Alert archive / Iowa / Red Flag Warnings in 2012

Red Flag Warning 3, NWS Des Moines, IA

September 10, 201236 counties in Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this red flag warning at Sep 10, 2012, 3:24 PM CDT for 36 counties in Iowa. It took effect at Sep 11, 2012, 11:00 AM CDT. 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
Sep 10, 2012, 3:24 PM CDT (20:24 UTC)
In effect from
Sep 11, 2012, 11:00 AM CDT
Expired
Sep 11, 2012, 7:12 PM CDT
In force
8 hr
Issued by
NWS Des Moines, IA
All 36 counties

Adair County, IA, Adams County, IA, Audubon County, IA, Boone County, IA, Bremer County, IA, Butler County, IA, Calhoun County, IA, Carroll County, IA, Cass County, IA, Cerro Gordo County, IA, Crawford County, IA, Dallas County, IA, Emmet County, IA, Franklin County, IA, Greene County, IA, Grundy County, IA, Guthrie County, IA, Hamilton County, IA, Hancock County, IA, Hardin County, IA, Humboldt County, IA, Kossuth County, IA, Madison County, IA, Marshall County, IA, Palo Alto County, IA, Pocahontas County, IA, Polk County, IA, Ringgold County, IA, Sac County, IA, Story County, IA, Taylor County, IA, Union County, IA, Webster County, IA, Winnebago County, IA, Worth County, IA, Wright County, IA

The nearest sounding before it

Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 12:00Z, 8.4 hours before the alert went out and 217 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, Omaha, NE at 12:00Z on 2012-09-10Temperature 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, Omaha, NE at 12:00Z on 2012-09-10The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 28 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
1686 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
23 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
28 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
88 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.

684 
WWUS83 KDMX 102024
RFWDMX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
324 PM CDT MON SEP 10 2012

...EXTREME FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TUESDAY...

.THE COMBINATION OF LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...ABNORMALLY DRY
CONDITIONS...AND STRONG SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL RESULT IN
EXTREME FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ON TUESDAY.

IAZ004>007-015>017-023>025-033>035-044>046-057-058-070-110430-
/O.UPG.KDMX.FW.A.0003.120911T1800Z-120912T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KDMX.FW.W.0003.120911T1600Z-120912T0200Z/
EMMET-KOSSUTH-WINNEBAGO-WORTH-PALO ALTO-HANCOCK-CERRO GORDO-
POCAHONTAS-HUMBOLDT-WRIGHT-SAC-CALHOUN-WEBSTER-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-
GREENE-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-CASS-
324 PM CDT MON SEP 10 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 9 PM CDT TUESDAY FOR
EXTREME FIRE CONDITIONS....

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING FOR EXTREME FIRE CONDITIONS...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM
11 AM TO 9 PM CDT TUESDAY. THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS NO LONGER IN
EFFECT.

* TIMING...FROM 100 PM TUESDAY AFTERNOON UNTIL 700 PM TUESDAY
  EVENING.

* WIND...SOUTHWEST WIND OF 20 TO 30 MPH...WITH GUSTS TO 40 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...DROPPING TO 15 TO 25 PERCENT IN THE AFTERNOON.

* FUEL...FIELD CROPS ARE NEARLY CURED AND HAVE BECOME HIGHLY
  COMBUSTIBLE. IN COMBINATION WITH THE FORECAST CONDITIONS
  TUESDAY...THIS WOULD LEAD TO RAPID FIRE GROWTH. IN
  ADDITION...THE DRYING OF GRASSES IS WELL AHEAD OF SCHEDULE DUE
  TO THE HOT AND DRY CONDITIONS THIS SUMMER.

* IMPACTS...IF A FIRE STARTS TUESDAY AFTERNOON...RAPID FIRE 
  GROWTH WOULD BE POSSIBLE AND IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO 
  CONTAIN. 

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.

&&

$$

IAZ026>028-036>038-047>049-059-060-071-072-081-082-092-093-110430-
/O.NEW.KDMX.FW.W.0003.120911T1600Z-120912T0200Z/
FRANKLIN-BUTLER-BREMER-HAMILTON-HARDIN-GRUNDY-BOONE-STORY-
MARSHALL-DALLAS-POLK-ADAIR-MADISON-ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR-RINGGOLD-
324 PM CDT MON SEP 10 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 9 PM CDT TUESDAY FOR
EXTREME FIRE CONDITIONS....

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING FOR EXTREME FIRE CONDITIONS...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM
11 AM TO 9 PM CDT TUESDAY.

* TIMING...FROM 100 PM TUESDAY AFTERNOON UNTIL 700 PM TUESDAY
  EVENING.

