Alert archive / Colorado / Red Flag Warnings in 2012

Red Flag Warning 11, NWS Denver/Boulder, CO

May 4, 2012Grand County, Jackson County, Summit County, Colorado

NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued this red flag warning at May 4, 2012, 2:57 AM MDT for Grand County, Jackson County, Summit County, Colorado. It took effect at May 4, 2012, 12:00 PM MDT. It was in force for 8 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: May 4, 2012, 2:57 AM MDT (08:57 UTC)
In effect from: May 4, 2012, 12:00 PM MDT
Expired: May 4, 2012, 8:00 PM MDT
In force: 8 hr
Issued by: NWS Denver/Boulder, CO

Counties Grand County, CO, Jackson County, CO, Summit County, CO

The radar

The Denver radar (KFTG), 146 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 09:03 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

Grand Junction, CO (KGJT), launched 00:00Z, 9.0 hours before the alert went out and 227 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 4293 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 15 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 17 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 30 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.

330 
WWUS85 KBOU 040857
RFWBOU

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
257 AM MDT FRI MAY 4 2012


COZ211-213-041700-
/O.NEW.KBOU.FW.W.0011.120504T1800Z-120505T0200Z/
JACKSON COUNTY BELOW 9000 FEET-
GRAND AND SUMMIT COUNTIES BELOW 9000 FEET-
257 AM MDT FRI MAY 4 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 8 PM MDT THIS
EVENING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR THE HIGHER VALLEYS 
OF GRAND AND JACKSON COUNTIES...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DENVER HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT
FROM NOON TODAY TO 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING.

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 211 AND 213.

* TIMING...NOON UNTIL 8 PM MDT.

* WINDS...SOUTHWEST 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 15 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...THE COMBINATION OF GUSTY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY WILL 
  RESULT IN THE THE POTENTIAL FOR RAPIDLY SPREADING FIRE GROWTH.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING OR IMMINENT. PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE
OFFICIALS AND FIRE CREWS IN THE FIELD OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING.

&&

$$

3 follow-up statements

500 
WWUS85 KBOU 041801
RFWBOU

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
1201 PM MDT FRI MAY 4 2012

COZ211-213-050200-
/O.CON.KBOU.FW.W.0011.000000T0000Z-120505T0200Z/
JACKSON COUNTY BELOW 9000 FEET-
GRAND AND SUMMIT COUNTIES BELOW 9000 FEET-
1201 PM MDT FRI MAY 4 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING
FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR THE HIGHER VALLEYS OF
GRAND AND JACKSON COUNTIES...

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 211 AND 213.

* TIMING...NOW UNTIL 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING.

* WINDS...SOUTHWEST 15 TO 25 MPH WITH SOME GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 15 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...THE COMBINATION OF GUSTY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY WILL 
  RESULT IN THE THE POTENTIAL FOR RAPIDLY SPREADING FIRE GROWTH. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING OR IMMINENT. PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE
OFFICIALS AND FIRE CREWS IN THE FIELD OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING.

&&

$$

858 
WWUS85 KBOU 042212
RFWBOU

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
412 PM MDT FRI MAY 4 2012

COZ211-213-050615-
/O.NEW.KBOU.FW.W.0012.120505T1700Z-120506T0000Z/
/O.CON.KBOU.FW.W.0011.000000T0000Z-120505T0200Z/
JACKSON COUNTY BELOW 9000 FEET-
GRAND AND SUMMIT COUNTIES BELOW 9000 FEET-
412 PM MDT FRI MAY 4 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING
FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR THE HIGHER VALLEYS OF
GRAND AND JACKSON COUNTIES...
...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 6 PM MDT SATURDAY FOR
WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR THE HIGH VALLEYS OF GRAND AND JACKSON
COUNTIES...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DENVER HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT
FROM 11 AM TO 6 PM MDT SATURDAY.

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 211 AND 213.

* TIMING...NOW UNTIL 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING...AND AGAIN FROM 11 AM
  MDT SATURDAY UNTIL 6 PM MDT SATURDAY EVENING. 

* WINDS...SOUTHWEST 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH UNTIL 8
  PM THIS EVENING. THE WINDS WILL DECREASE OVER NIGHT AND THEN
  INCREASE AGAIN BY LATE SATURDAY MORNING. 

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...5-15 PERCENT DURING THE WARNING TIMES. 

* IMPACTS...THE COMBINATION OF GUSTY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY WILL 
  RESULT IN THE THE POTENTIAL FOR RAPIDLY SPREADING FIRE GROWTH. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING OR IMMINENT. PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE
OFFICIALS AND FIRE CREWS IN THE FIELD OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING.

&&

$$

555 
WWUS85 KBOU 050157
RFWBOU

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
757 PM MDT FRI MAY 4 2012

COZ211-213-051100-
/O.EXP.KBOU.FW.W.0011.000000T0000Z-120505T0200Z/
/O.CON.KBOU.FW.W.0012.120505T1700Z-120506T0000Z/
JACKSON COUNTY BELOW 9000 FEET-
GRAND AND SUMMIT COUNTIES BELOW 9000 FEET-
757 PM MDT FRI MAY 4 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 6 PM MDT
SATURDAY FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR THE HIGHER
VALLEYS OF GRAND AND JACKSON COUNTIES...
...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR WIND
AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR THE HIGHER VALLEYS OF GRAND AND
JACKSON COUNTIES...

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 211 AND 213.

* TIMING...SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO DECREASE THROUGH THE
  EVENING AND RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL SLOWLY RISE...THEREFORE THE
  RED FLAG WARNING FOR THIS EVENING WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE AT 8
  PM MDT. RELATIVE HUMIDITY RECOVERY WILL BE POOR OVERNIGHT ALONG
  MID AND UPPER SLOPES. RED FLAG CONDITIONS WILL RETURN SATURDAY
  AFTERNOON.

* WINDS...SOUTHWEST 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH WILL
  DEVELOP SATURDAY.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...WILL FALL INTO THE 10 TO 15 PERCENT RANGE.

* IMPACTS...THE COMBINATION OF GUSTY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY WILL 
  RESULT IN THE THE POTENTIAL FOR RAPIDLY SPREADING FIRE GROWTH. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING OR IMMINENT. PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE
OFFICIALS AND FIRE CREWS IN THE FIELD OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING.

&&

$$

The office that day

Everything else NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 4, 2:28 AM MDT	Dense Fog Advisory	BOU	Phillips, Sedgwick	6 hr
May 4, 4:12 PM MDT	Red Flag Warning	BOU	Grand, Jackson, Summit	26 hr

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Colorado, 2012 Every 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.