Alert archive / Colorado / Red Flag Warnings in 2012

Red Flag Warning 8, NWS Denver/Boulder, CO

April 5, 201212 counties in Colorado

NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued this red flag warning at Apr 5, 2012, 3:38 PM MDT for 12 counties in Colorado. It took effect at Apr 6, 2012, 9:00 AM MDT. It was in force for 11 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 5, 2012, 3:38 PM MDT (21:38 UTC)
In effect from
Apr 6, 2012, 9:00 AM MDT
Expired
Apr 6, 2012, 8:00 PM MDT
In force
11 hr
Issued by
NWS Denver/Boulder, CO

Counties Adams County, CO, Arapahoe County, CO, Boulder County, CO, Broomfield County, CO, Denver County, CO, Douglas County, CO, Grand County, CO, Jackson County, CO, Larimer County, CO, Morgan County, CO, Summit County, CO, Weld County, CO

The radar

The Denver radar (KFTG), 55 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:36 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

Denver, CO (KDNR), launched 12:00Z, 9.6 hours before the alert went out and 160 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, Denver, CO at 12:00Z on 2012-04-05Temperature 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 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Denver, CO at 12:00Z on 2012-04-05The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -19 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
1765 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
27 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-19 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
29 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.

055 
WWUS85 KBOU 052138
RFWBOU

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
338 PM MDT THU APR 5 2012

...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER FOR NORTH AND MIDDLE PARKS THROUGH THIS
EVENING...SPREADING ACROSS THE NORTHERN FRONT RANGE FOOTHILLS AND
ADJACENT PLAINS FRIDAY...

.DRY AND WINDY CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE OVER THE MOUNTAINS TODAY
AS A STORM SYSTEM OVER THE WESTERN UNITED STATES DEEPENS. CONDITIONS
ARE EXPECTED TO IMPROVE LATER THIS EVENING.

ON FRIDAY...EVEN STRONGER WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP DURING
THE AFTERNOON HOURS WITH LOWER HUMIDITIES SPREADING ACROSS THE
FRONT RANGE FOOTHILLS AND ADJACENT PLAINS. WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH
CAN BE EXPECTED AND HUMIDITIES WILL DROP TO AROUND 10 PERCENT.

COZ214-216-239-052245-
/O.CAN.KBOU.FW.A.0005.120406T1800Z-120407T0200Z/
CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST PARK COUNTY-
JEFFERSON AND WEST DOUGLAS COUNTIES ABOVE 6000 FEET/GILPIN/CLEAR
CREEK/NORTHEAST PARK COUNTIES BELOW 9000 FEET-
BOULDER AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES BELOW 6000 FEET/WEST BROOMFIELD
COUNTY-
338 PM MDT THU APR 5 2012

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS CANCELLED FOR STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND LOW
RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR SOUTH PARK...THE FRONT RANGE FOOTHILLS...
AND ADJACENT PLAINS...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DENVER HAS CANCELLED THE FIRE
WEATHER WATCH.

FUELS HAVE BEEN DETERMINED TO BE UNRESPONSIVE TO FIRE GROWTH AND
SPREAD.

$$

COZ215-238-240-242>245-060700-
/O.UPG.KBOU.FW.A.0005.120406T1800Z-120407T0200Z/
/O.NEW.KBOU.FW.W.0008.120406T1800Z-120407T0200Z/
LARIMER AND BOULDER COUNTIES BETWEEN 6000 AND 9000 FEET-
LARIMER COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/NORTHWEST WELD COUNTY-
NORTH DOUGLAS COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/DENVER/WEST ADAMS AND
ARAPAHOE COUNTIES/EAST BROOMFIELD COUNTY-NORTHEAST WELD COUNTY-
CENTRAL AND SOUTH WELD COUNTY-MORGAN COUNTY-
CENTRAL AND EAST ADAMS AND ARAPAHOE COUNTIES-
338 PM MDT THU APR 5 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 8 PM MDT FRIDAY FOR
WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR THE NORTHERN FRONT RANGE FOOTHILLS
AND ADJACENT 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 8 PM MDT FRIDAY. THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS NO LONGER
IN EFFECT.