* WIND...SOUTHWEST WIND OF 20 TO 30 MPH...WITH GUSTS TO 40 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...DROPPING TO 20 TO 25 PERCENT IN THE
  AFTERNOON.

* FUEL...FIELD CROPS ARE NEARLY CURED AND HAVE BECOME HIGHLY
  COMBUSTIBLE. IN COMBINATION WITH THE FORECAST CONDITIONS
  TUESDAY...THIS WOULD LEAD TO RAPID FIRE GROWTH. IN
  ADDITION...THE DRYING OF GRASSES IS WELL AHEAD OF SCHEDULE DUE
  TO THE HOT AND DRY CONDITIONS THIS SUMMER. 

* IMPACTS...IF A FIRE STARTS TUESDAY AFTERNOON...RAPID FIRE 
  GROWTH WOULD BE POSSIBLE AND IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO 
  CONTAIN. 

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.

&&

$$
5 follow-up statements
016 
WWUS83 KDMX 110126
RFWDMX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
826 PM CDT MON SEP 10 2012

...EXTREME FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TUESDAY...

.THE COMBINATION OF LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...ABNORMALLY DRY
CONDITIONS...AND STRONG SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL RESULT IN
EXTREME FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS TUESDAY.

IAZ004>007-015>017-023>028-033>038-044>049-057>060-070>072-081-
082-092-093-110930-
/O.CON.KDMX.FW.W.0003.120911T1600Z-120912T0200Z/
EMMET-KOSSUTH-WINNEBAGO-WORTH-PALO ALTO-HANCOCK-CERRO GORDO-
POCAHONTAS-HUMBOLDT-WRIGHT-FRANKLIN-BUTLER-BREMER-SAC-CALHOUN-
WEBSTER-HAMILTON-HARDIN-GRUNDY-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-GREENE-BOONE-
STORY-MARSHALL-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-POLK-CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-
ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR-RINGGOLD-
826 PM CDT MON SEP 10 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 9 PM CDT
TUESDAY FOR EXTREME FIRE CONDITIONS....

* TIMING...FROM 100 PM TUESDAY AFTERNOON UNTIL 700 PM TUESDAY 
  EVENING. 

* WIND...SOUTHWEST WIND OF 20 TO 30 MPH...WITH GUSTS TO 40 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...DROPPING TO 15 TO 25 PERCENT IN THE AFTERNOON.

* FUEL...FIELD CROPS ARE NEARLY CURED AND HAVE BECOME HIGHLY 
  COMBUSTIBLE. IN COMBINATION WITH THE FORECAST CONDITIONS 
  TUESDAY...THIS WOULD LEAD TO RAPID FIRE GROWTH. IN ADDITION... 
  THE DRYING OF GRASSES IS WELL AHEAD OF SCHEDULE DUE TO THE HOT 
  AND DRY CONDITIONS THIS SUMMER. 

* IMPACTS...IF A FIRE STARTS TUESDAY AFTERNOON...RAPID FIRE GROWTH
  WOULD BE POSSIBLE AND IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTAIN.

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.

&&

$$

REV
168 
WWUS83 KDMX 110856
RFWDMX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
356 AM CDT TUE SEP 11 2012

...EXTREME FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TODAY...

.THE COMBINATION OF LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...ABNORMALLY DRY
CONDITIONS...AND STRONG SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL RESULT IN
EXTREME FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS FROM MID DAY THROUGH THIS EVENING.

IAZ004>007-015>017-023>028-033>038-044>049-057>060-070>072-081-
082-092-093-111700-
/O.CON.KDMX.FW.W.0003.120911T1600Z-120912T0200Z/
EMMET-KOSSUTH-WINNEBAGO-WORTH-PALO ALTO-HANCOCK-CERRO GORDO-
POCAHONTAS-HUMBOLDT-WRIGHT-FRANKLIN-BUTLER-BREMER-SAC-CALHOUN-
WEBSTER-HAMILTON-HARDIN-GRUNDY-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-GREENE-BOONE-
STORY-MARSHALL-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-POLK-CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-
ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR-RINGGOLD-
356 AM CDT TUE SEP 11 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO
9 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR EXTREME FIRE CONDITIONS....

* TIMING...FROM 1100 AM THIS AFTERNOON UNTIL 900 PM THIS EVENING.

* WIND...SOUTHWEST WIND OF 20 TO 30 MPH...WITH GUSTS TO 40 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 18 TO 22 PERCENT.

