Alert archive / Montana / Red Flag Warnings in 2012

Red Flag Warning 13, NWS Billings, MT

July 13, 20127 counties in Montana

NWS Billings, MT issued this red flag warning at Jul 13, 2012, 10:48 AM MDT for 7 counties in Montana. It took effect at Jul 14, 2012, 10:00 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
Jul 13, 2012, 10:48 AM MDT (16:48 UTC)
In effect from
Jul 14, 2012, 10:00 AM MDT
Expired
Jul 14, 2012, 8:50 PM MDT
In force
11 hr
Issued by
NWS Billings, MT

Counties Big Horn County, MT, Carter County, MT, Custer County, MT, Fallon County, MT, Powder River County, MT, Rosebud County, MT, Treasure County, MT

The radar

The Billings radar (KBLX), 206 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 16:50 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

Glasgow Intl Airport, MT (KGGW), launched 12:00Z, 4.8 hours before the alert went out and 262 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, Glasgow Intl Airport, MT at 12:00Z on 2012-07-13Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 10 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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, Glasgow Intl Airport, MT at 12:00Z on 2012-07-13The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 118 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
10 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-383 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
2643 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
43 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
118 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
149 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.

016 
WWUS85 KBYZ 131648
RFWBYZ

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BILLINGS MT
1048 AM MDT FRI JUL 13 2012

MTZ131>133-140500-
/O.NEW.KBYZ.FW.W.0013.120714T1600Z-120715T0300Z/
NORTHERN CHEYENNE INDIAN RESERVATION/ASHLAND RANGER DISTRICT
CUSTER NATL FOREST-CUSTER COUNTY-
SIOUX RANGER DISTRICT CUSTER NATIONAL FOREST-
1048 AM MDT FRI JUL 13 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM TO 9 PM MDT SATURDAY FOR
LOW HUMIDITIES...HOT TEMPERATURES...STRONG GUSTY WINDS...AND
INCREASING THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY FOR MOST OF SOUTHEAST MONTANA AND
PARTS OF NORTHWEST SOUTH DAKOTA...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BILLINGS HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM TO 9 PM MDT SATURDAY.

* AFFECTED AREA...IN MONTANA...FIRE ZONES...131...132...133

* IMPACTS...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED SATURDAY
  AND SATURDAY EVENING. THESE CONDITIONS COULD RESULT IN RAPID AND
  LARGE FIRE GROWTH...WHILE INCREASING THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY COULD
  RESULT IN SOME NEW FIRE STARTS EVEN THOUGH WETTING RAIN CAN ALSO
  BE EXPECTED WITH ANY STORMS.

* WIND...SOUTHEAST 15 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH. THE WINDS
  WILL BE STRONGEST OVER FAR SOUTHEASTERN MONTANA...AROUND EKALAKA
  AND BAKER.

* THUNDERSTORMS...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED IN THE LATE
  AFTERNOON AND EVENING. FREQUENT LIGHTNING IS POSSIBLE WITH THESE
  STORMS...WHICH COULD RESULT IN NEW FIRE STARTS...BUT WETTING AND
  LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN IS ALSO EXPECTED WITH ANY STORMS. ERRATIC AND
  GUSTY WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THE STORMS.

* HUMIDITY...17 TO 22 PERCENT.

* TEMPERATURES...IN THE MID TO UPPER 90S.

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.

&&

$$

HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/BILLINGS

CJS
6 follow-up statements
416 
WWUS85 KBYZ 132116
RFWBYZ

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BILLINGS MT
316 PM MDT FRI JUL 13 2012

MTZ131>133-140930-
/O.CON.KBYZ.FW.W.0013.120714T1600Z-120715T0300Z/
NORTHERN CHEYENNE INDIAN RESERVATION/ASHLAND RANGER DISTRICT
CUSTER NATL FOREST-CUSTER COUNTY-
SIOUX RANGER DISTRICT CUSTER NATIONAL FOREST-
316 PM MDT FRI JUL 13 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM TO 9 PM MDT
SATURDAY FOR LOW HUMIDITIES...HOT TEMPERATURES...STRONG GUSTY
WINDS...AND INCREASING THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY FOR MOST OF SOUTHEAST
MONTANA AND PARTS OF NORTHWEST SOUTH DAKOTA...

* AFFECTED AREA...IN MONTANA...FIRE ZONES...131...132...133

* IMPACTS...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED SATURDAY
  AND SATURDAY EVENING. THESE CONDITIONS COULD RESULT IN RAPID AND
  LARGE FIRE GROWTH...WHILE INCREASING THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY COULD
  RESULT IN SOME NEW FIRE STARTS EVEN THOUGH WETTING RAIN CAN ALSO
  BE EXPECTED WITH ANY STORMS.