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 215...238...240...242... 
  243...244 AND 245.

* TIMING...NOON TO 8 PM MDT FRIDAY.

* WINDS...SOUTHWEST 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH OVER THE
  PLAINS...GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH OVER THE HIGHER FOOTHILLS.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 9 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...ANY FIRES THAT START MAY SPREAD QUICKLY AND BE 
  DIFFICULT TO CONTROL FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. 

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.

&&

$$

COZ211-213-060100-
/O.CON.KBOU.FW.W.0007.000000T0000Z-120406T0100Z/
JACKSON COUNTY BELOW 9000 FEET-
GRAND AND SUMMIT COUNTIES BELOW 9000 FEET-
338 PM MDT THU APR 5 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM MDT THIS EVENING
FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR NORTH PARK AND
MIDDLE PARK...

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

* TIMING...HUMIDITIES WILL IMPROVE SLIGHTLY BY 7 PM WITH WINDS 
  GRADUALLY DECREASING EARLY THIS EVENING. 

* WINDS...SOUTHWEST 15 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 10 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...ANY FIRES THAT START MAY SPREAD QUICKLY AND BE 
  DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. 

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
783 
WWUS85 KBOU 060114
RFWBOU

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
714 PM MDT THU APR 5 2012



COZ211-213-060215-
/O.EXP.KBOU.FW.W.0007.000000T0000Z-120406T0100Z/
JACKSON COUNTY BELOW 9000 FEET-
GRAND AND SUMMIT COUNTIES BELOW 9000 FEET-
714 PM MDT THU APR 5 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING HAS EXPIRED FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITY FOR NORTH PARK AND MIDDLE PARK...

THE RED FLAG WARNING HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO EXPIRE.

$$

COZ215-238-240-242>245-060915-
/O.CON.KBOU.FW.W.0008.120406T1800Z-120407T0200Z/
LARIMER AND BOULDER COUNTIES BETWEEN 6000 AND 9000 FEET-
LARIMER COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/NORTHWEST WELD COUNTY-
NORTH DOUGLAS COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/DENVER/WEST ADAMS AND
ARAPAHOE COUNTIES/EAST BROOMFIELD COUNTY-NORTHEAST WELD COUNTY-
CENTRAL AND SOUTH WELD COUNTY-MORGAN COUNTY-
CENTRAL AND EAST ADAMS AND ARAPAHOE COUNTIES-
714 PM MDT THU APR 5 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 8 PM MDT
FRIDAY FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR THE NORTHERN FRONT
RANGE FOOTHILLS AND ADJACENT PLAINS...

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 215...238...240...242... 
  243...244 AND 245.

* TIMING...NOON TO 8 PM MDT FRIDAY.

* WINDS...SOUTHWEST 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 9 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...ANY FIRES THAT START MAY SPREAD QUICKLY AND BE 
  DIFFICULT TO CONTROL FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. 

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.

&&

$$
379 
WWUS85 KBOU 060846
RFWBOU

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
246 AM MDT FRI APR 6 2012

COZ211-213-061900-
/O.EXB.KBOU.FW.W.0008.120406T1500Z-120407T0200Z/
JACKSON COUNTY BELOW 9000 FEET-
GRAND AND SUMMIT COUNTIES BELOW 9000 FEET-
246 AM MDT FRI APR 6 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM MDT
THIS EVENING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR THE HIGH MOUNTAIN VALLEYS 
OF JACKSON AND GRAND COUNTIES...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DENVER HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT
FROM 9 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING.

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

* TIMING...9 AM TO 8 PM MDT FRIDAY.

* WINDS...SOUTHWEST 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH.

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

* IMPACTS...ANY FIRES THAT START MAY SPREAD QUICKLY AND BE 
  DIFFICULT TO CONTROL FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. 

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.

