COOLER DAYTIME HIGHS
LOWEST HUMIDITIES LOOK TO DIP TO NEAR 25 PERCENT. 

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE
EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. VERY LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITY WILL MAKE FOR AN INCREASED POTENTIAL FOR FIRE GROWTH.

A FIRE WEATHER WATCH ON THURSDAY MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER
CONDITIONS ARE FORECAST TO OCCUR. LISTEN FOR LATER FORECASTS AND
POSSIBLE RED FLAG WARNINGS.

$$

FLZ001>004-006-141200-
/O.UPG.KMOB.FW.A.0002.090114T1700Z-090114T2300Z/
/O.NEW.KMOB.FW.W.0004.090114T1600Z-090115T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KMOB.FW.A.0003.090115T1800Z-090116T0000Z/
INLAND ESCAMBIA-COASTAL ESCAMBIA-INLAND SANTA ROSA-
COASTAL SANTA ROSA-COASTAL OKALOOSA-
152 PM CST TUE JAN 13 2009

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM TO 6 PM CST WEDNESDAY...
...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT THURSDAY AFTERNOON...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MOBILE HAS UPGRADED THE FIRE WEATHER
WATCH OVER THE WEST FLORIDA PANHANDLE WEDNESDAY TO A RED FLAG
WARNING. THE RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM TO 6 PM CST
WEDNESDAY.

A FIRE WEATHER WATCH HAS NOW BEEN ISSUED FOR THE WESTERN FLORIDA
PANHANDLE FOR THURSDAY AFTERNOON. 

DRY HIGH PRESSURE BRINGS LOWEST HUMIDITIES DOWN TO 20 TO 25 PERCENT
ON WEDNESDAY FOR SEVERAL HOURS. BY THURSDAY...WITH COOLER DAYTIME
HIGHS LOWEST HUMIDITIES LOOK TO 23 TO 28 PERCENT.

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. VERY LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITY WILL MAKE FOR AN INCREASED POTENTIAL FOR FIRE GROWTH.

A FIRE WEATHER WATCH MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE FORECAST TO OCCUR. LISTEN FOR LATER FORECASTS AND POSSIBLE
RED FLAG WARNINGS.

$$
2 follow-up statements
000 
WWUS84 KMOB 141152
RFWMOB

RED FLAG WARNING...CORRECTED TEXT... 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
403 AM CST WED JAN 14 2009

...A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE
AND SOUTHWEST ALABAMA UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS AFTERNOON FOR A LONG
DURATION OF CRITICALLY LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY BELOW 25 PERCENT...

...A FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS IN EFFECT THURSDAY AFTERNOON FOR THE
WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE AND SOUTHWEST ALABAMA FOR EXPECTED LONG
DURATIONS OF CRITICALLY LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY BELOW 25 PERCENT...

.DISCUSSION...STRONG HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD OVER THE CENTRAL GULF
COAST REGION THOUGHT THE WEEK GIVING WAY TO VERY DRY CONDITIONS
THROUGH SATURDAY. AFTERNOON RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL HAVE TO CLOSELY
MONITORED THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD. 

ALZ051>064-150215-
/O.EXB.KMOB.FW.W.0004.090114T1100Z-090115T0000Z/
/O.EXB.KMOB.FW.A.0003.090115T1600Z-090116T0000Z/
CHOCTAW-WASHINGTON-CLARKE-WILCOX-MONROE-CONECUH-BUTLER-CRENSHAW-
ESCAMBIA-COVINGTON-UPPER MOBILE-UPPER BALDWIN-LOWER MOBILE-
LOWER BALDWIN-
403 AM CST WED JAN 14 2009

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS AFTERNOON...

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH
THURSDAY AFTERNOON...

...A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHWEST ALABAMA UNTIL 6 PM
CST THIS AFTERNOON FOR A LONG DURATION OF CRITICALLY LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITY BELOW 35 PERCENT...

...A FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS IN EFFECT THURSDAY AFTERNOON FOR SOUTHWEST
ALABAMA FOR EXPECTED LONG DURATIONS OF CRITICALLY LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITY BELOW 35 PERCENT...

