Alert archive / Colorado / Red Flag Warnings in 2012
Red Flag Warning 35, NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued this red flag warning at Oct 17, 2012, 2:26 PM MDT for 12 counties in Colorado. It took effect at Oct 18, 2012, 12:00 PM MDT. It was in force for 6 hr. 1 report 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
- Oct 17, 2012, 2:26 PM MDT (20:26 UTC)
- In effect from
- Oct 18, 2012, 12:00 PM MDT
- Expired
- Oct 18, 2012, 6:00 PM MDT
- In force
- 6 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
Counties Adams County, CO, Arapahoe County, CO, Douglas County, CO, Elbert County, CO, Larimer County, CO, Lincoln County, CO, Logan County, CO, Morgan County, CO, Phillips County, CO, Sedgwick County, CO, Washington County, CO, Weld County, CO
The radar
The Denver radar (KFTG), 69 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:28 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
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 18, 12:52 PM MDT | NON-TSTM WND DMG | 11 Ese Holyoke, CO | TREES UPROOTED |
Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.
The nearest sounding before it
Denver, CO (KDNR), launched 12:00Z, 8.4 hours before the alert went out and 55 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 2469 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 55 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- -20 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 157 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
916 WWUS85 KBOU 172026 RFWBOU URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 226 PM MDT WED OCT 17 2012 .STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS WILL DEVELOP OVER NORTHEASTERN COLORADO THIS AFTERNOON AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER THE STATE. THE WINDS WILL COMBINE WITH LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES TO PRODUCE VERY HIGH FIRE DANGER. SIMILAR CONDITIONS CAN BE EXPECTED AGAIN FOR THURSDAY AFTERNOON. COZ242-244-248>251-180430- /O.NEW.KBOU.FW.W.0035.121018T1800Z-121019T0000Z/ /O.CON.KBOU.FW.W.0034.000000T0000Z-121018T0000Z/ NORTHEAST WELD COUNTY-MORGAN COUNTY-LOGAN COUNTY- WASHINGTON COUNTY-SEDGWICK COUNTY-PHILLIPS COUNTY- 226 PM MDT WED OCT 17 2012 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR THE NORTHEAST COLORADO PLAINS... ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 6 PM MDT THURSDAY FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR THE FAR NORTHEAST COLORADO PLAINS... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DENVER HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG WARNING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 6 PM MDT THURSDAY. * AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 242...244...248...249... 250 AND 251. * TIMING...NOON TODAY UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING. SIMILAR CONDITIONS FOR THURSDAY AFTERNOON. AS A RESULT...ANOTHER RED FLAG WARNING WILL BE IN EFFECT FROM NOON THURSDAY THROUGH 6 PM MDT THURSDAY EVENING. * WINDS...NORTHWEST 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 55 MPH. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 13 PERCENT. * IMPACTS...GUSTY WINDS COMBINED WITH DRY FUELS WILL INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR RAPID FIRE GROWTH AND EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR. 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. && $$ COZ238>241-243-245>247-180000- /O.CON.KBOU.FW.W.0034.000000T0000Z-121018T0000Z/ LARIMER COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/NORTHWEST WELD COUNTY- BOULDER AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES BELOW 6000 FEET/WEST BROOMFIELD COUNTY- NORTH DOUGLAS COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/DENVER/WEST ADAMS AND ARAPAHOE COUNTIES/EAST BROOMFIELD COUNTY- ELBERT/CENTRAL AND EAST DOUGLAS COUNTIES ABOVE 6000 FEET- CENTRAL AND SOUTH WELD COUNTY- CENTRAL AND EAST ADAMS AND ARAPAHOE COUNTIES- NORTH AND NORTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/NORTH LINCOLN COUNTY- SOUTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/SOUTH LINCOLN COUNTY- 226 PM MDT WED OCT 17 2012 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR THE NORTHEAST COLORADO PLAINS... * AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 238...239...240...241... 243...245...246 AND 247. * TIMING...NOON TODAY UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING. * WINDS...NORTHWEST 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 55 MPH. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 11 PERCENT. * IMPACTS...GUSTY WINDS COMBINED WITH DRY FUELS WILL INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR RAPID FIRE GROWTH AND EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EITHER OCCURRING OR IMMINENT. PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE OFFICIALS AND FIRE CREWS IN THE FIELD OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING. && $$