* WIND...SOUTHEAST 15 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH. THE WINDS
  WILL BE STRONGEST OVER FAR SOUTHEASTERN MONTANA...AROUND EKALAKA
  AND BAKER.

* THUNDERSTORMS...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED IN THE LATE
  AFTERNOON AND EVENING. FREQUENT LIGHTNING IS POSSIBLE WITH THESE
  STORMS...WHICH COULD RESULT IN NEW FIRE STARTS...BUT WETTING AND
  LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN IS ALSO EXPECTED WITH ANY STORMS. ERRATIC AND
  GUSTY WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THE STORMS.

* HUMIDITY...17 TO 22 PERCENT.

* TEMPERATURES...IN THE MID TO UPPER 90S.

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.

&&

$$

HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/BILLINGS

CJS
571 
WWUS85 KBYZ 140318
RFWBYZ

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BILLINGS MT
918 PM MDT FRI JUL 13 2012

MTZ131>133-141200-
/O.CON.KBYZ.FW.W.0013.120714T1600Z-120715T0300Z/
NORTHERN CHEYENNE INDIAN RESERVATION/ASHLAND RANGER DISTRICT
CUSTER NATL FOREST-CUSTER COUNTY-
SIOUX RANGER DISTRICT CUSTER NATIONAL FOREST-
918 PM MDT FRI JUL 13 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM TO 9 PM MDT
SATURDAY FOR LOW HUMIDITIES...HOT TEMPERATURES...STRONG GUSTY
WINDS...AND INCREASING THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY FOR MOST OF SOUTHEAST
MONTANA AND PARTS OF NORTHWEST SOUTH DAKOTA...

* AFFECTED AREA...IN MONTANA...FIRE ZONES...131...132...133

* IMPACTS...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED 
  SATURDAY AND SATURDAY EVENING. THESE CONDITIONS COULD RESULT IN 
  RAPID AND LARGE FIRE GROWTH...WHILE INCREASING THUNDERSTORM 
  ACTIVITY COULD RESULT IN SOME NEW FIRE STARTS EVEN THOUGH 
  WETTING RAIN CAN ALSO BE EXPECTED WITH ANY STORMS.

* WIND...SOUTHEAST 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH.

* THUNDERSTORMS...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED IN THE 
  LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. FREQUENT LIGHTNING IS POSSIBLE WITH 
  THESE STORMS...WHICH COULD RESULT IN NEW FIRE STARTS...BUT 
  WETTING AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN IS ALSO EXPECTED WITH ANY 
  STORMS. ERRATIC AND GUSTY WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THE 
  STORMS.

* HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 18 PERCENT.

* TEMPERATURES...IN THE UPPER 80S.

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.

&&

$$

HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/BILLINGS
813 
WWUS85 KBYZ 140936
RFWBYZ

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BILLINGS MT
336 AM MDT SAT JUL 14 2012

MTZ131>133-142300-
/O.CON.KBYZ.FW.W.0013.120714T1600Z-120715T0300Z/
NORTHERN CHEYENNE INDIAN RESERVATION/ASHLAND RANGER DISTRICT
CUSTER NATL FOREST-CUSTER COUNTY-
SIOUX RANGER DISTRICT CUSTER NATIONAL FOREST-
336 AM MDT SAT JUL 14 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO
9 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR LOW HUMIDITIES...HOT TEMPERATURES...
STRONG GUSTY WINDS...AND INCREASING THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY FOR MOST
OF SOUTHEAST MONTANA AND PARTS OF NORTHWEST SOUTH DAKOTA...

* AFFECTED AREA...IN MONTANA...FIRE ZONES...131...132...133

* IMPACTS...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TODAY
  THROUGH THIS EVENING. THESE CONDITIONS COULD RESULT IN RAPID AND
  LARGE FIRE GROWTH...WHILE INCREASING THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY COULD
  RESULT IN SOME NEW FIRE STARTS EVEN THOUGH WETTING RAIN CAN ALSO
  BE EXPECTED WITH STORMS.

* WIND...SOUTHEAST 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH.

* THUNDERSTORMS...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED IN THE 
  TODAY AND EVENING. FREQUENT LIGHTNING IS POSSIBLE WITH 
  THESE STORMS...WHICH COULD RESULT IN NEW FIRE STARTS...BUT 
  WETTING AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN IS ALSO EXPECTED WITH ANY 
  STORMS. ERRATIC AND GUSTY WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THE 
  STORMS.

* HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 15 PERCENT.

