Alert archive / Alabama / Red Flag Warnings in 2012

Red Flag Warning 2, NWS Birmingham, AL

January 2, 201239 counties in Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this red flag warning at Jan 2, 2012, 2:35 PM CST for 39 counties in Alabama. It took effect at Jan 3, 2012, 12:00 PM CST. It was in force for 5 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
Jan 2, 2012, 2:35 PM CST (20:35 UTC)
In effect from
Jan 3, 2012, 12:00 PM CST
Expired
Jan 3, 2012, 5:00 PM CST
In force
5 hr
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
All 39 counties

Autauga County, AL, Barbour County, AL, Bibb County, AL, Blount County, AL, Bullock County, AL, Calhoun County, AL, Chambers County, AL, Cherokee County, AL, Chilton County, AL, Clay County, AL, Cleburne County, AL, Coosa County, AL, Dallas County, AL, Elmore County, AL, Etowah County, AL, Fayette County, AL, Greene County, AL, Hale County, AL, Jefferson County, AL, Lamar County, AL, Lee County, AL, Lowndes County, AL, Macon County, AL, Marengo County, AL, Marion County, AL, Montgomery County, AL, Perry County, AL, Pickens County, AL, Pike County, AL, Randolph County, AL, Russell County, AL, Shelby County, AL, St. Clair County, AL, Sumter County, AL, Talladega County, AL, Tallapoosa County, AL, Tuscaloosa County, AL, Walker County, AL, Winston County, AL

The radar

The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 22 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:33 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

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 8.6 hours before the alert went out and 23 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, Birmingham, AL at 12:00Z on 2012-01-02Temperature 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, Birmingham, AL at 12:00Z on 2012-01-02The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -279 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 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
1936 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
74 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-279 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-179 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.

702 
WWUS84 KBMX 022035
RFWBMX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
235 PM CST MON JAN 2 2012

...EXTREMELY DRY CONDITIONS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TUESDAY...

.WITH GUSTY WINDS AND DEW POINTS IN THE TEENS AND SINGLE DIGITS...
ALL OF CENTRAL ALABAMA WILL MEET CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CRITERIA
FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS AFTERNOON. THESE DRY CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED TO PERSIST ON TUESDAY...THEREFORE...A RED FLAG WARNING HAS
BEEN ISSUED FOR TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

ALZ011>015-017>050-030415-
/O.UPG.KBMX.FW.A.0001.120103T1700Z-120103T2300Z/
/O.NEW.KBMX.FW.W.0002.120103T1800Z-120103T2300Z/
/O.CON.KBMX.FW.W.0001.000000T0000Z-120102T2300Z/
MARION-LAMAR-FAYETTE-WINSTON-WALKER-BLOUNT-ETOWAH-CALHOUN-
CHEROKEE-CLEBURNE-PICKENS-TUSCALOOSA-JEFFERSON-SHELBY-ST. CLAIR-
TALLADEGA-CLAY-RANDOLPH-SUMTER-GREENE-HALE-PERRY-BIBB-CHILTON-
COOSA-TALLAPOOSA-CHAMBERS-MARENGO-DALLAS-AUTAUGA-LOWNDES-ELMORE-
MONTGOMERY-MACON-BULLOCK-LEE-RUSSELL-PIKE-BARBOUR-
235 PM CST MON JAN 2 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM CST THIS
AFTERNOON FOR ALL OF CENTRAL ALABAMA...
...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 5 PM CST TUESDAY FOR
ALL OF CENTRAL ALABAMA...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 5 PM CST TUESDAY. THE
FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. A RED FLAG WARNING
REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM CST THIS AFTERNOON. 

* WINDS...NORTHWEST 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 17 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...THE COMBINATION OF A DRY AIR MASS AND WINDY 
  CONDITIONS WILL RESULT IN CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS. 
  OUTDOOR BURNING IS NOT RECOMMENDED. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

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.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE FIRE CONDITIONS...PLEASE
CONTACT THE ALABAMA FORESTRY COMMISSION AT
WWW.FORESTRY.ALABAMA.GOV.

&&

$$
4 follow-up statements
254 
WWUS84 KBMX 022321
RFWBMX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
521 PM CST MON JAN 2 2012

...EXTREMELY DRY CONDITIONS EXPECTED INTO TUESDAY...

