Alert archive / Kansas / Red Flag Warnings in 2011

Red Flag Warning 3, NWS Topeka, KS

April 2, 20117 counties in Kansas

NWS Topeka, KS issued this red flag warning at Apr 2, 2011, 3:13 PM CDT for 7 counties in Kansas. It took effect at Apr 3, 2011, 12:00 PM CDT. It was in force for 7 hr. 2 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
Apr 2, 2011, 3:13 PM CDT (20:13 UTC)
In effect from
Apr 3, 2011, 12:00 PM CDT
Expired
Apr 3, 2011, 7:00 PM CDT
In force
7 hr
Issued by
NWS Topeka, KS

Counties Clay County, KS, Cloud County, KS, Dickinson County, KS, Geary County, KS, Morris County, KS, Ottawa County, KS, Riley County, KS

The radar

The Topeka radar (KTWX), 77 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:14 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
Apr 3, 6:05 PM CDTHAIL 0.751 Nw Manhattan, KS
Apr 3, 6:23 PM CDTHAIL 18 Sw Wamego, KS

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

The nearest sounding before it

Topeka, KS (KTOP), launched 12:00Z, 8.2 hours before the alert went out and 127 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, Topeka, KS at 12:00Z on 2011-04-02Temperature 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, Topeka, KS at 12:00Z on 2011-04-02The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 89 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
1807 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
66 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
89 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
227 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.

399 
WWUS83 KTOP 022013
RFWTOP

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
313 PM CDT SAT APR 2 2011

...RED FLAG CONDITIONS EXPECTED SUNDAY AFTERNOON...

GRASSES AND VEGETATION ACROSS KANSAS ARE DRY AND CURED. WARM
TEMPERATURES AND STRONG WINDS WILL COMBINE WITH LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITIES SUNDAY AFTERNOON ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL AND
CENTRAL KANSAS...AND WILL BRING THE POTENTIAL FOR EXTREME FIRE
BEHAVIOR.

KSZ020>022-034>037-030815-
/O.NEW.KTOP.FW.W.0003.110403T1700Z-110404T0000Z/
CLOUD-CLAY-RILEY-OTTAWA-DICKINSON-GEARY-MORRIS-
313 PM CDT SAT APR 2 2011

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 7 PM CDT SUNDAY FOR
GUSTY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 020...021...
022...034...035...036 AND 037...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TOPEKA...IN COORDINATION WITH
AREA LAND MANAGEMENT AGENCIES... HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG WARNING...
WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 7 PM CDT SUNDAY. 


* AFFECTED AREA...IN KANSAS...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 020 CLOUD 
  COUNTY...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 021 CLAY COUNTY...FIRE WEATHER 
  ZONE 022 RILEY COUNTY...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 034 OTTAWA COUNTY...
  FIRE WEATHER ZONE 035 DICKINSON COUNTY...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 
  036 GEARY COUNTY...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 037 MORRIS COUNTY.

* WIND...WINDS BY MID DAY WILL BE SUSTAINED NEAR 20 MPH FROM THE
  SOUTHWEST WITH GUSTS OF 30 MPH OR GREATER. WINDS WILL SHIFT
  QUICKLY TO THE NORTH AT 20 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS IN THE MID
  AFTERNOON.

* HUMIDITY...HUMIDITIES ARE EXPECTED TO DROP QUICKLY AROUND THE
  NOON HOUR AHEAD OF THE FRONT INTO THE 20 TO 25 PERCENT RANGE
  WITH LOCALLY LOWER VALUES POSSIBLE.

* IMPACTS...ANY FIRE STARTS IN THE WARNED AREA ARE LIKELY TO
  BECOME OUT OF CONTROL QUICKLY. IN ADDITION...SMOLDERING FIRES
  FROM PREVIOUS DAYS BURNS MAY REIGNITE AND BECOME DIFFICULT IF
  NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL.


PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF DRY
FUELS...STRONG WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND WARM
TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL.

&&

$$
3 follow-up statements
790 
WWUS83 KTOP 030800
RFWTOP

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
300 AM CDT SUN APR 3 2011

...RED FLAG CONDITIONS EXPECTED SUNDAY AFTERNOON...

GRASSES AND VEGETATION ACROSS KANSAS ARE DRY AND CURED. WARM
TEMPERATURES AND STRONG WINDS WILL COMBINE WITH LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITIES SUNDAY AFTERNOON ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL AND
CENTRAL KANSAS...AND WILL BRING THE POTENTIAL FOR EXTREME FIRE
BEHAVIOR.