&&

$$

COZ215-238-240-242>245-061900-
/O.EXT.KBOU.FW.W.0008.120406T1500Z-120407T0200Z/
LARIMER AND BOULDER COUNTIES BETWEEN 6000 AND 9000 FEET-
LARIMER COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/NORTHWEST WELD COUNTY-
NORTH DOUGLAS COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/DENVER/WEST ADAMS AND
ARAPAHOE COUNTIES/EAST BROOMFIELD COUNTY-NORTHEAST WELD COUNTY-
CENTRAL AND SOUTH WELD COUNTY-MORGAN COUNTY-
CENTRAL AND EAST ADAMS AND ARAPAHOE COUNTIES-
246 AM MDT FRI APR 6 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING NOW IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM
MDT THIS EVENING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR THE
NORTHERN FRONT RANGE FOOTHILLS AND ADJACENT PLAINS...

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 215...238...240...242... 
  243...244 AND 245.

* TIMING...9 AM TO 8 PM MDT FRIDAY.

* WINDS...SOUTHWEST 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 11 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...ANY FIRES THAT START MAY SPREAD QUICKLY AND BE 
  DIFFICULT TO CONTROL FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. 

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.

&&

$$
583 
WWUS85 KBOU 061959
RFWBOU

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
159 PM MDT FRI APR 6 2012

COZ211-213-215-238-240-242>245-070200-
/O.CON.KBOU.FW.W.0008.000000T0000Z-120407T0200Z/
JACKSON COUNTY BELOW 9000 FEET-
GRAND AND SUMMIT COUNTIES BELOW 9000 FEET-
LARIMER AND BOULDER COUNTIES BETWEEN 6000 AND 9000 FEET-
LARIMER COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/NORTHWEST WELD COUNTY-
NORTH DOUGLAS COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/DENVER/WEST ADAMS AND
ARAPAHOE COUNTIES/EAST BROOMFIELD COUNTY-NORTHEAST WELD COUNTY-
CENTRAL AND SOUTH WELD COUNTY-MORGAN COUNTY-
CENTRAL AND EAST ADAMS AND ARAPAHOE COUNTIES-
159 PM MDT FRI APR 6 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING
FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR THE NORTHERN FRONT RANGE
FOOTHILLS AND ADJACENT PLAINS...

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 211...213...215...238... 
  240...242...243...244 AND 245.

* TIMING...9 AM TO 8 PM MDT FRIDAY.

* WINDS...SOUTHWEST 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AROUND 10 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...ANY FIRES THAT START MAY SPREAD QUICKLY AND BE 
  DIFFICULT TO CONTROL FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. 

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.

&&

$$
885 
WWUS85 KBOU 070154
RFWBOU

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
754 PM MDT FRI APR 6 2012

COZ211-213-215-238-240-242>245-070300-
/O.EXP.KBOU.FW.W.0008.000000T0000Z-120407T0200Z/
JACKSON COUNTY BELOW 9000 FEET-
GRAND AND SUMMIT COUNTIES BELOW 9000 FEET-
LARIMER AND BOULDER COUNTIES BETWEEN 6000 AND 9000 FEET-
LARIMER COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/NORTHWEST WELD COUNTY-
NORTH DOUGLAS COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/DENVER/WEST ADAMS AND
ARAPAHOE COUNTIES/EAST BROOMFIELD COUNTY-NORTHEAST WELD COUNTY-
CENTRAL AND SOUTH WELD COUNTY-MORGAN COUNTY-
CENTRAL AND EAST ADAMS AND ARAPAHOE COUNTIES-
754 PM MDT FRI APR 6 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR WIND
AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR THE NORTHERN FRONT RANGE
FOOTHILLS AND ADJACENT PLAINS...

A FEW LOCATIONS IN AND NEAR THE FOOTHILLS MAY SEE RED FLAG
CONDITIONS THROUGH 10 PM AS WINDS CONTINUE TO GUSTS TO 40 MPH WITH
RELATIVE HUMIDITIES LESS THAN 15 PERCENT. OTHERWISE...WINDS WILL
CONTINUE TO DECREASE AND RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL RISE THROUGH
THE EVENING HOURS. THEREFORE THE RED FLAG WARNING WILL BE ALLOWED
TO EXPIRE.

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 5, 4:05 AM MDTFire Weather WatchBOUAdams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Clear Creek, Denver and 7 more12 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.