Alert archive / Arizona / Red Flag Warnings in 2011

Red Flag Warning 4, NWS Flagstaff, AZ

April 20, 2011Apache County, Coconino County, Navajo County, Arizona

NWS Flagstaff, AZ issued this red flag warning at Apr 20, 2011, 2:45 PM MST for Apache County, Coconino County, Navajo County, Arizona. It took effect at Apr 21, 2011, 12:00 PM MST. 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
Apr 20, 2011, 2:45 PM MST (21:45 UTC)
In effect from
Apr 21, 2011, 12:00 PM MST
Expired
Apr 21, 2011, 8:00 PM MST
In force
8 hr
Issued by
NWS Flagstaff, AZ

Counties Apache County, AZ, Coconino County, AZ, Navajo County, AZ

The radar

The Flagstaff radar (KFSX), 124 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:48 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

Flgstf/Belemont, AZ (KFGZ), launched 12:00Z, 9.8 hours before the alert went out and 121 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, Flgstf/Belemont, AZ at 12:00Z on 2011-04-20Temperature 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 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Flgstf/Belemont, AZ at 12:00Z on 2011-04-20The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 127 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
1446 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
43 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
127 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
211 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.

666 
WWUS85 KFGZ 202145
RFWFGZ

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ
245 PM MST WED APR 20 2011

AZZ109>114-139-140-210945-
/O.NEW.KFGZ.FW.W.0004.110421T1900Z-110422T0300Z/
NORTHEAST PLATEAU AND MESAS HWY 264 NORTHWARD (FIRE WEATHER ZONE
109)-CHINLE VALLEY (FIRE WEATHER ZONE 110)-
CHUSKA MOUNTAINS AND DEFIANCE PLATEAU (FIRE WEATHER ZONE 111)-
LITTLE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY IN COCONINO COUNTY (FIRE WEATHER
ZONE 112)-
LITTLE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY IN NAVAJO COUNTY (FIRE WEATHER ZONE
113)-
LITTLE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY IN APACHE COUNTY (FIRE WEATHER ZONE
114)-BLACK MESA AREA (FIRE WEATHER ZONE 139)-
NORTHEAST PLATEAUS AND MESAS SOUTH OF HWY 264 (FIRE WEATHER ZONE
140)-
245 PM MST WED APR 20 2011

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 8 PM MST THURSDAY FOR
STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FLAGSTAFF HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 8 PM MST THURSDAY DUE
TO STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES. 

* AFFECTED AREA: LITTLE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY...NORTHEAST PLATEAUS
  AND MESAS...BLACK MESA...CHINLE VALLEY...CHUSKA MOUNTAINS AND
  DEFIANCE PLATEAU.

* TIMING: CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL DEVELOP AROUND MID
  DAY THURSDAY AND CONTINUE THROUGH EARLY EVENING AS A TROUGH
  APPROACHES THE AREA.

* 20-FOOT WINDS: SOUTHWEST 20-30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITIES: FALLING TO 8-12 PERCENT DURING THE AFTERNOON.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING OR ARE IMMINENT. A COMBINATION OF STRONG
WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL CREATE EXTREME FIRE GROWTH
POTENTIAL.

PLEASE NOTIFY FIELD CREWS OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING.

&&

$$

HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/FLAGSTAFF
4 follow-up statements
706 
WWUS85 KFGZ 210404
RFWFGZ

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ
904 PM MST WED APR 20 2011

AZZ109>114-139-140-211615-
/O.CON.KFGZ.FW.W.0004.110421T1900Z-110422T0300Z/
NORTHEAST PLATEAU AND MESAS HWY 264 NORTHWARD (FIRE WEATHER ZONE
109)-CHINLE VALLEY (FIRE WEATHER ZONE 110)-
CHUSKA MOUNTAINS AND DEFIANCE PLATEAU (FIRE WEATHER ZONE 111)-
LITTLE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY IN COCONINO COUNTY (FIRE WEATHER
ZONE 112)-
LITTLE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY IN NAVAJO COUNTY (FIRE WEATHER ZONE
113)-
LITTLE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY IN APACHE COUNTY (FIRE WEATHER ZONE
114)-BLACK MESA AREA (FIRE WEATHER ZONE 139)-
NORTHEAST PLATEAUS AND MESAS SOUTH OF HWY 264 (FIRE WEATHER ZONE
140)-
904 PM MST WED APR 20 2011

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 8 PM MST
THURSDAY FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES...

* AFFECTED AREA: LITTLE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY...NORTHEAST
  PLATEAUS AND MESAS...BLACK MESA...CHINLE VALLEY...CHUSKA 
  MOUNTAINS AND DEFIANCE PLATEAU. 

* TIMING: CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL DEVELOP AROUND
  NOON THURSDAY AND CONTINUE THROUGH EARLY EVENING AS A 
  TROUGH APPROACHES THE AREA. 

* 20-FOOT WINDS: SOUTHWEST 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH. 

* RELATIVE HUMIDITIES: FALLING TO BELOW 13 PERCENT DURING THE
  AFTERNOON.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING OR ARE IMMINENT. A COMBINATION OF STRONG
WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL CREATE EXTREME FIRE GROWTH
POTENTIAL.

PLEASE NOTIFY FIELD CREWS OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING.