.WITH GUSTY WINDS AND DEW POINTS IN THE TEENS AND SINGLE DIGITS...
ALL OF CENTRAL ALABAMA WILL MEET CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CRITERIA
FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS AFTERNOON. THESE DRY CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED TO PERSIST ON TUESDAY...THEREFORE...A RED FLAG WARNING
HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

ALZ011>015-017>050-031200-
/O.EXP.KBMX.FW.W.0001.000000T0000Z-120102T2300Z/
/O.CON.KBMX.FW.W.0002.120103T1800Z-120103T2300Z/
MARION-LAMAR-FAYETTE-WINSTON-WALKER-BLOUNT-ETOWAH-CALHOUN-
CHEROKEE-CLEBURNE-PICKENS-TUSCALOOSA-JEFFERSON-SHELBY-ST. CLAIR-
TALLADEGA-CLAY-RANDOLPH-SUMTER-GREENE-HALE-PERRY-BIBB-CHILTON-
COOSA-TALLAPOOSA-CHAMBERS-MARENGO-DALLAS-AUTAUGA-LOWNDES-ELMORE-
MONTGOMERY-MACON-BULLOCK-LEE-RUSSELL-PIKE-BARBOUR-
521 PM CST MON JAN 2 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 5 PM CST
TUESDAY FOR ALL OF CENTRAL ALABAMA...
...RED FLAG WARNING HAS EXPIRED FOR CENTRAL ALABAMA TODAY...

THE RED FLAG WARNING IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT TODAY. A RED FLAG WARNING
REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 5 PM CST TUESDAY. 

* WINDS...NORTHWEST 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 17 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...THE COMBINATION OF A DRY AIR MASS AND WINDY 
  CONDITIONS WILL RESULT IN CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS. 
  OUTDOOR BURNING IS NOT RECOMMENDED. 

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. 

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE FIRE CONDITIONS...PLEASE
CONTACT THE ALABAMA FORESTRY COMMISSION AT
WWW.FORESTRY.ALABAMA.GOV.

&&

$$
707 
WWUS84 KBMX 031050
RFWBMX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
450 AM CST TUE JAN 3 2012

...EXTREMELY DRY CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON...

.SURFACE DEW POINTS WILL CONTINUE TO DROP WITH READINGS FALLING
TO NEAR ZERO THIS AFTERNOON...PRODUCING RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES
IN THE 15 TO 20 PERCENT RANGE. THE NORTHWEST WINDS WILL NOT BE AS
STRONG...WHICH WILL REDUCE FIRE SPREAD. AS A RESULT OF THE LOW
RELATIVE HUMIDITIES...A RED FLAG WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED.

ALZ011>015-017>050-032300-
/O.CON.KBMX.FW.W.0002.120103T1800Z-120103T2300Z/
MARION-LAMAR-FAYETTE-WINSTON-WALKER-BLOUNT-ETOWAH-CALHOUN-
CHEROKEE-CLEBURNE-PICKENS-TUSCALOOSA-JEFFERSON-SHELBY-ST. CLAIR-
TALLADEGA-CLAY-RANDOLPH-SUMTER-GREENE-HALE-PERRY-BIBB-CHILTON-
COOSA-TALLAPOOSA-CHAMBERS-MARENGO-DALLAS-AUTAUGA-LOWNDES-ELMORE-
MONTGOMERY-MACON-BULLOCK-LEE-RUSSELL-PIKE-BARBOUR-
450 AM CST TUE JAN 3 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 5 PM CST
THIS AFTERNOON FOR ALL OF CENTRAL ALABAMA...

A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 5 PM CST
THIS AFTERNOON. 

* WINDS...NORTHWEST 10 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 20 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 18 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...THE COMBINATION OF A DRY AIR MASS AND WINDY 
  CONDITIONS WILL RESULT IN CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS. 
  OUTDOOR BURNING IS NOT RECOMMENDED. 

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.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE FIRE CONDITIONS...PLEASE
CONTACT THE ALABAMA FORESTRY COMMISSION AT
WWW.FORESTRY.ALABAMA.GOV.

&&

$$
551 
WWUS84 KBMX 032046
RFWBMX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
246 PM CST TUE JAN 3 2012

...EXTREMELY DRY CONDITIONS THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON...

.A RED FLAG WARNING WILL CONTINUE UNTIL 5 PM THIS AFTERNOON. DRY
CONDITIONS COULD PERSIST WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON FOR AREAS EAST OF
INTERSTATE 65 AS HIGH PRESSURE SLIDES OFF TO THE EAST. A FIRE
WEATHER WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THIS REGION OF CENTRAL ALABAMA...
AND A RED FLAG WARNING MAY BECOME NECESSARY DUE TO LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITIES.

ALZ017>021-026>029-036>038-042>050-040400-
/O.NEW.KBMX.FW.A.0003.120104T1800Z-120104T2300Z/
/O.CON.KBMX.FW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-120103T2300Z/
BLOUNT-ETOWAH-CALHOUN-CHEROKEE-CLEBURNE-ST. CLAIR-TALLADEGA-CLAY-
RANDOLPH-COOSA-TALLAPOOSA-CHAMBERS-LOWNDES-ELMORE-MONTGOMERY-
MACON-BULLOCK-LEE-RUSSELL-PIKE-BARBOUR-
246 PM CST TUE JAN 3 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM CST THIS
AFTERNOON FOR ALL OF CENTRAL ALABAMA...
...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON FOR AREAS EAST 
OF INTERSTATE 65...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A FIRE
WEATHER WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. A RED
FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM CST THIS AFTERNOON. 

