Alert archive / North Dakota / Red Flag Warnings in 2012

Red Flag Warning 42, NWS Bismarck, ND

September 19, 201236 counties in North Dakota

NWS Bismarck, ND issued this red flag warning at Sep 19, 2012, 3:02 AM MDT for 36 counties in North Dakota. It took effect at Sep 19, 2012, 9:00 AM MDT. It was in force for 10 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
Sep 19, 2012, 3:02 AM MDT (09:02 UTC)
In effect from
Sep 19, 2012, 9:00 AM MDT
Expired
Sep 19, 2012, 7:00 PM MDT
In force
10 hr
Issued by
NWS Bismarck, ND
All 36 counties

Adams County, ND, Billings County, ND, Bottineau County, ND, Bowman County, ND, Burke County, ND, Burleigh County, ND, Dickey County, ND, Divide County, ND, Dunn County, ND, Emmons County, ND, Foster County, ND, Golden Valley County, ND, Grant County, ND, Hettinger County, ND, Kidder County, ND, LaMoure County, ND, Logan County, ND, McHenry County, ND, McIntosh County, ND, McKenzie County, ND, McLean County, ND, Mercer County, ND, Morton County, ND, Mountrail County, ND, Oliver County, ND, Pierce County, ND, Renville County, ND, Rolette County, ND, Sheridan County, ND, Sioux County, ND, Slope County, ND, Stark County, ND, Stutsman County, ND, Ward County, ND, Wells County, ND, Williams County, ND

The radar

The Bismarck radar (KBIS), 71 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 09:04 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

Bismarck Municip, ND (KBIS), launched 00:00Z, 9.0 hours before the alert went out and 73 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, Bismarck Municip, ND at 00:00Z on 2012-09-19Temperature 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, Bismarck Municip, ND at 00:00Z on 2012-09-19The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 80 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
2815 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
50 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
80 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
156 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.

025 
WWUS83 KBIS 190902
RFWBIS

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
402 AM CDT WED SEP 19 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING WESTERN AND CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA THIS MORNING
THROUGH EARLY EVENING...

.RAPID FIRE GROWTH AND SPREAD WILL OCCUR TODAY AS DRY PRAIRIE
GRASSLANDS COMBINE WITH GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES TO
CREATE RED FLAG CONDITIONS FOR ALL OF WESTERN AND CENTRAL
NORTH DAKOTA TODAY...WHICH COULD BE ONE OF THE MOST CRITICAL FIRE
DANGER DAYS SO FAR THIS YEAR. 

WEST OF HIGHWAY 83...RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL BE IN THE UPPER
TEENS AND NORTHWEST WINDS WILL BE 25 MPH GUSTING TO 40 MPH.

ALONG AND EAST OF HIGHWAY 83...RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL BE AS LOW
AS 20 PERCENT WITH NORTHWEST WINDS AT 30 MPH GUSTING TO 45 MPH.

A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT THIS MORNING THROUGH EARLY
EVENING. 

NDZ001>005-009>013-017>023-025-031>037-040>048-050-051-191715-
/O.UPG.KBIS.FW.A.0031.120919T1600Z-120920T0100Z/
/O.NEW.KBIS.FW.W.0042.120919T1500Z-120920T0100Z/
DIVIDE-BURKE-RENVILLE-BOTTINEAU-ROLETTE-WILLIAMS-MOUNTRAIL-WARD-
MCHENRY-PIERCE-MCKENZIE-DUNN-MERCER-OLIVER-MCLEAN-SHERIDAN-WELLS-
FOSTER-GOLDEN VALLEY-BILLINGS-STARK-MORTON-BURLEIGH-KIDDER-
STUTSMAN-SLOPE-HETTINGER-GRANT-BOWMAN-ADAMS-SIOUX-EMMONS-LOGAN-
LA MOURE-MCINTOSH-DICKEY-
402 AM CDT WED SEP 19 2012 /302 AM MDT WED SEP 19 2012/

