Alert archive / Colorado / Red Flag Warnings in 2011

Red Flag Warning 3, NWS Pueblo, CO

February 20, 201110 counties in Colorado

NWS Pueblo, CO issued this red flag warning at Feb 20, 2011, 3:56 AM MST for 10 counties in Colorado. It took effect at Feb 20, 2011, 11:00 AM MST. It was in force for 7 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
Feb 20, 2011, 3:56 AM MST (10:56 UTC)
In effect from
Feb 20, 2011, 11:00 AM MST
Expired
Feb 20, 2011, 6:00 PM MST
In force
7 hr
Issued by
NWS Pueblo, CO

Counties Baca County, CO, Bent County, CO, Crowley County, CO, El Paso County, CO, Huerfano County, CO, Kiowa County, CO, Las Animas County, CO, Otero County, CO, Prowers County, CO, Pueblo County, CO

The radar

The Pueblo radar (KPUX), 71 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 10:56 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

Denver, CO (KDNR), launched 00:00Z, 10.9 hours before the alert went out and 212 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, Denver, CO at 00:00Z on 2011-02-20Temperature 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, Denver, CO at 00:00Z on 2011-02-20The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 51 square meters per square second.1939587897117136Sfc1 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
3457 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
41 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
51 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
105 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.

816 
WWUS85 KPUB 201056
RFWPUB

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
356 AM MST SUN FEB 20 2011

...A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 227...
228...AND 231 THROUGH 237...WHICH INCLUDES SOUTHERN EL PASO...
PUEBLO...EASTERN LAS ANIMAS...CROWLEY...OTERO...KIOWA...BENT...
PROWERS AND BACA COUNTIES UNTIL 6 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR LOW
HUMIDITIES...STRONG WIND GUSTS AND EXISTING DRY FUELS...

.THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PUEBLO...IN COORDINATION WITH
THE AREA LAND MANAGEMENT AGENCIES...HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING FOR PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS AND THE INTERSTATE 25
CORRIDOR INTO EARLY THIS EVENING. WEST WINDS OF 20 TO 30
MPH...WITH OCCASIONAL HIGHER GUSTS...ARE EXPECTED IN COMBINATION
WITH MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITIES BETWEEN 12 TO 15 PERCENT. THESE
CONDITIONS...COUPLED WITH EXISTING DRY FUELS...WILL RESULT IN
CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS WITH RAPID RATES OF FIRE
SPREAD IF A FIRE SHOULD START.

COZ227-228-231>237-210100-
/O.NEW.KPUB.FW.W.0003.110220T1800Z-110221T0100Z/
SOUTHERN EL PASO COUNTY-PUEBLO COUNTY-CROWLEY COUNTY-OTERO COUNTY-
EASTERN LAS ANIMAS COUNTY-KIOWA COUNTY-BENT COUNTY-PROWERS COUNTY-
BACA COUNTY-
356 AM MST SUN FEB 20 2011

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 6 PM MST
THIS EVENING FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER
ZONES 227...228...231...232...233...234...235...236 AND 237...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PUEBLO HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 6 PM MST
THIS EVENING. 

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 227...228...231...232...
  233...234...235...236 AND 237. 

* WIND...WEST AT 20 TO 30 MPH WITH OCCASIONAL HIGHER GUSTS. 

* MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITY...12 TO 15 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR AND 
  RAPID RATES OF FIRE SPREAD.

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.

&&

$$
2 follow-up statements
956 
WWUS85 KPUB 201810
RFWPUB

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
1110 AM MST SUN FEB 20 2011

...A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 227
THROUGH 237...WHICH INCLUDES SOUTHERN EL PASO...PUEBLO...HUERFANO...
LAS ANIMAS...CROWLEY...OTERO...KIOWA...BENT...PROWERS AND BACA
COUNTIES UNTIL 6 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR LOW HUMIDITIES...STRONG
WIND GUSTS AND EXISTING DRY FUELS...

.THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PUEBLO...IN COORDINATION WITH
THE AREA LAND MANAGEMENT AGENCIES...HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG WARNING
FOR PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS AND THE INTERSTATE
25 CORRIDOR INTO EARLY THIS EVENING. WEST WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH...
WITH OCCASIONAL HIGHER GUSTS...ARE EXPECTED IN COMBINATION WITH
MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITIES BETWEEN 11 TO 15 PERCENT. THESE
CONDITIONS...COUPLED WITH EXISTING DRY FUELS...WILL RESULT IN
CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS WITH RAPID RATES OF FIRE SPREAD
IF A FIRE SHOULD START.

COZ229-230-210100-
/O.EXA.KPUB.FW.W.0003.110220T1800Z-110221T0100Z/
HUERFANO COUNTY-WESTERN LAS ANIMAS COUNTY-
1110 AM MST SUN FEB 20 2011

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR
GUSTY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 229 AND 230.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PUEBLO HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM MST THIS EVENING.

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 229 AND 230...

* WIND...WEST AT 20 TO 30 MPH WITH OCCASIONAL HIGHER GUSTS.

* MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITY...11 TO 15 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR AND 
  RAPID RATES OF FIRE SPREAD.

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.

&&

$$

COZ227-228-231>237-210100-
/O.CON.KPUB.FW.W.0003.000000T0000Z-110221T0100Z/
SOUTHERN EL PASO COUNTY-PUEBLO COUNTY-CROWLEY COUNTY-OTERO COUNTY-
EASTERN LAS ANIMAS COUNTY-KIOWA COUNTY-BENT COUNTY-PROWERS COUNTY-
BACA COUNTY-
1110 AM MST SUN FEB 20 2011

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM MST THIS EVENING
FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 227...
228...231...232...233...234...235...236 AND 237...

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 227...228...231...232... 
  233...234...235...236 AND 237.

* WIND...WEST AT 20 TO 30 MPH WITH OCCASIONAL HIGHER GUSTS.

* MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITY...11 TO 15 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR AND 
  RAPID RATES OF FIRE SPREAD.

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.

&&

$$
032 
WWUS85 KPUB 210059
RFWPUB

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
559 PM MST SUN FEB 20 2011

...THE RED FLAG WARNING THAT IS IN EFFECT FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES
227 THROUGH 237...WHICH INCLUDES SOUTHERN EL PASO...PUEBLO...HUERFANO...
LAS ANIMAS...CROWLEY...OTERO...KIOWA...BENT...PROWERS AND BACA
COUNTIES UNTIL 6 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR LOW HUMIDITIES AND STRONG
WIND GUSTS WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE AT 6 PM MST...

.THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PUEBLO...IN COORDINATION WITH
THE AREA LAND MANAGEMENT AGENCIES...WILL ALLOW THE RED FLAG
WARNING THAT IS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS
AND THE INTERSTATE 25 CORRIDOR UNTIL 6 PM TO EXPIRE. WINDS AND
HUMIDITIES ARE EXPECTED TO RETURN TO NONCRITICAL LEVELS.

COZ227>237-210200-
/O.EXP.KPUB.FW.W.0003.000000T0000Z-110221T0100Z/
SOUTHERN EL PASO COUNTY-PUEBLO COUNTY-HUERFANO COUNTY-
WESTERN LAS ANIMAS COUNTY-CROWLEY COUNTY-OTERO COUNTY-
EASTERN LAS ANIMAS COUNTY-KIOWA COUNTY-BENT COUNTY-PROWERS COUNTY-
BACA COUNTY-
559 PM MST SUN FEB 20 2011

...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 6 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR
GUSTY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 227... 228...
231...232...233...234...235...236 AND 237...

THE RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 6 PM MST THIS EVENING. 

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 227...228...229...230...
  231...232...233...234...235...236 AND 237. 

* WIND...DROPPING TO LESS THAN 20 MPH.

* HUMIDITY...RISING ABOVE 15 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...FUELS WILL REMAIN DRY BUT WEATHER PARAMETERS WILL
  IMPROVE TO NONCRITICAL LEVELS. CAUTION STILL ADVISED BUT WEATHER
  PARAMETERS ARE NO LONGER EXPECTED TO BE CRITICAL.

$$

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Colorado, 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.