Alert archive / Minnesota / Red Flag Warnings in 2012

Red Flag Warning 7, NWS Aberdeen, SD

April 6, 2012Big Stone County, Traverse County, Minnesota

NWS Aberdeen, SD issued this red flag warning at Apr 6, 2012, 5:00 AM CDT for Big Stone County, Traverse County, Minnesota. It took effect at Apr 6, 2012, 1:00 PM CDT. 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
Apr 6, 2012, 5:00 AM CDT (10:00 UTC)
In effect from
Apr 6, 2012, 1:00 PM CDT
Expired
Apr 6, 2012, 8:00 PM CDT
In force
7 hr
Issued by
NWS Aberdeen, SD

Counties Big Stone County, MN, Traverse County, MN

The radar

The Aberdeen radar (KABR), 154 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 10:05 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

Aberdeen, SD (KABR), launched 00:00Z, 10.0 hours before the alert went out and 172 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, Aberdeen, SD at 00:00Z on 2012-04-06Temperature 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, Aberdeen, SD at 00:00Z on 2012-04-06The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 0 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
2909 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
20 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
0 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
104 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.

785 
WWUS83 KABR 061000
RFWABR

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ABERDEEN SD
500 AM CDT FRI APR 6 2012

...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ACROSS WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA
THIS AFTERNOON...

.STRONG SOUTHEAST WINDS WILL DEVELOP LATER THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS
WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA. DRY AIR WILL ALSO REMAIN IN PLACE WITH
RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES DROPPING INTO THE 20S. FUELS ARE STILL
VERY DRY ACROSS THIS AREA...SO THE COMBINATION OF GUSTY WINDS AND
LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL SET THE STAGE FOR CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER
CONDITIONS. 

MNZ039-046-061800-
/O.NEW.KABR.FW.W.0007.120406T1800Z-120407T0100Z/
TRAVERSE-BIG STONE-
500 AM CDT FRI APR 6 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 8 PM
CDT THIS EVENING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE
WEATHER ZONES 039 AND 046...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ABERDEEN HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT
FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING.

* AFFECTED AREA...IN MINNESOTA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 039 AND 046.

* WINDS...SOUTHEAST 25 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 25 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...TALL VEGETATION IS STILL DORMANT OR DEAD. THEREFORE
  FIRES WILL SPREAD RAPIDLY AND EXHIBIT CRITICAL FIRE BEHAVIOR
  WITH LONG RANGE SPOTTING AND RAPID RATES OF 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.

&&

$$
TMT
3 follow-up statements
973 
WWUS83 KABR 061806
RFWABR

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ABERDEEN SD
106 PM CDT FRI APR 6 2012

...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ACROSS WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA
THIS AFTERNOON...

.STRONG SOUTHEAST WINDS WILL PERSIST INTO THE EARLY EVENING HOURS
ACROSS WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA. DRY AIR WILL ALSO REMAIN IN PLACE
WITH RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES DROPPING INTO THE 20S. FUELS ARE
STILL VERY DRY ACROSS THIS AREA...SO THE COMBINATION OF GUSTY
WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL SET THE STAGE FOR CRITICAL
FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

MNZ039-046-070100-
/O.CON.KABR.FW.W.0007.000000T0000Z-120407T0100Z/
TRAVERSE-BIG STONE-
106 PM CDT FRI APR 6 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING
FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 039 AND
046...

* AFFECTED AREA...IN MINNESOTA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 039 AND 046.

* WINDS...SOUTHEAST 20 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 25 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...TALL VEGETATION IS STILL DORMANT OR DEAD. THEREFORE 
  FIRES WILL SPREAD RAPIDLY AND EXHIBIT CRITICAL FIRE BEHAVIOR 
  WITH LONG RANGE SPOTTING AND RAPID RATES OF 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.

&&

$$

PARKIN
681 
WWUS83 KABR 062000
RFWABR

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ABERDEEN SD
300 PM CDT FRI APR 6 2012

...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ACROSS WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA
LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...THEN ACROSS MUCH OF CENTRAL AND
NORTHEASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA SATURDAY
AFTERNOON...

.STRONG SOUTHEAST WINDS WILL PERSIST INTO THE EARLY EVENING HOURS
ACROSS WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA. DRY AIR WILL ALSO REMAIN IN PLACE
WITH RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES DROPPING INTO THE 20S. FUELS ARE
STILL VERY DRY ACROSS THIS AREA...SO THE COMBINATION OF GUSTY
WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL SET THE STAGE FOR CRITICAL
FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS. WINDS WILL SHIFT AROUND TO THE WEST
BEHIND A COLD FRONT ON SATURDAY. WIND SPEEDS WILL INCREASE BACK
INTO THE 25 TO 40 MPH RANGE AND WILL COMBINE WITH LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITIES TO CREATE ANOTHER DAY OF CRITICAL FIRE CONDITIONS.

MNZ039-046-070400-
/O.NEW.KABR.FW.A.0005.120407T1800Z-120408T0100Z/
/O.CON.KABR.FW.W.0007.000000T0000Z-120407T0100Z/
TRAVERSE-BIG STONE-
300 PM CDT FRI APR 6 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING
FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 039 AND
046...
...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
SATURDAY EVENING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE
WEATHER ZONES 039 AND 046...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ABERDEEN HAS ISSUED A FIRE
WEATHER WATCH FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...WHICH IS IN
EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING.