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM CDT /9 AM MDT/ THIS
MORNING TO 8 PM CDT /7 PM MDT/ THIS EVENING FOR VERY HIGH TO
EXTREME FIRE DANGER FOR WESTERN AND CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BISMARCK HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING FOR VERY HIGH TO EXTREME FIRE DANGER...WHICH IS IN EFFECT
FROM 10 AM CDT /9 AM MDT/ THIS MORNING TO 8 PM CDT /7 PM MDT/ THIS
EVENING. THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 001 DIVIDE...FIRE WEATHER 
  ZONE 002 BURKE...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 003 RENVILLE...FIRE WEATHER 
  ZONE 004 BOTTINEAU...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 005 ROLETTE...FIRE 
  WEATHER ZONE 009 WILLIAMS...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 010 MOUNTRAIL...
  FIRE WEATHER ZONE 011 WARD...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 012 MCHENRY...
  FIRE WEATHER ZONE 013 PIERCE...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 017 
  MCKENZIE...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 018 DUNN...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 019 
  MERCER...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 020 OLIVER...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 021 
  MCLEAN...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 022 SHERIDAN...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 
  023 WELLS...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 025 FOSTER...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 
  031 GOLDEN VALLEY... FIRE WEATHER ZONE 032 BILLINGS...FIRE 
  WEATHER ZONE 033 STARK... FIRE WEATHER ZONE 034 MORTON...FIRE 
  WEATHER ZONE 035 BURLEIGH... FIRE WEATHER ZONE 036 KIDDER...
  FIRE WEATHER ZONE 037 STUTSMAN... FIRE WEATHER ZONE 040 
  SLOPE...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 041 HETTINGER... FIRE WEATHER ZONE 
  042 GRANT...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 043 BOWMAN...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 
  044 ADAMS...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 045 SIOUX...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 
  046 EMMONS...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 047 LOGAN...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 
  048 LA MOURE...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 050 MCINTOSH AND FIRE WEATHER 
  ZONE 051 DICKEY.

* WINDS...NORTHWEST 25 MPH GUSTING TO 40 MPH WEST OF HIGHWAY 83 AND
  NORTHWEST 30 MPH GUSTING TO 45 MPH ALONG AND EAST OF HIGHWAY 83.

* TIMING...WEDNESDAY LATE MORNING THROUGH EARLY EVENING.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...UPPER TEENS TO 25 PERCENT.

* TEMPERATURES...IN THE 60S.

* IMPACTS...FIRES THAT IGNITE WILL SPREAD VERY RAPIDLY.

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.

&&

$$

SCHECK
3 follow-up statements
894 
WWUS83 KBIS 191735
RFWBIS

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
1235 PM CDT WED SEP 19 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING WESTERN AND CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA THIS MORNING
THROUGH EARLY EVENING...

.RAPID FIRE GROWTH AND SPREAD WILL OCCUR TODAY AS DRY PRAIRIE
GRASSLANDS COMBINE WITH GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES
TO CREATE RED FLAG CONDITIONS FOR ALL OF WESTERN AND CENTRAL
NORTH DAKOTA TODAY...WHICH COULD BE ONE OF THE MOST CRITICAL FIRE
DANGER DAYS SO FAR THIS YEAR.

WEST OF HIGHWAY 83...RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL BE IN THE UPPER
TEENS AND NORTHWEST WINDS WILL BE 25 MPH GUSTING TO 40 MPH.

ALONG AND EAST OF HIGHWAY 83...RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL BE AS LOW
AS 20 PERCENT WITH NORTHWEST WINDS AT 30 MPH GUSTING TO 45 MPH.

A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT THIS MORNING THROUGH EARLY
EVENING.

NDZ001>005-009>013-017>023-025-031>037-040>048-050-051-200100-
/O.CON.KBIS.FW.W.0042.000000T0000Z-120920T0100Z/
DIVIDE-BURKE-RENVILLE-BOTTINEAU-ROLETTE-WILLIAMS-MOUNTRAIL-WARD-
MCHENRY-PIERCE-MCKENZIE-DUNN-MERCER-OLIVER-MCLEAN-SHERIDAN-WELLS-
FOSTER-GOLDEN VALLEY-BILLINGS-STARK-MORTON-BURLEIGH-KIDDER-
STUTSMAN-SLOPE-HETTINGER-GRANT-BOWMAN-ADAMS-SIOUX-EMMONS-LOGAN-
LA MOURE-MCINTOSH-DICKEY-
1235 PM CDT WED SEP 19 2012 /1135 AM MDT WED SEP 19 2012/