KSZ020>022-034>037-040000-
/O.CON.KTOP.FW.W.0003.110403T1700Z-110404T0000Z/
CLOUD-CLAY-RILEY-OTTAWA-DICKINSON-GEARY-MORRIS-
300 AM CDT SUN APR 3 2011

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 7 PM CDT
THIS EVENING FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER
ZONES 020...021... 022...034...035...036 AND 037...

* AFFECTED AREA...IN KANSAS...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 020 CLOUD 
  COUNTY...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 021 CLAY COUNTY...FIRE WEATHER 
  ZONE 022 RILEY COUNTY...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 034 OTTAWA COUNTY...
   FIRE WEATHER ZONE 035 DICKINSON COUNTY...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 
  036 GEARY COUNTY...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 037 MORRIS COUNTY.

* WIND...WINDS BY MID DAY WILL BE SUSTAINED NEAR 20 MPH FROM THE
  SOUTHWEST WITH GUSTS OF 30 MPH OR GREATER. WINDS WILL SHIFT
  QUICKLY TO THE NORTH AT 20 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS DURING THE MID
  AND LATE AFTERNOON HOURS.

* HUMIDITY...HUMIDITIES ARE EXPECTED TO DROP QUICKLY AROUND THE
  NOON HOUR AHEAD OF THE FRONT INTO THE 20 TO 30 PERCENT RANGE WITH
  LOCALLY LOWER VALUES POSSIBLE.

* IMPACTS...ANY FIRE STARTS IN THE WARNED AREA ARE LIKELY TO 
  BECOME OUT OF CONTROL QUICKLY. IN ADDITION...SMOLDERING FIRES 
  FROM PREVIOUS DAYS BURNS MAY REIGNITE AND BECOME DIFFICULT IF 
  NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF DRY
FUELS...STRONG WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND WARM
TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL.

&&

$$
257 
WWUS83 KTOP 031647
RFWTOP

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
1147 AM CDT SUN APR 3 2011

GRASSES AND VEGETATION ACROSS KANSAS ARE DRY AND CURED. WARM
TEMPERATURES AND STRONG WINDS WILL COMBINE WITH LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITIES THIS AFTERNOON AND COULD CAUSE EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR.

KSZ020>022-034>037-040000-
/O.CON.KTOP.FW.W.0003.110403T1700Z-110404T0000Z/
CLOUD-CLAY-RILEY-OTTAWA-DICKINSON-GEARY-MORRIS-
1147 AM CDT SUN APR 3 2011

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING
FOR LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES AND GUSTY WINDS FOR FIRE WEATHER 
ZONES 020...021...022...034...035...036 AND 037...

* AFFECTED AREA...IN KANSAS...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 020 CLOUD
  COUNTY...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 021 CLAY COUNTY...FIRE WEATHER ZONE
  022 RILEY COUNTY...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 034 OTTAWA COUNTY...FIRE
  WEATHER ZONE 035 DICKINSON COUNTY...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 036 GEARY
  COUNTY...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 037 MORRIS COUNTY.

* WIND...SOUTHWEST WINDS GUSTING TO 30 MPH WILL SHIFT TO THE NORTH
  BY THE LATE AFTERNOON AS A COLD FRONT PASSES BY. THERE IS
  EXPECTED TO BE A LULL IN WIND SPEEDS AHEAD OF THE FRONT. HOWEVER
  SPEEDS WILL PICK BACK UP WITH GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH THROUGH THE
  NIGHT TONIGHT.

* HUMIDITY...RELATIVELY HUMIDITIES WILL FALL BETWEEN 20 TO 30
  PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...FIRES ARE LIKELY TO BECOME OUT OF CONTROL
  QUICKLY...AND NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL ONCE THEY ARE
  STARTED.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF DRY
FUELS...STRONG WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND WARM
TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL.

&&

$$

WOLTERS
576 
WWUS83 KTOP 040009
RFWTOP

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
709 PM CDT SUN APR 3 2011


KSZ020>022-034>037-040115-
/O.EXP.KTOP.FW.W.0003.000000T0000Z-110404T0000Z/
CLOUD-CLAY-RILEY-OTTAWA-DICKINSON-GEARY-MORRIS-
709 PM CDT SUN APR 3 2011

...RED FLAG WARNING HAS EXPIRED FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 
020...021...022...034...035...036 AND 037...

THE RED FLAG WARNING IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. 


$$

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Kansas, 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.