* TEMPERATURES...IN THE LOW TO MID 90S.

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.

&&

$$

HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/BILLINGS
530 
WWUS85 KBYZ 141438
RFWBYZ

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BILLINGS MT
838 AM MDT SAT JUL 14 2012

MTZ131>133-150300-
/O.CON.KBYZ.FW.W.0013.120714T1600Z-120715T0300Z/
NORTHERN CHEYENNE INDIAN RESERVATION/ASHLAND RANGER DISTRICT
CUSTER NATL FOREST-CUSTER COUNTY-
SIOUX RANGER DISTRICT CUSTER NATIONAL FOREST-
838 AM MDT SAT JUL 14 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING
FOR LOW HUMIDITIES...HOT TEMPERATURES... STRONG GUSTY WINDS...AND
INCREASING THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY FOR MOST OF SOUTHEAST MONTANA AND
PARTS OF NORTHWEST SOUTH DAKOTA...

* AFFECTED AREA...IN MONTANA...FIRE ZONES...131...132...133

* IMPACTS...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TODAY 
  THROUGH THIS EVENING. THESE CONDITIONS COULD RESULT IN RAPID 
  AND LARGE FIRE GROWTH...WHILE INCREASING THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY 
  COULD RESULT IN SOME NEW FIRE STARTS EVEN THOUGH WETTING RAIN 
  CAN ALSO BE EXPECTED WITH STORMS.

* WIND...SOUTHEAST 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH.

* THUNDERSTORMS...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED IN THE 
  TODAY AND EVENING. FREQUENT LIGHTNING IS POSSIBLE WITH THESE 
  STORMS...WHICH COULD RESULT IN NEW FIRE STARTS...BUT WETTING 
  AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN IS ALSO EXPECTED WITH ANY STORMS. 
  ERRATIC AND GUSTY WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THE STORMS.

* HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 15 PERCENT.

* TEMPERATURES...IN THE MID 90S.

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.

&&

$$

HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/BILLINGS
302 
WWUS85 KBYZ 142055
RFWBYZ

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BILLINGS MT
255 PM MDT SAT JUL 14 2012

MTZ131>133-150300-
/O.CON.KBYZ.FW.W.0013.000000T0000Z-120715T0300Z/
NORTHERN CHEYENNE INDIAN RESERVATION/ASHLAND RANGER DISTRICT
CUSTER NATL FOREST-CUSTER COUNTY-
SIOUX RANGER DISTRICT CUSTER NATIONAL FOREST-
255 PM MDT SAT JUL 14 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING
FOR LOW HUMIDITIES...HOT TEMPERATURES... STRONG GUSTY WINDS...AND
INCREASING THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY FOR MOST OF SOUTHEAST MONTANA AND
PARTS OF NORTHWEST SOUTH DAKOTA...

* AFFECTED AREA...IN MONTANA...FIRE ZONES...131...132...133

* IMPACTS...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED INTO
  THIS EVENING. THESE CONDITIONS COULD RESULT IN RAPID AND LARGE
  FIRE GROWTH...WHILE INCREASING THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY COULD
  RESULT IN NEW FIRE STARTS.

* WIND...SOUTHEAST 15 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH.

* THUNDERSTORMS...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL OVERSPREAD THE AREA
  LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING. FREQUENT LIGHTNING
  CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS...WHICH COULD RESULT IN NEW
  FIRE STARTS. LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN AND GUSTY WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED
  WITH ANY STORM THAT MOVES THROUGH.

* HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 15 PERCENT LATE THIS AFTERNOON.

* TEMPERATURES...IN THE MID 90S THROUGH LATE AFTERNOON.

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.

&&

$$

HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/BILLINGS
886 
WWUS85 KBYZ 150250
RFWBYZ

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BILLINGS MT
850 PM MDT SAT JUL 14 2012

MTZ131>133-150400-
/O.CAN.KBYZ.FW.W.0013.000000T0000Z-120715T0300Z/
NORTHERN CHEYENNE INDIAN RESERVATION/ASHLAND RANGER DISTRICT
CUSTER NATL FOREST-CUSTER COUNTY-
SIOUX RANGER DISTRICT CUSTER NATIONAL FOREST-
850 PM MDT SAT JUL 14 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR MOST OF SOUTHEAST MONTANA
AND PARTS OF NORTHWEST SOUTH DAKOTA...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BILLINGS HAS CANCELLED THE RED
FLAG WARNING.

HUMIDITY VALUES ARE INCREASING AND WINDS ARE SLOWLY DIMINISHING.
THUS...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE NO LONGER OCCURRING.

$$

HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/BILLINGS

CJS

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Montana, 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.