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT /7 PM MDT/
THIS EVENING FOR VERY HIGH TO EXTREME FIRE DANGER FOR WESTERN AND
CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 001 DIVIDE...FIRE WEATHER 
  ZONE 002 BURKE...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 003 RENVILLE...FIRE WEATHER 
  ZONE 004 BOTTINEAU...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 005 ROLETTE...FIRE 
  WEATHER ZONE 009 WILLIAMS...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 010 MOUNTRAIL...
  FIRE WEATHER ZONE 011 WARD...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 012 MCHENRY...
  FIRE WEATHER ZONE 013 PIERCE...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 017 
  MCKENZIE...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 018 DUNN...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 019 
  MERCER...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 020 OLIVER...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 021 
  MCLEAN...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 022 SHERIDAN...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 
  023 WELLS...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 025 FOSTER...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 
  031 GOLDEN VALLEY... FIRE WEATHER ZONE 032 BILLINGS...FIRE 
  WEATHER ZONE 033 STARK... FIRE WEATHER ZONE 034 MORTON...FIRE 
  WEATHER ZONE 035 BURLEIGH... FIRE WEATHER ZONE 036 KIDDER...
  FIRE WEATHER ZONE 037 STUTSMAN... FIRE WEATHER ZONE 040 
  SLOPE...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 041 HETTINGER... FIRE WEATHER ZONE 
  042 GRANT...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 043 BOWMAN...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 
  044 ADAMS...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 045 SIOUX...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 
  046 EMMONS...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 047 LOGAN...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 
  048 LA MOURE...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 050 MCINTOSH AND FIRE WEATHER 
  ZONE 051 DICKEY.

* WINDS...NORTHWEST 25 MPH GUSTING TO 40 MPH WEST OF HIGHWAY 83 
  AND NORTHWEST 30 MPH GUSTING TO 45 MPH ALONG AND EAST OF 
  HIGHWAY 83. 

* TIMING...WEDNESDAY LATE MORNING THROUGH EARLY EVENING.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...UPPER TEENS TO 25 PERCENT.

* TEMPERATURES...IN THE 60S.

* IMPACTS...FIRES THAT IGNITE WILL SPREAD VERY RAPIDLY.

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.

&&

$$
950 
WWUS83 KBIS 192037
RFWBIS

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
337 PM CDT WED SEP 19 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING WESTERN AND CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA THIS MORNING
THROUGH EARLY EVENING...

.RAPID FIRE GROWTH AND SPREAD WILL CONTINUE FOR A FEW MORE HOURS
THIS EVENING AS DRY PRAIRIE GRASSLANDS COMBINE WITH GUSTY WINDS
AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES TO CREATE RED FLAG CONDITIONS FOR ALL
OF WESTERN AND CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA TODAY...WHICH COULD BE ONE OF
THE MOST CRITICAL FIRE DANGER DAYS SO FAR THIS YEAR.

WEST OF HIGHWAY 83...RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL BE IN THE UPPER
TEENS AND NORTHWEST WINDS WILL BE 25 MPH GUSTING TO 40 MPH.

ALONG AND EAST OF HIGHWAY 83...RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL BE AS LOW
AS 20 PERCENT WITH NORTHWEST WINDS AT 30 MPH GUSTING TO 45 MPH.

A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT THIS MORNING THROUGH EARLY
EVENING.

NDZ001>005-009>013-017>023-025-031>037-040>048-050-051-200100-
/O.CON.KBIS.FW.W.0042.000000T0000Z-120920T0100Z/
DIVIDE-BURKE-RENVILLE-BOTTINEAU-ROLETTE-WILLIAMS-MOUNTRAIL-WARD-
MCHENRY-PIERCE-MCKENZIE-DUNN-MERCER-OLIVER-MCLEAN-SHERIDAN-WELLS-
FOSTER-GOLDEN VALLEY-BILLINGS-STARK-MORTON-BURLEIGH-KIDDER-
STUTSMAN-SLOPE-HETTINGER-GRANT-BOWMAN-ADAMS-SIOUX-EMMONS-LOGAN-
LA MOURE-MCINTOSH-DICKEY-
337 PM CDT WED SEP 19 2012 /237 PM MDT WED SEP 19 2012/

