Alert archive / Minnesota / Red Flag Warnings in 2011

Red Flag Warning 2, NWS Twin Cities, MN

October 7, 201129 counties in Minnesota

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this red flag warning at Oct 7, 2011, 4:50 AM CDT for 29 counties in Minnesota. It took effect at Oct 7, 2011, 11:00 AM CDT. It was in force for 10 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
Oct 7, 2011, 4:50 AM CDT (09:50 UTC)
In effect from
Oct 7, 2011, 11:00 AM CDT
Expired
Oct 7, 2011, 9:00 PM CDT
In force
10 hr
Issued by
NWS Twin Cities, MN
All 29 counties

Anoka County, MN, Benton County, MN, Carver County, MN, Chippewa County, MN, Chisago County, MN, Dakota County, MN, Douglas County, MN, Hennepin County, MN, Isanti County, MN, Kanabec County, MN, Kandiyohi County, MN, Lac qui Parle County, MN, McLeod County, MN, Meeker County, MN, Mille Lacs County, MN, Morrison County, MN, Pope County, MN, Ramsey County, MN, Renville County, MN, Scott County, MN, Sherburne County, MN, Sibley County, MN, Stearns County, MN, Stevens County, MN, Swift County, MN, Todd County, MN, Washington County, MN, Wright County, MN, Yellow Medicine County, MN

The radar

The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 75 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 09:56 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, 9.8 hours before the alert went out and 73 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 2011-10-07Temperature 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 2011-10-07The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 111 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
3207 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
21 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
111 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
236 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.

933 
WWUS83 KMPX 070950
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
450 AM CDT FRI OCT 7 2011

...RED FLAG WARNING FROM 11 AM FRIDAY UNTIL 10 PM FRIDAY FOR CENTRAL 
MINNESOTA MAINLY FOR STRONG WINDS...

...DANGEROUS FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA
AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN DUE MAINLY TO STRONG WINDS...

.STRONG AND GUSTY SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL SPREAD ACROSS CENTRAL AND
SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA TODAY AND CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING. WIND
GUSTS OF 40 TO 45 MPH ARE LIKELY ACROSS CENTRAL MINNESOTA AND A
FEW GUSTS TO 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE OVER SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA.
WINDS GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH COULD MOVE INTO WEST CENTRAL
WISCONSIN THIS AFTERNOON. WINDS THIS STRONG COULD ALSO CAUSE POWER
LINES TO START FIRES. RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL HOWEVER BE HIGHER
THAN THURSDAY...WITH AFTERNOON READINGS FROM 35 TO 40 PERCENT IN
CENTRAL MINNESOTA. SOMEWHAT HIGHER HUMIDITY LEVELS WILL BE SEEN
IN SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA...GENERALLY IN THE 40 TO 45 PERCENT
RANGE. HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL BE NEAR 80. 

GRASSES...BRUSH AND CROPS ARE VERY DRY ACROSS SOUTHERN AND
CENTRAL MINNESOTA AND FIRES COULD SPREAD QUICKLY UNDER THESE
CONDITIONS.

MNZ073>078-082>085-091>093-071100-
/O.CAN.KMPX.FW.A.0001.111007T1600Z-111008T0300Z/
REDWOOD-BROWN-NICOLLET-LE SUEUR-RICE-GOODHUE-WATONWAN-BLUE EARTH-
WASECA-STEELE-MARTIN-FARIBAULT-FREEBORN-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...REDWOOD FALLS...NEW ULM...ST. PETER...
LE SUEUR...FARIBAULT...RED WING...ST. JAMES...MANKATO...WASECA...
OWATONNA...FAIRMONT...BLUE EARTH...ALBERT LEA
450 AM CDT FRI OCT 7 2011

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS CANCELLED FOR STRONG WINDS FOR SOUTH CENTRAL 
MINNESOTA...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN HAS
CANCELLED THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH. 

STRONG SOUTH WINDS OF 30 TO 35 MPH WILL BE COMMON OVER SOUTH
CENTRAL MINNESOTA TODAY BUT HIGHER HUMIDITY LEVELS IN THE 40 TO 45
PERCENT RANGE WILL LESSEN THE FIRE DANGER SOMEWHAT.


$$

MNZ041>045-047>070-071800-
/O.UPG.KMPX.FW.A.0001.111007T1600Z-111008T0300Z/
/O.NEW.KMPX.FW.W.0002.111007T1600Z-111008T0200Z/
DOUGLAS-TODD-MORRISON-MILLE LACS-KANABEC-STEVENS-POPE-STEARNS-
BENTON-SHERBURNE-ISANTI-CHISAGO-LAC QUI PARLE-SWIFT-CHIPPEWA-
KANDIYOHI-MEEKER-WRIGHT-HENNEPIN-ANOKA-RAMSEY-WASHINGTON-
YELLOW MEDICINE-RENVILLE-MCLEOD-SIBLEY-CARVER-SCOTT-DAKOTA-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ALEXANDRIA...LONG PRAIRIE...
LITTLE FALLS...PRINCETON...MORA...MORRIS...GLENWOOD...ST. CLOUD...
FOLEY...ELK RIVER...CAMBRIDGE...CENTER CITY...MADISON...BENSON...
MONTEVIDEO...WILLMAR...LITCHFIELD...MONTICELLO...MINNEAPOLIS...
BLAINE...ST. PAUL...STILLWATER...GRANITE FALLS...OLIVIA...
HUTCHINSON...GAYLORD...CHASKA...SHAKOPEE...BURNSVILLE
450 AM CDT FRI OCT 7 2011

