Alert archive / North Carolina / Red Flag Warnings in 2011

Red Flag Warning 3, NWS Raleigh, NC

March 23, 201131 counties in North Carolina

NWS Raleigh, NC issued this red flag warning at Mar 23, 2011, 4:04 AM EDT for 31 counties in North Carolina. It took effect at Mar 23, 2011, 9:00 AM EDT. It was in force for 11 hr. 5 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
Mar 23, 2011, 4:04 AM EDT (08:04 UTC)
In effect from
Mar 23, 2011, 9:00 AM EDT
Expired
Mar 23, 2011, 8:00 PM EDT
In force
11 hr
Issued by
NWS Raleigh, NC
All 31 counties

Alamance County, NC, Anson County, NC, Chatham County, NC, Cumberland County, NC, Davidson County, NC, Durham County, NC, Edgecombe County, NC, Forsyth County, NC, Franklin County, NC, Granville County, NC, Guilford County, NC, Halifax County, NC, Harnett County, NC, Hoke County, NC, Johnston County, NC, Lee County, NC, Montgomery County, NC, Moore County, NC, Nash County, NC, Orange County, NC, Person County, NC, Randolph County, NC, Richmond County, NC, Sampson County, NC, Scotland County, NC, Stanly County, NC, Vance County, NC, Wake County, NC, Warren County, NC, Wayne County, NC, Wilson County, NC

The radar

The Raleigh/Durham radar (KRAX), 45 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 08:06 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
Mar 23, 6:55 PM EDTTSTM WND DMG3 Sw Concord, NCPOWER LINES DOWN
Mar 23, 7:14 PM EDTTSTM WND DMG5 Ssw Bushy Fork, NC18 INCH DIAMETER TREE DOWN ACROSS THE ROAD NEAR THE CORNER OF HURDLE MILLS RD AND WHEELERS CHURCH RD.
Mar 23, 7:27 PM EDTTSTM WND DMG3 Ne Schley, NCTREE CAME DOWN ACROSS A ROAD AND BROUGHT POWER LINES WITH IT NEAR THE CORNER OF LITTLE RIVER CHURCH RD AND MARY HALL RD
Mar 23, 7:45 PM EDTTSTM WND DMG3 E Oxford, NC2 TREES DOWN ACROSS TABBS CREEK ROAD NEAR 158 AND 85.
Mar 23, 8:07 PM EDTTSTM WND DMG2 Nne Wake Forest, NCTREE DOWN ON A HOUSE AND A CAR ON HARRIS POINT WAY.

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

The nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 00:00Z, 8.1 hours before the alert went out and 93 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, Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC at 00:00Z on 2011-03-23Temperature 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, Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC at 00:00Z on 2011-03-23The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 110 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
2057 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
43 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
110 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
186 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.

736 
WWUS82 KRAH 230804
RFWRAH

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
404 AM EDT WED MAR 23 2011

...RED FLAG WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR WEDNESDAY...

.THE COMBINATION OF DRY FUELS... STRONG GUSTY WINDS... LOW
RELATIVE HUMIDITY... AND WARM TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE DANGEROUS FIRE
WEATHER CONDITIONS ACROSS CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA TODAY.

NCZ007>011-021>028-038>043-073>078-083>086-088-089-231615-
/O.UPG.KRAH.FW.A.0003.110323T1300Z-110324T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KRAH.FW.W.0003.110323T1300Z-110324T0000Z/
PERSON-GRANVILLE-VANCE-WARREN-HALIFAX-FORSYTH-GUILFORD-ALAMANCE-
ORANGE-DURHAM-FRANKLIN-NASH-EDGECOMBE-DAVIDSON-RANDOLPH-CHATHAM-
WAKE-JOHNSTON-WILSON-STANLY-MONTGOMERY-MOORE-LEE-HARNETT-WAYNE-
ANSON-RICHMOND-SCOTLAND-HOKE-CUMBERLAND-SAMPSON-
404 AM EDT WED MAR 23 2011

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM EDT
THIS EVENING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RALEIGH HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM EDT
THIS EVENING. THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. 


* TIMING: CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE FROM 9 AM
  UNTIL 8 PM.

* WIND: SUSTAINED SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 15 TO 20 MPH ARE EXPECTED... WITH
  OCCASIONAL GUSTS TO AROUND 30 MPH... ESPECIALLY IN THE
  AFTERNOON.

* HUMIDITY: RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL DROP TO 25 TO 30 PERCENT
  THIS AFTERNOON.

* TEMPERATURES: HIGH TEMPERATURES IN THE LOWER TO MID 80S ARE 
  EXPECTED. 

