Alert archive / Virginia / Red Flag Warnings in 2011
Red Flag Warning 2, NWS Blacksburg, VA
NWS Blacksburg, VA issued this red flag warning at Feb 18, 2011, 3:33 PM EST for 31 counties in Virginia; 9 counties in North Carolina. It took effect at Feb 19, 2011, 9:00 AM EST. It was in force for 12 hr. 3 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
- Feb 18, 2011, 3:33 PM EST (20:33 UTC)
- In effect from
- Feb 19, 2011, 9:00 AM EST
- Expired
- Feb 19, 2011, 9:00 PM EST
- In force
- 12 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Blacksburg, VA
All 40 counties
Alleghany County, NC, Ashe County, NC, Caswell County, NC, Rockingham County, NC, Stokes County, NC, Surry County, NC, Watauga County, NC, Wilkes County, NC, Yadkin County, NC, Alleghany County, VA, Amherst County, VA, Appomattox County, VA, Bath County, VA, Bedford County, VA, Bland County, VA, Botetourt County, VA, Buckingham County, VA, Campbell County, VA, Carroll County, VA, Charlotte County, VA, City of Danville, VA, City of Lynchburg, VA, City of Martinsville, VA, City of Radford, VA, City of Roanoke, VA, City of Salem, VA, Craig County, VA, Floyd County, VA, Franklin County, VA, Giles County, VA, Grayson County, VA, Halifax County, VA, Henry County, VA, Montgomery County, VA, Patrick County, VA, Pittsylvania County, VA, Pulaski County, VA, Roanoke County, VA, Rockbridge County, VA, Wythe County, VA
The radar
The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 18 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:35 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
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 19, 11:00 AM EST | NON-TSTM WND DMG | Amherst, VA | TREE DOWN ON RT 60 |
| Feb 19, 4:00 PM EST | NON-TSTM WND DMG | Amherst, VA | TREE DOWN ON RT 60 |
| Feb 19, 4:05 PM EST | NON-TSTM WND DMG | Amherst, VA | TREE DOWN ON RT 60 BLOCKING TRAFFIC |
Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.
The nearest sounding before it
Roanoke, VA (KRNK), launched 12:00Z, 8.6 hours before the alert went out and 56 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1299 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 37 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 127 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 102 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
198 WWUS81 KRNK 182033 RFWRNK URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 333 PM EST FRI FEB 18 2011 ...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ON SATURDAY... .STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS WILL DEVELOP SATURDAY IN THE WAKE OF A COLD FRONT. THE COMBINATION OF THESE GUSTY WINDS...VERY DRY AIR AND LOW FUEL MOISTURE LEVELS WILL CREATE DANGEROUS FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS BY SATURDAY AFTERNOON. VAZ020-022>024-034-035-045>047-190445- /O.UPG.KRNK.FW.A.0002.110219T1400Z-110220T0200Z/ /O.NEW.KRNK.FW.W.0002.110219T1400Z-110220T0200Z/ BATH-ROANOKE-BOTETOURT-ROCKBRIDGE-BEDFORD-AMHERST-CAMPBELL- APPOMATTOX-BUCKINGHAM- 333 PM EST FRI FEB 18 2011 ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM TO 9 PM EST SATURDAY... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM TO 9 PM EST SATURDAY. THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. * TIMING...MID MORNING SATURDAY THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY EVENING. * WINDS...NORTHWEST 20 TO 30 MPH...WITH GUSTS TO 55 MPH. * HUMIDITY...BETWEEN 15 AND 25 PERCENT. * FUEL MOISTURE...LESS THAN 7 PERCENT. * IMPACTS...DANGEROUS FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS...SUPPORTING RAPID WILDFIRE GROWTH. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... && 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. && $$ NCZ001>006-018>020-VAZ010>019-032-033-043-044-058-059-190445- /O.UPG.KRNK.FW.A.0002.110219T1400Z-110220T0200Z/ /O.NEW.KRNK.FW.W.0002.110219T1400Z-110220T0200Z/ ASHE-ALLEGHANY NC-SURRY-STOKES-ROCKINGHAM-CASWELL-WATAUGA-WILKES- YADKIN-BLAND-GILES-WYTHE-PULASKI-MONTGOMERY-GRAYSON-CARROLL-FLOYD- CRAIG-ALLEGHANY VA-PATRICK-FRANKLIN-HENRY-PITTSYLVANIA-HALIFAX- CHARLOTTE- 333 PM EST FRI FEB 18 2011 ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM TO 9 PM EST SATURDAY... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM TO 9 PM EST SATURDAY. THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. * TIMING...MID MORNING SATURDAY THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY EVENING. * WINDS...NORTHWEST 15 TO 30 MPH...WITH GUSTS TO 45 MPH. * HUMIDITY...BETWEEN 15 AND 25 PERCENT. * FUEL MOISTURE...LESS THAN 7 PERCENT. * IMPACTS...DANGEROUS FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS...SUPPORTING RAPID WILDFIRE GROWTH. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... && PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF STRONG WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND WARM TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL. && $$ RCS
4 follow-up statements
108 WWUS81 KRNK 190417 RFWRNK URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 1117 PM EST FRI FEB 18 2011 ...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ON SATURDAY... .STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS WILL DEVELOP SATURDAY IN THE WAKE OF A COLD FRONT. THE COMBINATION OF THESE GUSTY WINDS...VERY DRY AIR AND LOW FUEL MOISTURE LEVELS WILL CREATE DANGEROUS FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS BY SATURDAY AFTERNOON. VAZ020-022>024-034-035-045>047-191230- /O.CON.KRNK.FW.W.0002.110219T1400Z-110220T0200Z/ BATH-ROANOKE-BOTETOURT-ROCKBRIDGE-BEDFORD-AMHERST-CAMPBELL- APPOMATTOX-BUCKINGHAM- 1117 PM EST FRI FEB 18 2011 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM TO 9 PM EST SATURDAY... A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM TO 9 PM EST SATURDAY. * TIMING...MID MORNING SATURDAY THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY EVENING. * WINDS...NORTHWEST 20 TO 30 MPH...WITH GUSTS TO 55 MPH. * HUMIDITY...BETWEEN 10 AND 20 PERCENT. * FUEL MOISTURE...WILL BE VERY LOW...WITH SOUTH SLOPE AND FULLY EXPOSED FINE FUELS BETWEEN 3 AND 4 PERCENT...10 HOUR FUELS BETWEEN 6 AND 9 PERCENT. * IMPACTS...CONDITIONS WILL BE CONDUCIVE FOR THE RAPID SPREAD OF WILDFIRES. FIRE IGNITIONS MAY RESULT FROM WINDS BLOWING TREE LIMBS ONTO POWER LINES. 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. && $$ NCZ001>006-018>020-VAZ010>019-032-033-043-044-058-059-191230- /O.CON.KRNK.FW.W.0002.110219T1400Z-110220T0200Z/ ASHE-ALLEGHANY NC-SURRY-STOKES-ROCKINGHAM-CASWELL-WATAUGA-WILKES- YADKIN-BLAND-GILES-WYTHE-PULASKI-MONTGOMERY-GRAYSON-CARROLL-FLOYD- CRAIG-ALLEGHANY VA-PATRICK-FRANKLIN-HENRY-PITTSYLVANIA-HALIFAX- CHARLOTTE- 1117 PM EST FRI FEB 18 2011 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM TO 9 PM EST SATURDAY... A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM TO 9 PM EST SATURDAY. * TIMING...MID MORNING SATURDAY THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY EVENING. * WINDS...NORTHWEST 15 TO 30 MPH...WITH GUSTS TO 45 MPH. * HUMIDITY...BETWEEN 15 AND 25 PERCENT. * FUEL MOISTURE...WILL BE LOW...WITH SOUTH SLOPE AND FULLY EXPOSED FINE FUELS BETWEEN 4 AND 5 PERCENT...10 HOUR FUELS BETWEEN 6 AND 10 PERCENT. * IMPACTS...CONDITIONS WILL BE CONDUCIVE FOR THE RAPID SPREAD OF WILDFIRES. FIRE IGNITIONS MAY RESULT FROM WINDS BLOWING TREE LIMBS ONTO POWER LINES. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF STRONG WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND WARM TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL. && $$