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 9 PM CDT
THIS EVENING FOR STRONG WINDS FOR CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN HAS ISSUED
A RED FLAG WARNING FOR STRONG WINDS...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 11
AM THIS MORNING TO 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING. THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH
IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* AFFECTED AREA...CENTRAL MINNESOTA.

* WINDS...SOUTH 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 50 MPH.

* TIMING...WINDS INCREASING LATE MORNING. 

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...35 TO 40 PERCENT. 

* TEMPERATURES...HIGHS NEAR 80. 

* IMPACTS...FIRES COULD BECOME DANGEROUS AND FAST MOVING IN A 
  SHORT PERIOD OF TIME DUE TO THE GUSTY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY. 

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.

&&

$$

FOR MORE INFORMATION FROM NOAA/NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE VISIT...
HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/MPX (ALL LOWER CASE)
1 follow-up statement
799 
WWUS83 KMPX 071728
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
1228 PM CDT FRI OCT 7 2011

...RED FLAG WARNING THROUGH 9 PM THIS EVENING FOR WEST
CENTRAL...EAST CENTRAL AND CENTRAL MINNESOTA...FOR MAINLY STRONG
WINDS...

...DANGEROUS FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA
AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN MAINLY DUE TO STRONG WINDS...

.STRONG AND GUSTY SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE REGION 
THROUGH THIS EVENING. WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 45 MPH ARE LIKELY ACROSS
REGION...AND A FEW GUSTS TO 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE OVER SOUTH
CENTRAL MINNESOTA.

WINDS THIS STRONG COULD ALSO CAUSE POWER LINES TO START FIRES.
RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL HOWEVER BE HIGHER THAN THURSDAY...WITH
AFTERNOON READINGS FROM 35 TO 40 PERCENT IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA.
SOMEWHAT HIGHER HUMIDITY LEVELS WILL BE SEEN IN SOUTH CENTRAL
MINNESOTA...GENERALLY IN THE 40 TO 45 PERCENT RANGE. HIGH
TEMPERATURES WILL BE NEAR 80.

GRASSES...BRUSH AND CROPS ARE VERY DRY ACROSS SOUTHERN AND
CENTRAL MINNESOTA AND FIRES COULD SPREAD QUICKLY UNDER THESE
CONDITIONS.

MNZ041>045-047>070-080200-
/O.CON.KMPX.FW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-111008T0200Z/
DOUGLAS-TODD-MORRISON-MILLE LACS-KANABEC-STEVENS-POPE-STEARNS-
BENTON-SHERBURNE-ISANTI-CHISAGO-LAC QUI PARLE-SWIFT-CHIPPEWA-
KANDIYOHI-MEEKER-WRIGHT-HENNEPIN-ANOKA-RAMSEY-WASHINGTON-
YELLOW MEDICINE-RENVILLE-MCLEOD-SIBLEY-CARVER-SCOTT-DAKOTA-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ALEXANDRIA...LONG PRAIRIE...
LITTLE FALLS...PRINCETON...MORA...MORRIS...GLENWOOD...ST. CLOUD...
FOLEY...ELK RIVER...CAMBRIDGE...CENTER CITY...MADISON...BENSON...
MONTEVIDEO...WILLMAR...LITCHFIELD...MONTICELLO...MINNEAPOLIS...
BLAINE...ST. PAUL...STILLWATER...GRANITE FALLS...OLIVIA...
HUTCHINSON...GAYLORD...CHASKA...SHAKOPEE...BURNSVILLE
1228 PM CDT FRI OCT 7 2011

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING
FOR STRONG WINDS FOR CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING.

* AFFECTED AREA...WEST CENTRAL AND CENTRAL MINNESOTA.

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

* TIMING...STRONG WINDS CONTINUING THROUGH THIS EVENING.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 35 PERCENT.

* HIGH TEMPERATURES...AROUND 80. 

* IMPACTS...FIRES COULD BECOME DANGEROUS AND FAST MOVING IN A 
  SHORT PERIOD OF TIME DUE TO THE GUSTY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY. 

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.

&&

$$

FOR MORE INFORMATION FROM NOAA/NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE VISIT...
HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/MPX (ALL LOWER CASE)

JLT

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Minnesota, 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.