* IMPACTS: FINE FUELS REMAIN VERY DRY ACROSS CENTRAL NORTH 
  CAROLINA. WITH THIS COMBINATION OF STRONG GUSTY WINDS... LOW 
  RELATIVE HUMIDITY... AND WARM TEMPERATURES... ANY FIRES THAT 
  OCCUR ARE LIKELY TO QUICKLY SPREAD OUT OF CONTROL. 

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.

LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR CHECK OUR WEBSITE AT
WEATHER.GOV/RALEIGH FOR THE LATEST FORECASTS AND POSSIBLE RED FLAG
WARNINGS.


&&

$$

22
2 follow-up statements
457 
WWUS82 KRAH 230807
RFWRAH

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
407 AM EDT WED MAR 23 2011

...RED FLAG WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR TODAY...

.THE COMBINATION OF DRY FUELS... STRONG GUSTY WINDS... LOW
RELATIVE HUMIDITY... AND WARM TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE DANGEROUS
FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ACROSS CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA TODAY.

NCZ007>011-021>028-038>043-073>078-083>086-088-089-240000-
/O.CON.KRAH.FW.W.0003.110323T1300Z-110324T0000Z/
PERSON-GRANVILLE-VANCE-WARREN-HALIFAX-FORSYTH-GUILFORD-ALAMANCE-
ORANGE-DURHAM-FRANKLIN-NASH-EDGECOMBE-DAVIDSON-RANDOLPH-CHATHAM-
WAKE-JOHNSTON-WILSON-STANLY-MONTGOMERY-MOORE-LEE-HARNETT-WAYNE-
ANSON-RICHMOND-SCOTLAND-HOKE-CUMBERLAND-SAMPSON-
407 AM EDT WED MAR 23 2011

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM THIS MORNING TO
8 PM EDT THIS EVENING...

A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM THIS MORNING TO
8 PM EDT THIS EVENING. 

* TIMING: CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE FROM 9 
  AM UNTIL 8 PM. 

* WIND: SUSTAINED SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 15 TO 20 MPH ARE EXPECTED...
   WITH OCCASIONAL GUSTS TO AROUND 30 MPH... ESPECIALLY IN THE 
  AFTERNOON. 

* HUMIDITY: RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL DROP TO 25 TO 30 PERCENT 
  THIS AFTERNOON. 

* TEMPERATURES: HIGH TEMPERATURES IN THE LOWER TO MID 80S ARE 
  EXPECTED. 

* IMPACTS: FINE FUELS REMAIN VERY DRY ACROSS CENTRAL NORTH 
  CAROLINA. WITH THIS COMBINATION OF STRONG GUSTY WINDS... LOW 
  RELATIVE HUMIDITY... AND WARM TEMPERATURES... ANY FIRES THAT 
  OCCUR ARE LIKELY TO QUICKLY SPREAD OUT OF CONTROL. 

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.

LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR CHECK OUR WEBSITE AT
WEATHER.GOV/RALEIGH FOR THE LATEST FORECASTS AND POSSIBLE RED
FLAG WARNINGS.

&&

$$

22
016 
WWUS82 KRAH 240006
RFWRAH

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
806 PM EDT WED MAR 23 2011


NCZ007>011-021>028-038>043-073>078-083>086-088-089-240115-
/O.EXP.KRAH.FW.W.0003.000000T0000Z-110324T0000Z/
PERSON-GRANVILLE-VANCE-WARREN-HALIFAX-FORSYTH-GUILFORD-ALAMANCE-
ORANGE-DURHAM-FRANKLIN-NASH-EDGECOMBE-DAVIDSON-RANDOLPH-CHATHAM-
WAKE-JOHNSTON-WILSON-STANLY-MONTGOMERY-MOORE-LEE-HARNETT-WAYNE-
ANSON-RICHMOND-SCOTLAND-HOKE-CUMBERLAND-SAMPSON-
806 PM EDT WED MAR 23 2011

...RED FLAG WARNING HAS EXPIRED...

ACROSS THE REGION...WINDS HAVE BEGUN TO DECREASE AND RELATIVE
HUMIDITY VALUES ARE INCREASING AS TEMPERATURES FALL THIS EVENING.
THEREFORE...THE RED FLAG WARNING IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

$$

KRR

The office that day

Everything else NWS Raleigh, NC issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 23, 5:59 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRAHAlamance, Davidson, Forsyth, Guilford, Orange, Person and 1 more61 min
Mar 23, 6:51 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHAlamance, Durham, Guilford, Orange, Person39 min
Mar 23, 7:08 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRAHForsyth, Guilford52 min
Mar 23, 7:19 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRAHFranklin, Granville, Vance, Warren56 min
Mar 23, 7:31 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHDurham, Franklin, Granville, Orange, Vance, Wake59 min
Mar 23, 7:54 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRAHDavidson, Forsyth, Guilford51 min

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in North Carolina, 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.