752 WWUS81 KRNK 190850 RFWRNK URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 350 AM EST SAT FEB 19 2011 ...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS TODAY... .STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE IN THE WAKE OF A COLD FRONT TODAY. THE COMBINATION OF THESE GUSTY WINDS...VERY DRY AIR AND LOW FUEL MOISTURE LEVELS WILL CREATE DANGEROUS FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS BY THIS AFTERNOON. VAZ020-022>024-034-035-045>047-191700- /O.CON.KRNK.FW.W.0002.110219T1400Z-110220T0200Z/ BATH-ROANOKE-BOTETOURT-ROCKBRIDGE-BEDFORD-AMHERST-CAMPBELL- APPOMATTOX-BUCKINGHAM- 350 AM EST SAT FEB 19 2011 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM THIS MORNING TO 9 PM EST THIS EVENING... A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM THIS MORNING TO 9 PM EST THIS EVENING. * TIMING...MID MORNING TODAY THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING. * WINDS...NORTHWEST 20 TO 30 MPH...WITH GUSTS TO 55 MPH. * HUMIDITY...BETWEEN 10 AND 20 PERCENT. * FUEL MOISTURE...WILL BE VERY LOW...WITH SOUTH SLOPE AND FULLY EXPOSED FINE FUELS BETWEEN 3 AND 4 PERCENT...10 HOUR FUELS BETWEEN 6 AND 9 PERCENT. * IMPACTS...CONDITIONS WILL BE CONDUCIVE FOR THE RAPID SPREAD OF WILDFIRES. FIRE IGNITIONS MAY RESULT FROM WINDS BLOWING TREE LIMBS ONTO POWER LINES. 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. && $$ NCZ001>006-018>020-VAZ010>019-032-033-043-044-058-059-191700- /O.CON.KRNK.FW.W.0002.110219T1400Z-110220T0200Z/ ASHE-ALLEGHANY NC-SURRY-STOKES-ROCKINGHAM-CASWELL-WATAUGA-WILKES- YADKIN-BLAND-GILES-WYTHE-PULASKI-MONTGOMERY-GRAYSON-CARROLL-FLOYD- CRAIG-ALLEGHANY VA-PATRICK-FRANKLIN-HENRY-PITTSYLVANIA-HALIFAX- CHARLOTTE- 350 AM EST SAT FEB 19 2011 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM THIS MORNING TO 9 PM EST THIS EVENING... A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM THIS MORNING TO 9 PM EST THIS EVENING. * TIMING...MID MORNING TODAY THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING. * WINDS...NORTHWEST 15 TO 30 MPH...WITH GUSTS TO 50 MPH. * HUMIDITY...BETWEEN 15 AND 25 PERCENT. * FUEL MOISTURE...WILL BE LOW...WITH SOUTH SLOPE AND FULLY EXPOSED FINE FUELS BETWEEN 4 AND 5 PERCENT...10 HOUR FUELS BETWEEN 6 AND 10 PERCENT. * IMPACTS...CONDITIONS WILL BE CONDUCIVE FOR THE RAPID SPREAD OF WILDFIRES. FIRE IGNITIONS MAY RESULT FROM WINDS BLOWING TREE LIMBS ONTO POWER LINES. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF STRONG WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND WARM TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL. && $$
179 WWUS81 KRNK 191631 RFWRNK URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 1131 AM EST SAT FEB 19 2011 ...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS TODAY... .STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE IN THE WAKE OF A COLD FRONT TODAY. THE COMBINATION OF THESE GUSTY WINDS...VERY DRY AIR AND LOW FUEL MOISTURE LEVELS WILL CREATE DANGEROUS FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS. HAVE LOWER EXPECTED MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITIES GIVEN THE LATEST TRENDS IN DEW POINT AND TEMPERATURE. VAZ020-022>024-034-035-045>047-200030- /O.CON.KRNK.FW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-110220T0200Z/ BATH-ROANOKE-BOTETOURT-ROCKBRIDGE-BEDFORD-AMHERST-CAMPBELL- APPOMATTOX-BUCKINGHAM- 1131 AM EST SAT FEB 19 2011 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EST THIS EVENING... A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EST THIS EVENING. * TIMING...CONTINUES THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING. * WINDS...NORTHWEST 20 TO 30 MPH...WITH GUSTS TO 55 MPH. * HUMIDITY...BETWEEN 10 AND 15 PERCENT. * FUEL MOISTURE...WILL BE VERY LOW...WITH SOUTH SLOPE AND FULLY EXPOSED FINE FUELS BETWEEN 3 AND 4 PERCENT...10 HOUR FUELS BETWEEN 6 AND 9 PERCENT. * IMPACTS...CONDITIONS WILL BE CONDUCIVE FOR THE RAPID SPREAD OF WILDFIRES. FIRE IGNITIONS MAY RESULT FROM WINDS BLOWING TREE LIMBS ONTO POWER LINES. 