Alert archive / Minnesota / Red Flag Warnings in 2011

Red Flag Warning 4, NWS Grand Forks, ND

November 4, 201112 counties in North Dakota; 18 counties in Minnesota

NWS Grand Forks, ND issued this red flag warning at Nov 4, 2011, 4:41 AM CDT for 12 counties in North Dakota; 18 counties in Minnesota. It took effect at Nov 4, 2011, 12:00 PM CDT. 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
Nov 4, 2011, 4:41 AM CDT (09:41 UTC)
In effect from
Nov 4, 2011, 12:00 PM CDT
Expired
Nov 4, 2011, 8:00 PM CDT
In force
8 hr
Issued by
NWS Grand Forks, ND
All 30 counties

Becker County, MN, Beltrami County, MN, Clay County, MN, Clearwater County, MN, Grant County, MN, Hubbard County, MN, Kittson County, MN, Lake of the Woods County, MN, Mahnomen County, MN, Marshall County, MN, Norman County, MN, Otter Tail County, MN, Pennington County, MN, Polk County, MN, Red Lake County, MN, Roseau County, MN, Wadena County, MN, Wilkin County, MN, Barnes County, ND, Cass County, ND, Grand Forks County, ND, Griggs County, ND, Nelson County, ND, Pembina County, ND, Ransom County, ND, Richland County, ND, Sargent County, ND, Steele County, ND, Traill County, ND, Walsh County, ND

The radar

The Fargo/Grand Forks radar (KMVX), 58 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 09:41 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

International Fa, MN (KINL), launched 00:00Z, 9.7 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, International Fa, MN at 00:00Z on 2011-11-04Temperature 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, International Fa, MN at 00:00Z on 2011-11-04The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 192 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
2462 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
42 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
192 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
288 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.

942 
WWUS83 KFGF 040941
RFWFGF

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS ND
441 AM CDT FRI NOV 4 2011

...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON...

.STRONG SOUTHERLY WIND AND LOW HUMIDITY WILL DEVELOP THIS
AFTERNOON ACROSS EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA INTO WEST CENTRAL AND
NORTHWESTERN MINNESOTA. WIND SPEEDS WILL BE SUSTAINED 20 TO 35
MPH...AND WIND GUSTS WILL APPROACH 45 MPH. AFTERNOON HUMIDITY
VALUES WILL BE 20 TO 25 PERCENT...AND COULD DIP BELOW 20 PERCENT.
THE VEGETATION IS VERY DRY ACROSS THE REGION...AND THERE ARE
ONGOING WILDFIRES. THE COMBINATION OF THE DRY AND WINDY CONDITIONS
WILL CREATE CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

NDZ006-007-014-015-024-041045-
/O.CAN.KFGF.FW.A.0003.111104T1700Z-111104T2300Z/
TOWNER-CAVALIER-BENSON-RAMSEY-EDDY-
441 AM CDT FRI NOV 4 2011

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS CANCELLED FOR THE DEVILS LAKE BASIN...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND FORKS HAS CANCELLED THE
FIRE WEATHER WATCH ACROSS THE DEVILS LAKE BASIN. 

WIND SPEEDS THIS AFTERNOON ARE EXPECTED TO BE 15 TO 25 MPH WITH
HUMIDITY VALUES 30 TO 35 PERCENT. THE CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER
CONDITIONS WILL BE EAST OF THIS AREA. HOWEVER...DRY FUELS WILL
LEAD TO NEAR CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

$$

MNZ001>009-013>017-022>024-027>032-040-NDZ008-016-026>030-038-039-
049-052>054-050100-
/O.UPG.KFGF.FW.A.0003.111104T1700Z-111104T2300Z/
/O.NEW.KFGF.FW.W.0004.111104T1700Z-111105T0100Z/
WEST POLK-NORMAN-CLAY-KITTSON-ROSEAU-LAKE OF THE WOODS-
WEST MARSHALL-EAST MARSHALL-NORTH BELTRAMI-PENNINGTON-RED LAKE-
EAST POLK-NORTH CLEARWATER-SOUTH BELTRAMI-MAHNOMEN-
SOUTH CLEARWATER-HUBBARD-WEST BECKER-EAST BECKER-WILKIN-
WEST OTTER TAIL-EAST OTTER TAIL-WADENA-GRANT-PEMBINA-
EASTERN WALSH-NELSON-GRAND FORKS-GRIGGS-STEELE-TRAILL-BARNES-CASS-
RANSOM-SARGENT-RICHLAND-WESTERN WALSH-
441 AM CDT FRI NOV 4 2011

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 8 PM CDT THIS
EVENING FOR STRONG WIND AND LOW HUMIDITY ACROSS EASTERN 
NORTH DAKOTA INTO NORTHWESTERN AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND FORKS HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING FOR STRONG WIND AND LOW HUMIDITY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT
FROM NOON TODAY TO 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING. THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH
IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* AFFECTED AREA...IN MINNESOTA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 001...002... 
  003...004...005...006...007...008...009...013...014...015...
  016... 017...022...023...024...027...028...029...030...031...
  032 AND 040. IN NORTH DAKOTA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 008...016...
  026...027... 028...029...030...038...039...049...052...053 AND 
  054.

