Alert archive / Minnesota / Red Flag Warnings in 2009

Red Flag Warning 5, NWS Twin Cities, MN

May 20, 20098 counties in Minnesota

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this red flag warning at May 20, 2009, 3:14 AM CDT for 8 counties in Minnesota. It took effect at May 20, 2009, 10:00 AM CDT. It was in force for 9 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 20, 2009, 3:14 AM CDT (08:14 UTC)
In effect from
May 20, 2009, 10:00 AM CDT
Expired
May 20, 2009, 7:00 PM CDT
In force
9 hr
Issued by
NWS Twin Cities, MN

Counties Anoka County, MN, Benton County, MN, Chisago County, MN, Isanti County, MN, Kanabec County, MN, Mille Lacs County, MN, Morrison County, MN, Sherburne County, MN

The radar

The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 92 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 08:17 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

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 00:00Z, 8.2 hours before the alert went out and 91 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, Minneapolis, MN at 00:00Z on 2009-05-20Temperature 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, Minneapolis, MN at 00:00Z on 2009-05-20The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 114 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
3838 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
29 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
114 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
203 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WWUS83 KMPX 200814
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
314 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2009

...RED FLAG WARNING FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS
EVENING FOR EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA FOR LOW HUMIDITY AND STRONG
WINDS...

.A RED FLAG WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR AREAS OF EAST CENTRAL
MINNESOTA TO THE NORTHEAST OF A LINE FROM LITTLE FALLS...TO ST
CLOUD...TO THE NORTHERN SUBURBS OF THE TWIN CITIES METROPOLITAN
AREA. 

SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL INCREASE THIS MORNING INTO THE 25 TO 35 MPH
RANGE AHEAD OF A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER THE DAKOTAS. IT WILL BE
A HOT DAY WITH HIGHS THIS AFTERNOON AROUND 90. THE HEAT COUPLED
WITH DEW POINTS IN THE UPPER 40S WILL RESULT IN AFTERNOON HUMIDITY
VALUES DROPPING TO BETWEEN 20 AND 25 PERCENT. THE STRONG WINDS AND
LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES ARE FAVORABLE FOR THE RAPID SPREAD OF FIRE
IF ONE DEVELOPED.

MNZ043>045-050>053-061-201615-
/O.UPG.KMPX.FW.A.0003.090520T1500Z-090521T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KMPX.FW.W.0005.090520T1500Z-090521T0000Z/
MORRISON-MILLE LACS-KANABEC-BENTON-SHERBURNE-ISANTI-CHISAGO-ANOKA-
314 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2009

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 7 PM CDT
THIS EVENING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN HAS ISSUED
A RED FLAG WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING
TO 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING. THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS NO LONGER IN
EFFECT. 

SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL INCREASE THIS MORNING INTO THE 25 TO 35 MPH
RANGE AHEAD OF A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER THE DAKOTAS. IT WILL BE
A HOT DAY WITH HIGHS THIS AFTERNOON AROUND 90. THE HEAT COUPLED
WITH DEW POINTS IN THE UPPER 40S WILL RESULT IN AFTERNOON HUMIDITY
VALUES DROPPING TO BETWEEN 20 AND 25 PERCENT. THE STRONG WINDS AND
LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES ARE FAVORABLE FOR THE RAPID SPREAD OF FIRE
IF ONE DEVELOPED.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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.

&&

$$

RAH
2 follow-up statements
000 
WWUS83 KMPX 201654
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
1154 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2009

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR
EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA FOR LOW HUMIDITY AND STRONG WINDS...

.A RED FLAG WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR AREAS OF EAST CENTRAL
MINNESOTA TO THE NORTHEAST OF A LINE FROM LITTLE FALLS...TO ST
CLOUD...TO THE NORTHERN SUBURBS OF THE TWIN CITIES METROPOLITAN
AREA.

SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH...WITH A FEW GUSTS TO
NEAR 45 MPH...WILL BE COMMON ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON INTO
THE EARLY EVENING. IT WILL BE A HOT DAY WITH HIGHS THIS AFTERNOON
AROUND 90. THE HEAT COUPLED WITH DEW POINTS IN THE UPPER 40S WILL
RESULT IN AFTERNOON HUMIDITY VALUES DROPPING TO BETWEEN 20 AND 25
PERCENT. THE STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES ARE
FAVORABLE FOR THE RAPID SPREAD OF FIRE IF ONE DEVELOPED.

MNZ043>045-050>053-061-210000-
/O.CON.KMPX.FW.W.0005.000000T0000Z-090521T0000Z/
MORRISON-MILLE LACS-KANABEC-BENTON-SHERBURNE-ISANTI-CHISAGO-ANOKA-
1154 AM CDT WED MAY 20 2009

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

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

SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH...WITH A FEW GUSTS TO
NEAR 45 MPH...WILL BE COMMON ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON INTO
THE EARLY EVENING. IT WILL BE A HOT DAY WITH HIGHS THIS AFTERNOON
AROUND 90. THE HEAT COUPLED WITH DEW POINTS IN THE UPPER 40S WILL
RESULT IN AFTERNOON HUMIDITY VALUES DROPPING TO BETWEEN 20 AND 25
PERCENT. THE STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES ARE
FAVORABLE FOR THE RAPID SPREAD OF FIRE IF ONE DEVELOPED.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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 
WWUS83 KMPX 202345
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
645 PM CDT WED MAY 20 2009

...WINDS TO SUBSIDE INTO TONIGHT EASING DANGEROUS WILDFIRE
CONDITIONS...

.THE RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FOR PART OF EAST CENTRAL
MINNESOTA WILL EXPIRE AT 7 PM THIS EVENING. SOUTHERLY WINDS HAVE
BEGAN TO DECREASE AND WILL CONTINUE TO THIS EVENING.
ALSO...GRADUAL MOISTENING AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT WILL IMPROVE
CONDITIONS. THUS THE RED FLAG WARNING WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE.

EARLIER TODAY...WIND GUSTS WITHIN THE RED FLAG WARNING AREA
REACHED 30 TO 40 MPH...WHILE HUMIDITIES DROPPED TO 20 TO 25
PERCENT.


MNZ043>045-050>053-061-210045-
/O.EXP.KMPX.FW.W.0005.000000T0000Z-090521T0000Z/
MORRISON-MILLE LACS-KANABEC-BENTON-SHERBURNE-ISANTI-CHISAGO-ANOKA-
645 PM CDT WED MAY 20 2009

...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING...

THE RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING. 

THE RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FOR PART OF EAST CENTRAL
MINNESOTA WILL EXPIRE AT 7 PM THIS EVENING. SOUTHERLY WINDS HAVE
BEGAN TO DECREASE AND WILL CONTINUE TO THIS EVENING.
ALSO...GRADUAL MOISTENING AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT WILL IMPROVE
CONDITIONS. THUS THE RED FLAG WARNING WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE.

EARLIER TODAY...WIND GUSTS WITHIN THE RED FLAG WARNING AREA
REACHED 30 TO 40 MPH...WHILE HUMIDITIES DROPPED TO 20 TO 25
PERCENT.

$$

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Minnesota, 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.