4 follow-up statements
151 WWUS85 KBOU 180012 RFWBOU URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 612 PM MDT WED OCT 17 2012 .STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS WILL DEVELOP AGAIN OVER NORTHEASTERN COLORADO THURSDAY AFTERNOON AS A STRONG PRESSURE GRADIENT BUILDS OVER THE STATE. THE WINDS WILL COMBINE WITH LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES TO PRODUCE VERY HIGH FIRE DANGER. COZ242-244-248>251-180815- /O.EXP.KBOU.FW.W.0034.000000T0000Z-121018T0000Z/ /O.CON.KBOU.FW.W.0035.121018T1800Z-121019T0000Z/ NORTHEAST WELD COUNTY-MORGAN COUNTY-LOGAN COUNTY- WASHINGTON COUNTY-SEDGWICK COUNTY-PHILLIPS COUNTY- 612 PM MDT WED OCT 17 2012 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 6 PM MDT THURSDAY FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR THE NORTHEAST COLORADO PLAINS... ...RED FLAG WARNING HAS EXPIRED FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR THE NORTHEAST COLORADO PLAINS... * AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 242...244...248...249... 250 AND 251. * TIMING...NOON THURSDAY UNTIL 6 PM THURSDAY EVENING. * WINDS...NORTHWEST 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 55 MPH. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 13 PERCENT. * IMPACTS...GUSTY WINDS COMBINED WITH DRY FUELS WILL INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR RAPID FIRE GROWTH AND EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR. 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. && $$ COZ238>241-243-245>247-180115- /O.EXP.KBOU.FW.W.0034.000000T0000Z-121018T0000Z/ LARIMER COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/NORTHWEST WELD COUNTY- BOULDER AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES BELOW 6000 FEET/WEST BROOMFIELD COUNTY- NORTH DOUGLAS COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/DENVER/WEST ADAMS AND ARAPAHOE COUNTIES/EAST BROOMFIELD COUNTY- ELBERT/CENTRAL AND EAST DOUGLAS COUNTIES ABOVE 6000 FEET- CENTRAL AND SOUTH WELD COUNTY- CENTRAL AND EAST ADAMS AND ARAPAHOE COUNTIES- NORTH AND NORTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/NORTH LINCOLN COUNTY- SOUTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/SOUTH LINCOLN COUNTY- 612 PM MDT WED OCT 17 2012 ...RED FLAG WARNING HAS EXPIRED FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR THE NORTHEAST COLORADO PLAINS... A FEW POCKETS OF CRITICAL CONDITIONS MAY STILL REMAIN THROUGH 7 PM...BUT THEN WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO DIMINISH AND HUMIDITIES WILL BE RECOVERING ABOVE THE CRITICAL LEVELS. $$
758 WWUS85 KBOU 180955 RFWBOU URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 355 AM MDT THU OCT 18 2012 .STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS WILL DEVELOP AGAIN OVER NORTHEASTERN COLORADO THIS AFTERNOON AS A STRONG PRESSURE GRADIENT BUILDS OVER THE STATE. THE WINDS WILL COMBINE WITH LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES TO PRODUCE VERY HIGH FIRE DANGER. COZ238-241-243-245>247-181800- /O.EXA.KBOU.FW.W.0035.121018T1800Z-121019T0000Z/ LARIMER COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/NORTHWEST WELD COUNTY- ELBERT/CENTRAL AND EAST DOUGLAS COUNTIES ABOVE 6000 FEET- CENTRAL AND SOUTH WELD COUNTY- CENTRAL AND EAST ADAMS AND ARAPAHOE COUNTIES- NORTH AND NORTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/NORTH LINCOLN COUNTY- SOUTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/SOUTH LINCOLN COUNTY- 355 AM MDT THU OCT 18 2012 ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 6 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR THE PLAINS OF NORTHEAST COLORADO... 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 6 PM MDT THIS EVENING. * AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 238...241...243...245... 246 AND 247. * TIMING...NOON TODAY UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING. * WINDS...NORTHWEST 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 13 PERCENT. * IMPACTS...GUSTY WINDS COMBINED WITH DRY FUELS WILL INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR RAPID FIRE GROWTH AND EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR. 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. && $$ COZ242-244-248>251-181800- /O.CON.KBOU.FW.W.0035.121018T1800Z-121019T0000Z/ NORTHEAST WELD COUNTY-MORGAN COUNTY-LOGAN COUNTY- WASHINGTON COUNTY-SEDGWICK COUNTY-PHILLIPS COUNTY- 355 AM MDT THU OCT 18 2012 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 6 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR THE NORTHEAST COLORADO PLAINS... * AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 242...244...248...249... 