Alert archive / Florida / Red Flag Warnings in 2011

Red Flag Warning 10, NWS Tampa Bay, FL

February 15, 20115 counties in Florida

NWS Tampa Bay, FL issued this red flag warning at Feb 15, 2011, 12:31 PM EST for 5 counties in Florida. It was in force for 6 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 15, 2011, 12:31 PM EST (17:31 UTC)
Expired
Feb 15, 2011, 7:00 PM EST
In force
6 hr
Issued by
NWS Tampa Bay, FL

Counties DeSoto County, FL, Hardee County, FL, Highlands County, FL, Polk County, FL, Sumter County, FL

The radar

The Tampa radar (KTBW), 64 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 17:30 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

Tampa Bay, FL (KTBW), launched 12:00Z, 5.5 hours before the alert went out and 64 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, Tampa Bay, FL at 12:00Z on 2011-02-15Temperature 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°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Tampa Bay, FL at 12:00Z on 2011-02-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -10 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
1534 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
15 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-10 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
93 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.

902 
WWUS82 KTBW 151731
RFWTBW

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
1231 PM EST TUE FEB 15 2011

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH 7 PM EST THIS EVENING...

.DRY AIR IS MIXING DOWN TO THE SURFACE RESULTING IN HUMIDITIES
BELOW 35 PERCENT.

FLZ039-042-043-048-062-065-160000-
/O.NEW.KTBW.FW.W.0010.110215T1731Z-110216T0000Z/
LEVY-CITRUS-SUMTER-HERNANDO-CHARLOTTE-LEE-
1231 PM EST TUE FEB 15 2011

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS EVENING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL HAS
ISSUED A RED FLAG WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EST
THIS EVENING. 

RELATIVE HUMIDITIES HAVE FALLEN BELOW 35 PERCENT ACROSS THE
NATURE COAST AND ARE APPROACHING 35 PERCENT IN CHARLOTTE AND LEE
COUNTIES. RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL CONTINUE TO FALL AS
TEMPERATURES RISE INTO THE 70S TODAY. LOWEST HUMIDITIES SHOULD BE
BETWEEN 25 AND 30 PERCENT THEN QUICKLY RISE ABOVE CRITICAL VALUES
TOWARD SUNSET.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN VERY FAVORABLE CONDITIONS FOR
THE SPREAD OF WILDFIRE ARE OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL OCCUR WITHIN
24 HOURS.

&&

$$
1 follow-up statement
711 
WWUS82 KTBW 151915
RFWTBW

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
215 PM EST TUE FEB 15 2011

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH 7 PM EST THIS EVENING...

.DRY AIR IS MIXING DOWN TO THE SURFACE RESULTING IN HUMIDITIES
BELOW 35 PERCENT.

FLZ049-051-052-055>057-060-061-160000-
/O.EXA.KTBW.FW.W.0010.000000T0000Z-110216T0000Z/
PASCO-HILLSBOROUGH-POLK-MANATEE-HARDEE-HIGHLANDS-SARASOTA-DE SOTO-
215 PM EST TUE FEB 15 2011

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS EVENING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL HAS
ISSUED A RED FLAG WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EST
THIS EVENING. 

RELATIVE HUMIDITIES HAVE FALLEN BELOW 35 PERCENT ACROSS SOUTHWEST
AND SOUTH-CENTRAL FLORIDA. RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL CONTINUE TO
FALL AS TEMPERATURES RISE INTO THE 70S TODAY. LOWEST HUMIDITIES
SHOULD BE BETWEEN 25 AND 30 PERCENT THEN QUICKLY RISE ABOVE
CRITICAL VALUES AROUND SUNSET.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN VERY FAVORABLE CONDITIONS FOR
THE SPREAD OF WILDFIRE ARE OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL OCCUR WITHIN
24 HOURS.

&&

$$

FLZ039-042-043-048-062-065-160000-
/O.CON.KTBW.FW.W.0010.000000T0000Z-110216T0000Z/
LEVY-CITRUS-SUMTER-HERNANDO-CHARLOTTE-LEE-
215 PM EST TUE FEB 15 2011

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS
EVENING...

A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS EVENING.