* WINDS...NORTHWEST 5 TO 10 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 17 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...THE COMBINATION OF A DRY AIR MASS AND WINDY 
  CONDITIONS WILL RESULT IN CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS. 
  OUTDOOR BURNING IS NOT RECOMMENDED. 

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.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE FIRE CONDITIONS...PLEASE
CONTACT THE ALABAMA FORESTRY COMMISSION AT
WWW.FORESTRY.ALABAMA.GOV.

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

&&

$$

ALZ011>015-022>025-030>035-039>041-032300-
/O.CON.KBMX.FW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-120103T2300Z/
MARION-LAMAR-FAYETTE-WINSTON-WALKER-PICKENS-TUSCALOOSA-JEFFERSON-
SHELBY-SUMTER-GREENE-HALE-PERRY-BIBB-CHILTON-MARENGO-DALLAS-
AUTAUGA-
246 PM CST TUE JAN 3 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM CST THIS
AFTERNOON FOR ALL OF CENTRAL ALABAMA...

A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM CST THIS
AFTERNOON. 

* WINDS...NORTHWEST AROUND 5 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 24 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...THE COMBINATION OF A DRY AIR MASS AND WINDY 
  CONDITIONS WILL RESULT IN CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS. 
  OUTDOOR BURNING IS NOT RECOMMENDED. 

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.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE FIRE CONDITIONS...PLEASE
CONTACT THE ALABAMA FORESTRY COMMISSION AT
WWW.FORESTRY.ALABAMA.GOV.

&&

$$
310 
WWUS84 KBMX 032311
RFWBMX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
511 PM CST TUE JAN 3 2012

...EXTREMELY DRY CONDITIONS POSSIBLE AGAIN ON WEDNESDAY
AFTERNOON...

.DRY CONDITIONS COULD PERSIST INTO WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON FOR AREAS
EAST OF INTERSTATE 65 AS HIGH PRESSURE SLIDES OFF TO THE EAST. A
FIRE WEATHER WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THIS REGION OF CENTRAL
ALABAMA...AND A RED FLAG WARNING MAY BECOME NECESSARY DUE TO LOW
RELATIVE HUMIDITIES.

ALZ017>021-026>029-036>038-042>050-041200-
/O.EXP.KBMX.FW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-120103T2300Z/
/O.CON.KBMX.FW.A.0003.120104T1800Z-120104T2300Z/
BLOUNT-ETOWAH-CALHOUN-CHEROKEE-CLEBURNE-ST. CLAIR-TALLADEGA-CLAY-
RANDOLPH-COOSA-TALLAPOOSA-CHAMBERS-LOWNDES-ELMORE-MONTGOMERY-
MACON-BULLOCK-LEE-RUSSELL-PIKE-BARBOUR-
511 PM CST TUE JAN 3 2012

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON FOR
AREAS GENERALLY ALONG AND EAST OF INTERSTATE 65...
...RED FLAG WARNING HAS EXPIRED FOR ALL OF CENTRAL ALABAMA TODAY...

THE RED FLAG WARNING IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. A FIRE WEATHER WATCH
REMAINS IN EFFECT WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON FOR AREAS ALONG AND EAST OF
INTERSTATE 65.

* WINDS...WEST 5 TO 10 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 17 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...THE COMBINATION OF A DRY AIR MASS AND WINDY CONDITIONS
  WILL RESULT IN CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS. OUTDOOR BURNING
  IS NOT RECOMMENDED.


PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

&&

$$

ALZ011>015-022>025-030>035-039>041-040015-
/O.EXP.KBMX.FW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-120103T2300Z/
MARION-LAMAR-FAYETTE-WINSTON-WALKER-PICKENS-TUSCALOOSA-JEFFERSON-
SHELBY-SUMTER-GREENE-HALE-PERRY-BIBB-CHILTON-MARENGO-DALLAS-
AUTAUGA-
511 PM CST TUE JAN 3 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING HAS EXPIRED FOR ALL OF CENTRAL ALABAMA TODAY...

THE RED FLAG WARNING IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. 


$$

The office that day

Everything else NWS Birmingham, AL issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jan 2, 3:39 AM CSTWind AdvisoryBMXBlount, Calhoun, Cherokee, Clay, Cleburne, Etowah and 5 more14 hr
Jan 2, 4:51 AM CSTRed Flag WarningBMXAutauga, Barbour, Bibb, Blount, Bullock, Calhoun and 33 more12 hr

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Alabama, 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.