&&

$$

HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/FLAGSTAFF
844 
WWUS85 KFGZ 211134
RFWFGZ

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ
434 AM MST THU APR 21 2011

AZZ109>114-139-140-212345-
/O.CON.KFGZ.FW.W.0004.110421T1900Z-110422T0300Z/
NORTHEAST PLATEAU AND MESAS HWY 264 NORTHWARD (FIRE WEATHER ZONE
109)-CHINLE VALLEY (FIRE WEATHER ZONE 110)-
CHUSKA MOUNTAINS AND DEFIANCE PLATEAU (FIRE WEATHER ZONE 111)-
LITTLE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY IN COCONINO COUNTY (FIRE WEATHER
ZONE 112)-
LITTLE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY IN NAVAJO COUNTY (FIRE WEATHER ZONE
113)-
LITTLE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY IN APACHE COUNTY (FIRE WEATHER ZONE
114)-BLACK MESA AREA (FIRE WEATHER ZONE 139)-
NORTHEAST PLATEAUS AND MESAS SOUTH OF HWY 264 (FIRE WEATHER ZONE
140)-
434 AM MST THU APR 21 2011

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 8 PM MST
THIS EVENING FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES...

* AFFECTED AREA: LITTLE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY...NORTHEAST 
  PLATEAUS AND MESAS...BLACK MESA...CHINLE VALLEY...CHUSKA 
  MOUNTAINS AND DEFIANCE PLATEAU.

* TIMING: CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL DEVELOP AROUND
  NOON TODAY AND CONTINUE THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING AS A DRY
  TROUGH MOVES ACROSS THE STATE.

* 20-FOOT WINDS: SOUTHWEST 20 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS 35 TO 40 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITIES: RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL FALL TO BETWEEN
  9 TO 13 PERCENT DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING OR ARE IMMINENT. A COMBINATION OF STRONG
WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL CREATE EXTREME FIRE GROWTH
POTENTIAL.

PLEASE NOTIFY FIELD CREWS OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING.

&&

$$


HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/FLAGSTAFF
498 
WWUS85 KFGZ 211926
RFWFGZ

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ
1226 PM MST THU APR 21 2011

AZZ109>114-139-140-220300-
/O.CON.KFGZ.FW.W.0004.000000T0000Z-110422T0300Z/
NORTHEAST PLATEAU AND MESAS HWY 264 NORTHWARD (FIRE WEATHER ZONE
109)-CHINLE VALLEY (FIRE WEATHER ZONE 110)-
CHUSKA MOUNTAINS AND DEFIANCE PLATEAU (FIRE WEATHER ZONE 111)-
LITTLE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY IN COCONINO COUNTY (FIRE WEATHER
ZONE 112)-
LITTLE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY IN NAVAJO COUNTY (FIRE WEATHER ZONE
113)-
LITTLE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY IN APACHE COUNTY (FIRE WEATHER ZONE
114)-BLACK MESA AREA (FIRE WEATHER ZONE 139)-
NORTHEAST PLATEAUS AND MESAS SOUTH OF HWY 264 (FIRE WEATHER ZONE
140)-
1226 PM MST THU APR 21 2011

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM MST THIS EVENING
FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES...

* AFFECTED AREA: LITTLE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY...NORTHEAST 
  PLATEAUS AND MESAS...BLACK MESA...CHINLE VALLEY...CHUSKA 
  MOUNTAINS AND DEFIANCE PLATEAU.

* TIMING: CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH
  THE EARLY EVENING AS A DRY LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVES ACROSS THE
  STATE.

* 20-FOOT WINDS: SOUTHWEST 20 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS 35 TO 40 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITIES: RELATIVE HUMIDITIES OF 6 TO 15 PERCENT CAN
  BE EXPECTED THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING HOURS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING OR ARE IMMINENT. A COMBINATION OF STRONG
WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL CREATE EXTREME FIRE GROWTH
POTENTIAL.

PLEASE NOTIFY FIELD CREWS OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING.

&&

$$


HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/FLAGSTAFF
493 
WWUS85 KFGZ 220253
RFWFGZ

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ
753 PM MST THU APR 21 2011

AZZ109>114-139-140-220400-
/O.EXP.KFGZ.FW.W.0004.000000T0000Z-110422T0300Z/
NORTHEAST PLATEAU AND MESAS HWY 264 NORTHWARD (FIRE WEATHER ZONE
109)-CHINLE VALLEY (FIRE WEATHER ZONE 110)-
CHUSKA MOUNTAINS AND DEFIANCE PLATEAU (FIRE WEATHER ZONE 111)-
LITTLE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY IN COCONINO COUNTY (FIRE WEATHER
ZONE 112)-
LITTLE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY IN NAVAJO COUNTY (FIRE WEATHER ZONE
113)-
LITTLE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY IN APACHE COUNTY (FIRE WEATHER ZONE
114)-BLACK MESA AREA (FIRE WEATHER ZONE 139)-
NORTHEAST PLATEAUS AND MESAS SOUTH OF HWY 264 (FIRE WEATHER ZONE
140)-
753 PM MST THU APR 21 2011

...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 8 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR
STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES...

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

AS RELATIVE HUMIDITIES CONTINUE TO RISE THIS EVENING...THE RED
FLAG WARNING WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE AT 8 PM MST. OCCASIONALLY
GUSTY WINDS WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE NIGHT.

$$


HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/FLAGSTAFF

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Arizona, 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.