Alert archive / Kansas / Red Flag Warnings in 2011

Red Flag Warning 20, NWS Wichita, KS

December 31, 201110 counties in Kansas

NWS Wichita, KS issued this red flag warning at Dec 31, 2011, 4:01 AM CST for 10 counties in Kansas. It took effect at Dec 31, 2011, 11:00 AM CST. It was in force for 9 hr. 6 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Dec 31, 2011, 4:01 AM CST (10:01 UTC)
In effect from
Dec 31, 2011, 11:00 AM CST
Expired
Dec 31, 2011, 8:00 PM CST
In force
9 hr
Issued by
NWS Wichita, KS

Counties Barton County, KS, Ellsworth County, KS, Harper County, KS, Kingman County, KS, Lincoln County, KS, McPherson County, KS, Reno County, KS, Rice County, KS, Russell County, KS, Saline County, KS

The radar

The Wichita radar (KICT), 99 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.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Dec 31, 6:07 PM CSTNON-TSTM WND GST 56Russell, KS
Dec 31, 6:26 PM CSTNON-TSTM WND GST 56Russell, KSSECOND GUST AT 56 MPH IN PAST HOUR.
Dec 31, 7:24 PM CSTNON-TSTM WND GST 51Kingman, KS
Dec 31, 7:43 PM CSTNON-TSTM WND GST 512 E Nickerson, KS
Dec 31, 7:51 PM CSTNON-TSTM WND GST 51Salina Airport, KS
Dec 31, 7:53 PM CSTNON-TSTM WND GST 59Hutchinson Airport, KS

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Dodge City, (KDDC), launched 00:00Z, 10.0 hours before the alert went out and 164 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, Dodge City, at 00:00Z on 2011-12-31Temperature 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, Dodge City, at 00:00Z on 2011-12-31The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 179 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
2437 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
45 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
179 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
238 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.

155 
WWUS83 KICT 311001
RFWICT

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
401 AM CST SAT DEC 31 2011


KSZ032-033-047-048-050-010000-
/O.NEW.KICT.FW.W.0020.111231T1700Z-120101T0000Z/
RUSSELL-LINCOLN-BARTON-ELLSWORTH-RICE-
401 AM CST SAT DEC 31 2011

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 6 PM CST
THIS EVENING FOR EXTREME GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER FOR FIRE WEATHER
ZONES 032...033...047...048 AND 050...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING FOR EXTREME GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER...WHICH IS IN EFFECT
FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 6 PM CST THIS EVENING. 

* TIMING...VERY STRONG WINDS AND LOWER RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL
  DEVELOP BEHIND A COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE WITH THE HIGHEST FIRE
  DANGER EXPECTED BETWEEN 11AM AND 6PM.

* EXTREME GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER...IS FORECAST.

* WINDS...NORTHWEST 30 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 45 TO 50 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 36 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...ANY FIRES THAT DEVELOP WILL LIKELY SPREAD RAPIDLY 
  AND BECOME VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. 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 WARM TEMPERATURES
WILL CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL.

PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE OFFICIALS OR FIRE CREWS IN THE
FIELD OF THIS FIRE WEATHER PRODUCT.

&&

$$

BILLINGS
2 follow-up statements
936 
WWUS83 KICT 311720
RFWICT

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
1120 AM CST SAT DEC 31 2011

KSZ049-051-067-082-091-010600-
/O.EXB.KICT.FW.W.0020.000000T0000Z-120101T0600Z/
SALINE-MCPHERSON-RENO-KINGMAN-HARPER-
1120 AM CST SAT DEC 31 2011

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT FOR
EXTREME GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 049...051...
067...082 AND 091...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING FOR EXTREME GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER...WHICH IS IN EFFECT
UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT. 

* TIMING...VERY STRONG WEST AND NORTHWEST WINDS AND LOWER RELATIVE
  HUMIDITIES WILL DEVELOP BEHIND A COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE WITH THE
  HIGHEST FIRE DANGER EXPECTED BETWEEN 1 PM AND 8 PM.

* EXTREME GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER...IS FORECAST.

* WINDS...WEST AND NORTHWEST 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 28 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...ANY FIRES THAT DEVELOP WILL LIKELY SPREAD RAPIDLY 
  AND BECOME VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. 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 WARM TEMPERATURES
WILL CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL.

PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE OFFICIALS OR FIRE CREWS IN THE
FIELD OF THIS FIRE WEATHER PRODUCT.

&&

$$

KSZ032-033-047-048-050-010600-
/O.EXT.KICT.FW.W.0020.000000T0000Z-120101T0600Z/
RUSSELL-LINCOLN-BARTON-ELLSWORTH-RICE-
1120 AM CST SAT DEC 31 2011

...RED FLAG WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT FOR
EXTREME GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 032...033...
047...048 AND 050...

THE RED FLAG WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT.

* TIMING...VERY STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS AND LOWER RELATIVE
  HUMIDITIES WILL DEVELOP BEHIND A COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE WITH THE
  HIGHEST FIRE DANGER EXPECTED BETWEEN 11 AM AND 8 PM.

* EXTREME GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER...IS FORECAST.

* WINDS...NORTHWEST 40 TO 45 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 55 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 36 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...ANY FIRES THAT DEVELOP WILL LIKELY SPREAD RAPIDLY 
  AND BECOME VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. 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 WARM TEMPERATURES WILL
CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL.

PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE OFFICIALS OR FIRE CREWS IN THE
FIELD OF THIS FIRE WEATHER PRODUCT.

&&

$$

LAWSON
918 
WWUS83 KICT 312108
RFWICT

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
308 PM CST SAT DEC 31 2011

KSZ032-033-047>051-067-082-091-010200-
/O.EXT.KICT.FW.W.0020.000000T0000Z-120101T0200Z/
RUSSELL-LINCOLN-BARTON-ELLSWORTH-SALINE-RICE-MCPHERSON-RENO-
KINGMAN-HARPER-
308 PM CST SAT DEC 31 2011

...RED FLAG WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CST THIS EVENING FOR
EXTREME GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 032...033...
047...048 AND 050...

THE RED FLAG WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CST THIS
EVENING. 

* TIMING...VERY STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS AND LOWER RELATIVE
  HUMIDITIES WILL CREATE EXTREME FIRE DANGER LEVELS OVER THE
  WARNING AREA INTO THE EARLY EVENING HOURS.

* EXTREME GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER...IS FORECAST.

* WINDS...NORTHWEST 30 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 30 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...ANY FIRES THAT DEVELOP WILL LIKELY SPREAD RAPIDLY 
  AND BECOME VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. 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 WARM TEMPERATURES WILL
CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL.

PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE OFFICIALS OR FIRE CREWS IN THE
FIELD OF THIS FIRE WEATHER PRODUCT.

&&

$$

JAKUB

The office that day

Everything else NWS Wichita, KS issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Dec 31, 10:44 AM CSTHigh Wind WarningICTBarton, Russell13 hr

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Kansas, 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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.