RELATIVE HUMIDITIES HAVE FALLEN BELOW 35 PERCENT ACROSS THE
NATURE COAST AND IN CHARLOTTE AND LEE COUNTIES. RELATIVE
HUMIDITIES WILL CONTINUE TO FALL AS TEMPERATURES RISE INTO THE 70S
TODAY. LOWEST HUMIDITIES SHOULD BE BETWEEN 25 AND 30 PERCENT THEN
QUICKLY RISE ABOVE CRITICAL VALUES AROUND SUNSET.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN VERY FAVORABLE CONDITIONS FOR
THE SPREAD OF WILDFIRE ARE OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL OCCUR WITHIN
24 HOURS.

&&

$$

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this red flag warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Tampa Bay, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before this red flag warning went out at Feb 15, 9:23 AM EST, 3 hours 8 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 15, 9:23 AM EST, 3 hours 8 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY RUSKIN FL
923 AM EST TUE FEB 15 2011

.DISCUSSION...VERY SHALLOW BUT LOCALLY DENSE FOG DEVELOPED BEFORE
SUNRISE RESULTING IN VISIBILITIES BELOW A QUARTER MILE IN PLACES.
THIS FOG HAS SINCE BURNED OFF WITH SUNNY SKIES AND RAPIDLY RISING
TEMPERATURES.

IT WAS A LITTLE COOLER THAN EXPECTED OVERNIGHT...BUT THIS WILL
HAVE LITTLE IMPACT ON OUR AFTERNOON HIGH TEMPERATURES. THE CURRENT
FORECAST LOOKS ON TRACK WITH HIGHS NEAR 70 NORTH...LOWER 70S
CENTRAL AND MIDDLE 70S TO THE SOUTH. AN AFTERNOON SEA BREEZE WILL
KEEP THE COAST COOLER SOUTH OF TAMPA BAY...BUT THE DEVELOPING
EASTERLIES MAY BE STRONG ENOUGH TO NEGATE A SEA BREEZE TO THE
NORTH.

NO UPDATES ARE PLANNED TO THE TEXT ZONES AT THIS TIME.

&&

.AVIATION...
SHALLOW FOG EARLIER THIS MORNING BROUGHT VISIBILITIES DOWN AT THE
NORTHERN THREE SITES...BUT CONDITIONS ARE IMPROVING AND
VISIBILITIES WILL CONTINUE TO GO UP AS THE FOG BURNS OFF. VFR
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS WITH WINDS BECOMING
MORE NORTHEAST LATER TODAY.

&&

.MARINE...NORTH WINDS AROUND 10 KNOTS WITH SEAS AROUND 2 FEET
CONTINUE THROUGH THE DAY. WINDS WILL TURN MORE EASTERLY AND
INCREASE TO 15 KNOTS OR SO TONIGHT AS AN EASTERLY SURGE MOVES
THROUGH THE WATERS. CURRENT FORECAST HAS THIS HANDLED WELL SO FEW
IF ANY CHANGES ARE PLANNED.

&&

.TBW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FL...NONE.
GULF WATERS...NONE.

&&

DISCUSSION/MARINE...JILLSON
AVIATION...CARLISLE
Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 15, 8:22 AM EST, 4 hours 9 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY RUSKIN FL
822 AM EST TUE FEB 15 2011

FLZ039-042-043-048>052-055>057-060>062-065-160145-
LEVY-CITRUS-SUMTER-HERNANDO-PASCO-PINELLAS-HILLSBOROUGH-POLK-
MANATEE-HARDEE-HIGHLANDS-SARASOTA-DE SOTO-CHARLOTTE-LEE-
822 AM EST TUE FEB 15 2011

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST
FLORIDA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

...FIRE WEATHER IMPACT...
WITH SOME DRY AIR STILL LINGERING IN PARTS OF THE REGION...ONE TO
THREE HOURS OF LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY BELOW 35 PERCENT WILL BE
POSSIBLE FOR AREAS SOUTH OF THE HILLSBOROUGH AND POLK COUNTY LINE.

...DENSE FOG IMPACT...
PATCHY FOG WILL DEVELOP AGAIN TONIGHT...AND THE NORMALLY FOG PRONE
LOCATIONS COULD SEE LOCALLY DENSE FOG WITH VISIBILITIES BELOW A
HALF MILE AT TIMES.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED TODAY.

BARRON/JILLSON

The office that day

Everything else NWS Tampa Bay, FL issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 15, 5:50 AM ESTDense Fog AdvisoryTBWPinellas, Polk, Sumter2 hr

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Florida, 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.