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. && $$ NCZ001>006-018>020-VAZ010>019-032-033-043-044-058-059-200030- /O.CON.KRNK.FW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-110220T0200Z/ ASHE-ALLEGHANY NC-SURRY-STOKES-ROCKINGHAM-CASWELL-WATAUGA-WILKES- YADKIN-BLAND-GILES-WYTHE-PULASKI-MONTGOMERY-GRAYSON-CARROLL-FLOYD- CRAIG-ALLEGHANY VA-PATRICK-FRANKLIN-HENRY-PITTSYLVANIA-HALIFAX- CHARLOTTE- 1131 AM EST SAT FEB 19 2011 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EST THIS EVENING... A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EST THIS EVENING. * TIMING...MID MORNING TODAY THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING. * WINDS...NORTHWEST 15 TO 30 MPH...WITH GUSTS TO 50 MPH. * HUMIDITY...BETWEEN 7 AND 12 PERCENT. * FUEL MOISTURE...WILL BE LOW...WITH SOUTH SLOPE AND FULLY EXPOSED FINE FUELS BETWEEN 4 AND 5 PERCENT...10 HOUR FUELS BETWEEN 6 AND 10 PERCENT. * IMPACTS...CONDITIONS WILL BE CONDUCIVE FOR THE RAPID SPREAD OF WILDFIRES. FIRE IGNITIONS MAY RESULT FROM WINDS BLOWING TREE LIMBS ONTO POWER LINES. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF STRONG WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND WARM TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL. && $$
388 WWUS81 KRNK 200227 RFWRNK URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 927 PM EST SAT FEB 19 2011 NCZ001>006-018>020-VAZ010>020-022>024-032>035-043>047-058-059- 200330- /O.EXP.KRNK.FW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-110220T0200Z/ ASHE-ALLEGHANY NC-SURRY-STOKES-ROCKINGHAM-CASWELL-WATAUGA-WILKES- YADKIN-BLAND-GILES-WYTHE-PULASKI-MONTGOMERY-GRAYSON-CARROLL-FLOYD- CRAIG-ALLEGHANY VA-BATH-ROANOKE-BOTETOURT-ROCKBRIDGE-PATRICK- FRANKLIN-BEDFORD-AMHERST-HENRY-PITTSYLVANIA-CAMPBELL-APPOMATTOX- BUCKINGHAM-HALIFAX-CHARLOTTE- 924 PM EST SAT FEB 19 2011 ...RED FLAG WARNING HAS EXPIRED... THE RED FLAG WARNING IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO DIMINISH OVERNIGHT. WIND GUSTS OF 20 TO 30 MPH ARE STILL POSSIBLE IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS...BUT THE TREND WILL BE FOR LOWER WIND GUSTS AS THE NIGHT PROGRESSES. THE RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL BEGIN TO RECOVER IN THE VALLEYS AFTER MIDNIGHT...BUT IS STILL EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW 50 PERCENT FOR MOST OF THE NIGHT. AREAS WHERE THE WIND CONTINUES TO BLOW THE ENTIRE NIGHT...HUMIDITY RECOVERY WILL BE POOR...AND MAY REMAIN BELOW 30 PERCENT. $$
The office that day
Everything else NWS Blacksburg, VA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 18, 4:08 AM EST | Fire Weather Watch | RNK | Alleghany, Amherst, Appomattox, Bath, Bedford, Bland and 25 more | 11 hr |
| Feb 18, 3:49 PM EST | High Wind Watch | RNK | Amherst, Bath, Rockbridge, City of Buena Vista, City of Lexington | 105 min |
| Feb 18, 3:49 PM EST | Wind Advisory | RNK | Alleghany, Bedford, Botetourt, Craig, Floyd, Franklin and 4 more | 27 hr |
| Feb 18, 5:34 PM EST | High Wind Warning | RNK | Amherst, Bath, Rockbridge, City of Buena Vista, City of Lexington | 25 hr |
Nearby
Red Flag Warnings in Virginia, 2011Red 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.