250 AND 251. * TIMING...NOON TODAY UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING. * WINDS...NORTHWEST 30 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 60 MPH. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 14 PERCENT. * IMPACTS...GUSTY WINDS COMBINED WITH DRY FUELS WILL INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR RAPID FIRE GROWTH AND EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EITHER OCCURRING OR IMMINENT. PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE OFFICIALS AND FIRE CREWS IN THE FIELD OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING. && $$
508 WWUS85 KBOU 181755 RFWBOU URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 1155 AM MDT THU OCT 18 2012 .STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS WILL DEVELOP AGAIN OVER NORTHEASTERN COLORADO THIS AFTERNOON THE WINDS WILL COMBINE WITH LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES TO PRODUCE VERY HIGH FIRE DANGER. COZ238-241>251-190000- /O.CON.KBOU.FW.W.0035.121018T1800Z-121019T0000Z/ LARIMER COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/NORTHWEST WELD COUNTY- ELBERT/CENTRAL AND EAST DOUGLAS COUNTIES ABOVE 6000 FEET- NORTHEAST WELD COUNTY-CENTRAL AND SOUTH WELD COUNTY-MORGAN COUNTY- CENTRAL AND EAST ADAMS AND ARAPAHOE COUNTIES- NORTH AND NORTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/NORTH LINCOLN COUNTY- SOUTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/SOUTH LINCOLN COUNTY- LOGAN COUNTY-WASHINGTON COUNTY-SEDGWICK COUNTY-PHILLIPS COUNTY- 1155 AM MDT THU OCT 18 2012 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR THE NORTHEAST COLORADO PLAINS... * AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 238...241...242...243... 244...245...246...247...248...249...250 AND 251. * TIMING...NOON TODAY UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING. * WINDS...NORTHWEST 30 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 65 MPH. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 13 PERCENT. * IMPACTS...GUSTY WINDS COMBINED WITH DRY FUELS WILL INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR RAPID FIRE GROWTH AND EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR. 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. && $$
317 WWUS85 KBOU 182359 RFWBOU URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 559 PM MDT THU OCT 18 2012 COZ238-241>251-190100- /O.EXP.KBOU.FW.W.0035.000000T0000Z-121019T0000Z/ LARIMER COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/NORTHWEST WELD COUNTY- ELBERT/CENTRAL AND EAST DOUGLAS COUNTIES ABOVE 6000 FEET- NORTHEAST WELD COUNTY-CENTRAL AND SOUTH WELD COUNTY-MORGAN COUNTY- CENTRAL AND EAST ADAMS AND ARAPAHOE COUNTIES- NORTH AND NORTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/NORTH LINCOLN COUNTY- SOUTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/SOUTH LINCOLN COUNTY- LOGAN COUNTY-WASHINGTON COUNTY-SEDGWICK COUNTY-PHILLIPS COUNTY- 559 PM MDT THU OCT 18 2012 ...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 6 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR THE NORTHEAST COLORADO PLAINS... THE RED FLAG WARNING FOR A LARGE PORTION OF NORTHEAST COLORADO WAS ALLOWED TO EXPIRE AS OF 6 PM MDT THIS EVENING. WIND SPEEDS ON THE PLAINS OF NORTHEAST COLORADO CONTINUE TO DECREASE AND ARE EXPECTED TO DIMINISH BELOW 30 MPH IN THE NEXT HOUR. RELATIVE HUMIDITIES HAVE ALSO BEGUN TO RISE AS TEMPERATURES BEGIN TO COOL. EARLIER TODAY STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS OF 55 TO 68 MPH BUFFETED THE PLAINS OF NORTHEAST COLORADO CAUSING CONSIDERABLE BLOWING DUST IN OPEN AREAS. THE STRONG WINDS AND VERY LOW HUMIDITIES WERE OBSERVED ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA OR MUCH OF THE AFTERNOON. THE TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT THAT WAS PRODUCED BY A STRONG LOW PRESSURE TROUGH TO OUR EAST AND A HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE BUILDING TO OUR WEST WAS LARGELY TO BLAME FOR THE STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS ON THE NORTHEAST PLAINS AND NORTHERN FRONT RANGE OF COLORADO EARLIER TODAY. $$ BAKER
The office that day
Everything else NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 16, 11:55 PM MDT | Special Weather Statement | BOU | Denver | 20 min |
| Oct 17, 4:29 AM MDT | High Wind Warning | BOU | Larimer, Logan, Morgan, Phillips, Sedgwick, Washington and 1 more | 14 hr |
Nearby
Red Flag Warnings in Colorado, 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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.