* AFFECTED AREA...IN MINNESOTA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 039 AND 046.

* WINDS...SOUTHWEST 20 TO 35 MPH TODAY...WEST 25 TO 40 MPH WITH
  GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 25 PERCENT TODAY...25 TO 30
  PERCENT ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON.

* IMPACTS...TALL VEGETATION IS STILL DORMANT OR DEAD. THEREFORE 
  FIRES WILL SPREAD RAPIDLY AND EXHIBIT CRITICAL FIRE BEHAVIOR 
  WITH LONG RANGE SPOTTING AND RAPID RATES OF 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.

A FIRE WEATHER WATCH MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE POSSIBLE. LISTEN FOR LATER FORECASTS AND POSSIBLE RED FLAG
WARNINGS.

&&

$$

SDZ267>273-070400-
/O.NEW.KABR.FW.A.0005.120407T1800Z-120408T0100Z/
LOWER BAD RIVER-UPPER CHEYENNE-UPPER MISSOURI COTEAU-
MISSOURI COTEAU-UPPER JAMES RIVER-PRAIRIE COTEAU-RED RIVER VALLEY-
300 PM CDT FRI APR 6 2012 /200 PM MDT FRI APR 6 2012/

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
SATURDAY EVENING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE
WEATHER ZONES 267...268...269...270...271...272 AND 273...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ABERDEEN HAS ISSUED A FIRE
WEATHER WATCH FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...WHICH IS IN
EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING.

* AFFECTED AREA...IN SOUTH DAKOTA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 267... 
  268...269...270...271...272 AND 273.

* WINDS...WEST 25 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 20 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...TALL VEGETATION IS STILL DORMANT OR DEAD. THEREFORE 
  FIRES WILL SPREAD RAPIDLY AND EXHIBIT CRITICAL FIRE BEHAVIOR 
  WITH LONG RANGE SPOTTING AND RAPID RATES OF SPREAD. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FIRE WEATHER WATCH MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE POSSIBLE. LISTEN FOR LATER FORECASTS AND POSSIBLE RED FLAG
WARNINGS.

&&

$$

PARKIN
300 
WWUS83 KABR 070111 AAA
RFWABR

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ABERDEEN SD
811 PM CDT FRI APR 6 2012

...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ACROSS MUCH OF CENTRAL AND
NORTHEASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA SATURDAY
AFTERNOON...

.WINDS WILL SHIFT AROUND TO THE WEST BEHIND A COLD FRONT ON
SATURDAY. WIND SPEEDS WILL INCREASE BACK INTO THE 25 TO 40 MPH
RANGE AND WILL COMBINE WITH LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES TO CREATE
ANOTHER DAY OF CRITICAL FIRE CONDITIONS.

MNZ039-046-070915-
/O.EXP.KABR.FW.W.0007.000000T0000Z-120407T0100Z/
/O.CON.KABR.FW.A.0005.120407T1800Z-120408T0100Z/
TRAVERSE-BIG STONE-
811 PM CDT FRI APR 6 2012

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON
THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR
FIRE WEATHER ZONES 039 AND 046...
...RED FLAG WARNING HAS EXPIRED FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 039 AND 046...

* AFFECTED AREA...IN MINNESOTA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 039 AND 046.

* WINDS...SOUTHWEST 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 26 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...TALL VEGETATION IS STILL DORMANT OR DEAD. THEREFORE 
  FIRES WILL SPREAD RAPIDLY AND EXHIBIT CRITICAL FIRE BEHAVIOR 
  WITH LONG RANGE SPOTTING AND RAPID RATES OF SPREAD. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FIRE WEATHER WATCH MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE POSSIBLE. LISTEN FOR LATER FORECASTS AND POSSIBLE RED FLAG
WARNINGS.

&&

$$

SDZ267>273-070915-
/O.CON.KABR.FW.A.0005.120407T1800Z-120408T0100Z/
LOWER BAD RIVER-UPPER CHEYENNE-UPPER MISSOURI COTEAU-
MISSOURI COTEAU-UPPER JAMES RIVER-PRAIRIE COTEAU-RED RIVER VALLEY-
811 PM CDT FRI APR 6 2012 /711 PM MDT FRI APR 6 2012/

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON
THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR
FIRE WEATHER ZONES 267...268...269...270...271...272 AND 273...

* AFFECTED AREA...IN SOUTH DAKOTA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 267... 
  268...269...270...271...272 AND 273.

* WINDS...WEST 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 55 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 22 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...TALL VEGETATION IS STILL DORMANT OR DEAD. THEREFORE 
  FIRES WILL SPREAD RAPIDLY AND EXHIBIT CRITICAL FIRE BEHAVIOR 
  WITH LONG RANGE SPOTTING AND RAPID RATES OF SPREAD. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FIRE WEATHER WATCH MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE POSSIBLE. LISTEN FOR LATER FORECASTS AND POSSIBLE RED FLAG
WARNINGS.

&&

$$

The office that day

Everything else NWS Aberdeen, SD issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 6, 3:00 PM CDTFire Weather WatchABRBig Stone, Traverse13 hr

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Minnesota, 2012Every red flag warning in 2012

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.