* WINDS...SOUTH 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH.

* TIMING...THE HIGHEST RISK WILL BE DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. 

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 20 PERCENT.

* TEMPERATURES...IN THE LOW 50S. 

* IMPACTS...ANY FIRES THAT DEVELOP WILL LIKELY SPREAD RAPIDLY. 
  OUTDOOR BURNING IS NOT RECOMMENDED.

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 DRY FUELS WILL CREATE
EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL.

&&

$$
TG
2 follow-up statements
145 
WWUS83 KFGF 041808
RFWFGF

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS ND
108 PM CDT FRI NOV 4 2011

...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON...

.STRONG SOUTHERLY WIND AND LOW HUMIDITY WILL CONTINUE THIS
AFTERNOON ACROSS EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA INTO WEST CENTRAL AND
NORTHWESTERN MINNESOTA. WIND SPEEDS WILL BE SUSTAINED 20 TO
35 MPH...AND WIND GUSTS WILL APPROACH 45 MPH. AFTERNOON HUMIDITY
VALUES WILL BE 20 TO 25 PERCENT...AND COULD DIP BELOW 20 PERCENT.
THE VEGETATION IS VERY DRY ACROSS THE REGION...AND THERE ARE
ONGOING WILDFIRES. THE COMBINATION OF THE DRY AND WINDY
CONDITIONS WILL CREATE CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

MNZ001>009-013>017-022>024-027>032-040-NDZ008-016-026>030-038-039-
049-052>054-050100-
/O.CON.KFGF.FW.W.0004.000000T0000Z-111105T0100Z/
WEST POLK-NORMAN-CLAY-KITTSON-ROSEAU-LAKE OF THE WOODS-
WEST MARSHALL-EAST MARSHALL-NORTH BELTRAMI-PENNINGTON-RED LAKE-
EAST POLK-NORTH CLEARWATER-SOUTH BELTRAMI-MAHNOMEN-
SOUTH CLEARWATER-HUBBARD-WEST BECKER-EAST BECKER-WILKIN-
WEST OTTER TAIL-EAST OTTER TAIL-WADENA-GRANT-PEMBINA-
EASTERN WALSH-NELSON-GRAND FORKS-GRIGGS-STEELE-TRAILL-BARNES-CASS-
RANSOM-SARGENT-RICHLAND-WESTERN WALSH-
108 PM CDT FRI NOV 4 2011

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING
FOR STRONG WIND AND LOW HUMIDITY ACROSS EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA INTO
NORTHWESTERN AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

* AFFECTED AREA...IN MINNESOTA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 001...002... 
  003...004...005...006...007...008...009...013...014...015... 
  016... 017...022...023...024...027...028...029...030...031... 
  032 AND 040. IN NORTH DAKOTA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 008...016... 
  026...027... 028...029...030...038...039...049...052...053 AND 
  054. 

* WINDS...SOUTH 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH.

* TIMING...THE HIGHEST RISK WILL BE DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 20 PERCENT.

* TEMPERATURES...IN THE LOWER 50S.

* IMPACTS...ANY FIRES THAT DEVELOP WILL LIKELY SPREAD RAPIDLY. 
  OUTDOOR BURNING IS NOT RECOMMENDED. 

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 DRY FUELS WILL CREATE
EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL.

&&

$$

HOPKINS
283 
WWUS83 KFGF 050054
RFWFGF

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS ND
754 PM CDT FRI NOV 4 2011

...RED FLAG WARNING TO EXPIRE AT 800 PM...

.THE COMBINATION OF HUMIDITY AND WIND SPEEDS THAT PRODUCED
CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS EARLIER TODAY HAVE DROPPED BELOW
REQUISITE THRESHOLDS. THUS THE RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE 
AT 800 PM.

MNZ001>009-013>017-022>024-027>032-040-NDZ008-016-026>030-038-039-
049-052>054-050200-
/O.EXP.KFGF.FW.W.0004.000000T0000Z-111105T0100Z/
WEST POLK-NORMAN-CLAY-KITTSON-ROSEAU-LAKE OF THE WOODS-
WEST MARSHALL-EAST MARSHALL-NORTH BELTRAMI-PENNINGTON-RED LAKE-
EAST POLK-NORTH CLEARWATER-SOUTH BELTRAMI-MAHNOMEN-
SOUTH CLEARWATER-HUBBARD-WEST BECKER-EAST BECKER-WILKIN-
WEST OTTER TAIL-EAST OTTER TAIL-WADENA-GRANT-PEMBINA-
EASTERN WALSH-NELSON-GRAND FORKS-GRIGGS-STEELE-TRAILL-BARNES-CASS-
RANSOM-SARGENT-RICHLAND-WESTERN WALSH-
754 PM CDT FRI NOV 4 2011

...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR MUCH OF 
EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

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

REQUISITE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE NO LONGER IN PLACE TO PRODUCE
CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER EFFECTS. 

$$
WJB

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Nov 4, 4:55 AM CDTWind AdvisoryFGFBarnes, Cass, Grand Forks, Griggs, Nelson, Pembina and 6 more13 hr

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Minnesota, 2011Red Flag Warnings in North Dakota, 2011Every red flag warning in 2011

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.