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT /7 PM MDT/
THIS EVENING FOR VERY HIGH TO EXTREME FIRE DANGER FOR WESTERN AND
CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 001 DIVIDE...FIRE WEATHER 
  ZONE 002 BURKE...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 003 RENVILLE...FIRE WEATHER 
  ZONE 004 BOTTINEAU...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 005 ROLETTE...FIRE 
  WEATHER ZONE 009 WILLIAMS...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 010 MOUNTRAIL...
  FIRE WEATHER ZONE 011 WARD...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 012 MCHENRY...
  FIRE WEATHER ZONE 013 PIERCE...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 017 
  MCKENZIE...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 018 DUNN...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 019 
  MERCER...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 020 OLIVER...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 021 
  MCLEAN...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 022 SHERIDAN...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 
  023 WELLS...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 025 FOSTER...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 
  031 GOLDEN VALLEY... FIRE WEATHER ZONE 032 BILLINGS...FIRE 
  WEATHER ZONE 033 STARK... FIRE WEATHER ZONE 034 MORTON...FIRE 
  WEATHER ZONE 035 BURLEIGH... FIRE WEATHER ZONE 036 KIDDER...
  FIRE WEATHER ZONE 037 STUTSMAN... FIRE WEATHER ZONE 040 
  SLOPE...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 041 HETTINGER... FIRE WEATHER ZONE 
  042 GRANT...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 043 BOWMAN...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 
  044 ADAMS...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 045 SIOUX...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 
  046 EMMONS...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 047 LOGAN...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 
  048 LA MOURE...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 050 MCINTOSH AND FIRE WEATHER 
  ZONE 051 DICKEY.

* WINDS...NORTHWEST 25 MPH GUSTING TO 40 MPH WEST OF HIGHWAY 83 
  AND NORTHWEST 30 MPH GUSTING TO 45 MPH ALONG AND EAST OF 
  HIGHWAY 83. 

* TIMING...WEDNESDAY LATE MORNING THROUGH EARLY EVENING.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...UPPER TEENS TO 25 PERCENT.

* TEMPERATURES...IN THE 60S.

* IMPACTS...FIRES THAT IGNITE WILL SPREAD VERY RAPIDLY.

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.

&&

$$
424 
WWUS83 KBIS 200107
RFWBIS

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
807 PM CDT WED SEP 19 2012

...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ENDING THIS EVENING...

.THE RED FLAG WARNING FOR WEST AND CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA HAS ENDED.

NDZ001>005-009>013-017>023-025-031>037-040>048-050-051-200215-
/O.EXP.KBIS.FW.W.0042.000000T0000Z-120920T0100Z/
DIVIDE-BURKE-RENVILLE-BOTTINEAU-ROLETTE-WILLIAMS-MOUNTRAIL-WARD-
MCHENRY-PIERCE-MCKENZIE-DUNN-MERCER-OLIVER-MCLEAN-SHERIDAN-WELLS-
FOSTER-GOLDEN VALLEY-BILLINGS-STARK-MORTON-BURLEIGH-KIDDER-
STUTSMAN-SLOPE-HETTINGER-GRANT-BOWMAN-ADAMS-SIOUX-EMMONS-LOGAN-
LA MOURE-MCINTOSH-DICKEY-
807 PM CDT WED SEP 19 2012 /707 PM MDT WED SEP 19 2012/

...RED FLAG WARNING HAS EXPIRED FOR WEST AND CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...

CRITICAL FORE WEATHER CONDITIONS HAVE GREATLY DIMINISHED WITH THE
DIMINISHING WINDS. THERE WILL BE A FEW GUSTS BETWEEN 8 AND 9 PM
IN THE WESTERN DEVILS LAKE BASIN THROUGH THE JAMES RIVER
VALLEY. WINDS WILL FALL BELOW 12 MPH ACROSS ALL OF WEST AND
CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA AFTER 9 PM CDT.

$$
WAA

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in North Dakota, 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.