STRONG HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD OVER THE CENTRAL GULF COAST REGION
THROUGH THE WEEK GIVING WAY TO VERY DRY CONDITIONS THROUGH SATURDAY.
AFTERNOON RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL HAVE TO CLOSELY MONITORED THROUGH
THE FORECAST PERIOD.

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. VERY LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITY WILL MAKE FOR AN INCREASED POTENTIAL FOR FIRE GROWTH.

A FIRE WEATHER WATCH MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE FORECAST TO OCCUR. LISTEN FOR LATER FORECASTS AND POSSIBLE
RED FLAG WARNINGS.

$$

FLZ001>006-150215-
/O.EXT.KMOB.FW.W.0004.090114T1100Z-090115T0000Z/
/O.EXT.KMOB.FW.A.0003.090115T1600Z-090116T0000Z/
INLAND ESCAMBIA-COASTAL ESCAMBIA-INLAND SANTA ROSA-
COASTAL SANTA ROSA-INLAND OKALOOSA-COASTAL OKALOOSA-
403 AM CST WED JAN 14 2009

...RED FLAG WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS AFTERNOON...

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH NOW IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH
THURSDAY AFTERNOON...

...A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE
UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS AFTERNOON FOR A LONG DURATION OF CRITICALLY LOW
RELATIVE HUMIDITY BELOW 35 PERCENT...

...A FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS IN EFFECT THURSDAY AFTERNOON FOR THE
WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE FOR EXPECTED LONG DURATIONS OF CRITICALLY
LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY BELOW 35 PERCENT...

STRONG HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD OVER THE CENTRAL GULF COAST REGION
THROUGH THE WEEK GIVING WAY TO VERY DRY CONDITIONS THROUGH SATURDAY.
AFTERNOON RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL HAVE TO CLOSELY MONITORED THROUGH
THE FORECAST PERIOD.

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. VERY LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITY WILL MAKE FOR AN INCREASED POTENTIAL FOR FIRE GROWTH.

A FIRE WEATHER WATCH MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE FORECAST TO OCCUR. LISTEN FOR LATER FORECASTS AND POSSIBLE
RED FLAG WARNINGS.

$$
000 
WWUS84 KMOB 142009
RFWMOB

RED FLAG WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
209 PM CST WED JAN 14 2009

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS AFTERNOON FOR
SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA AND THE NORTHWEST FLORIDA
PANHANDLE FOR A MARGINALLY LONG DURATION OF RELATIVE HUMIDITIES
BELOW 25 PERCENT...

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY AFTERNOON FOR THE
NORTHWEST FLORIDA PANHANDLE FOR A MARGINALLY LONG DURATION OF
RELATIVE HUMIDITIES BELOW 35 PERCENT...

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY
EVENING FOR SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA AND THE NORTHWEST
FLORIDA PANHANDLE FOR A LONG DURATION OF RELATIVE HUMIDITIES BELOW 20
PERCENT...

.A STRONG COLD FRONT ADVANCING FROM THE PLAINS MOVES THROUGH THE
AREA LATE TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING AND USHERS AN ARCTIC AIRMASS
INTO THE REGION.  VERY COLD OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURES WILL FOLLOW FOR
THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY NIGHT AS A LARGE DOME OF STRONG HIGH
PRESSURE BUILDS INTO THE AREA.  RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL REMAIN NEAR
OR BELOW CRITICAL LEVELS FOR A MARGINAL DURATION THIS AFTERNOON OVER
SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...AND FOR A LONGER DURATION OVER
THE NORTHWEST FLORIDA PANHANDLE.  RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL DROP BELOW
CRITICAL LEVELS AGAIN OVER THE NORTHWEST FLORIDA PANHANDLE ON
THURSDAY...BUT WILL NOT SATISFY DURATION REQUIREMENTS OVER SOUTHWEST
AND SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA.  MUCH DRIER AIR WILL FLOW INTO THE REGION
MEANWHILE AND DESPITE UNSEASONABLY COOL DAYTIME TEMPERATURES ON
FRIDAY...RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL DROP TO BETWEEN 10 AND 20 PERCENT
ON FRIDAY ACROSS SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA AND THE
NORTHWEST FLORIDA PANHANDLE.

ALZ051>064-151215-
/O.CAN.KMOB.FW.A.0003.090115T1600Z-090116T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KMOB.FW.A.0004.090116T1500Z-090117T0300Z/
/O.CON.KMOB.FW.W.0004.000000T0000Z-090115T0000Z/
CHOCTAW-WASHINGTON-CLARKE-WILCOX-MONROE-CONECUH-BUTLER-CRENSHAW-
ESCAMBIA-COVINGTON-UPPER MOBILE-UPPER BALDWIN-LOWER MOBILE-
LOWER BALDWIN-
209 PM CST WED JAN 14 2009

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS
AFTERNOON...
...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH
FRIDAY EVENING...
...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS CANCELLED FOR THURSDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MOBILE HAS ISSUED A FIRE WEATHER
WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY
EVENING. THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR THURSDAY. A
RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS AFTERNOON.

RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL REMAIN NEAR OR SLIGHTLY BELOW 25 PERCENT
THROUGH MUCH OF THE AFTERNOON HOURS.  RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL DROP TO
NEAR CRITICAL LEVELS ON THURSDAY BUT WILL NOT SATISFY DURATION
REQUIREMENTS.  RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL DROP TO BETWEEN 10 AND 20
PERCENT ON FRIDAY AND REMAIN BELOW 25 PERCENT FOR A LONG DURATION.

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. VERY LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITY WILL MAKE FOR AN INCREASED POTENTIAL FOR FIRE GROWTH.

A FIRE WEATHER WATCH MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE FORECAST TO OCCUR. LISTEN FOR LATER FORECASTS AND POSSIBLE
RED FLAG WARNINGS.

$$

FLZ001>006-151215-
/O.NEW.KMOB.FW.A.0004.090116T1400Z-090117T0600Z/
/O.EXT.KMOB.FW.A.0003.090115T1800Z-090116T0000Z/
/O.CON.KMOB.FW.W.0004.000000T0000Z-090115T0000Z/
INLAND ESCAMBIA-COASTAL ESCAMBIA-INLAND SANTA ROSA-
COASTAL SANTA ROSA-INLAND OKALOOSA-COASTAL OKALOOSA-
209 PM CST WED JAN 14 2009

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS
AFTERNOON...
...FIRE WEATHER WATCH NOW IN EFFECT THURSDAY AFTERNOON...
...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH
FRIDAY EVENING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MOBILE HAS ISSUED A FIRE WEATHER
WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY
EVENING. A FIRE WEATHER WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THURSDAY
AFTERNOON. A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS
AFTERNOON.

RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL REMAIN BELOW 35 PERCENT THROUGH MUCH OF THE
AFTERNOON HOURS.  RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL DROP BELOW CRITICAL LEVELS
ON THURSDAY FOR A MARGINALLY LONG DURATION.  RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL
DROP TO BETWEEN 10 AND 20 PERCENT ON FRIDAY AND REMAIN BELOW 35
PERCENT FOR A VERY LONG DURATION.

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. VERY LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITY WILL MAKE FOR AN INCREASED POTENTIAL FOR FIRE GROWTH.

A FIRE WEATHER WATCH MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE FORECAST TO OCCUR. LISTEN FOR LATER FORECASTS AND POSSIBLE
RED FLAG WARNINGS.

$$

The office that day

Everything else NWS Mobile, AL issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jan 13, 1:52 PM CSTFire Weather WatchMOBButler, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Covington, Crenshaw and 4 more40 hr
Jan 13, 3:25 PM CSTHard Freeze WatchMOBButler, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Covington, Crenshaw and 4 more29 hr
Jan 13, 3:07 AM CSTRed Flag WarningMOB14 hr

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Alabama, 2009Red Flag Warnings in Florida, 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.