* FUEL...FIELD CROPS ARE NEARLY CURED AND HAVE BECOME HIGHLY 
  COMBUSTIBLE. IN COMBINATION WITH THE FORECAST CONDITIONS 
  TUESDAY...THIS WOULD LEAD TO RAPID FIRE GROWTH. IN ADDITION... 
  THE DRYING OF GRASSES IS WELL AHEAD OF SCHEDULE DUE TO THE HOT 
  AND DRY CONDITIONS THIS SUMMER. 

* IMPACTS...IF A FIRE STARTS TUESDAY AFTERNOON...RAPID FIRE 
  GROWTH WOULD BE POSSIBLE AND IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO 
  CONTAIN. 

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.

&&

$$
191 
WWUS83 KDMX 111610
RFWDMX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1110 AM CDT TUE SEP 11 2012

...EXTREME FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THIS EVENING...

.THE COMBINATION OF LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...ABNORMALLY DRY
CONDITIONS...AND STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL RESULT IN EXTREME
FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS FROM MID DAY THROUGH THIS EVENING.

IAZ004>007-015>017-023>028-033>038-044>049-057>060-070>072-081-
082-092-093-120000-
/O.CON.KDMX.FW.W.0003.000000T0000Z-120912T0200Z/
EMMET-KOSSUTH-WINNEBAGO-WORTH-PALO ALTO-HANCOCK-CERRO GORDO-
POCAHONTAS-HUMBOLDT-WRIGHT-FRANKLIN-BUTLER-BREMER-SAC-CALHOUN-
WEBSTER-HAMILTON-HARDIN-GRUNDY-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-GREENE-BOONE-
STORY-MARSHALL-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-POLK-CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-
ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR-RINGGOLD-
1110 AM CDT TUE SEP 11 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING
FOR EXTREME FIRE CONDITIONS....

* TIMING...UNTIL 900 PM THIS EVENING.

* WIND...SOUTHWEST WIND OF 20 TO 30 MPH...WITH GUSTS TO 40 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 19 PERCENT.

* FUEL...FIELD CROPS ARE NEARLY CURED AND HAVE BECOME HIGHLY
  COMBUSTIBLE AND IN COMBINATION WITH THE FORECAST CONDITIONS THIS
  AFTERNOON...WOULD LEAD TO RAPID FIRE GROWTH. IN ADDITION...THE
  DRYING OF GRASSES IS WELL AHEAD OF SCHEDULE DUE TO THE HOT AND
  DRY CONDITIONS THIS SUMMER.

* IMPACTS...IF A FIRE STARTS THIS AFTERNOON...RAPID FIRE GROWTH
  WOULD BE POSSIBLE AND IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTAIN.

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.

&&

$$
743 
WWUS83 KDMX 112055
RFWDMX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
355 PM CDT TUE SEP 11 2012

...EXTREME FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THIS
EVENING...

.THE COMBINATION OF LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...ABNORMALLY DRY
CONDITIONS...AND STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL RESULT IN EXTREME
FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS FROM MID DAY THROUGH THIS EVENING.

IAZ004>007-015>017-023>028-033>038-044>049-057>060-070>072-081-
082-092-093-120200-
/O.CON.KDMX.FW.W.0003.000000T0000Z-120912T0200Z/
EMMET-KOSSUTH-WINNEBAGO-WORTH-PALO ALTO-HANCOCK-CERRO GORDO-
POCAHONTAS-HUMBOLDT-WRIGHT-FRANKLIN-BUTLER-BREMER-SAC-CALHOUN-
WEBSTER-HAMILTON-HARDIN-GRUNDY-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-GREENE-BOONE-
STORY-MARSHALL-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-POLK-CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-
ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR-RINGGOLD-
355 PM CDT TUE SEP 11 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING
FOR EXTREME FIRE CONDITIONS....

* TIMING...UNTIL 900 PM THIS EVENING.

* WIND...SOUTHWEST WIND OF 15 TO 25 MPH...WITH GUSTS TO 35 MPH.

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

* FUEL...FIELD CROPS ARE NEARLY CURED AND HAVE BECOME HIGHLY
  COMBUSTIBLE AND IN COMBINATION WITH THE FORECAST CONDITIONS LATE
  THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING...WOULD LEAD TO RAPID FIRE
  GROWTH. IN ADDITION...THE DRYING OF GRASSES IS WELL AHEAD OF
  SCHEDULE DUE TO THE HOT AND DRY CONDITIONS THIS SUMMER.

* IMPACTS...IF A FIRE STARTS THIS AFTERNOON...RAPID FIRE GROWTH 
  WOULD BE POSSIBLE AND IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTAIN. 

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.

&&

$$

CC
980 
WWUS83 KDMX 120012
RFWDMX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
712 PM CDT TUE SEP 11 2012

IAZ004>007-015>017-023>028-033>038-044>049-057>060-070>072-081-
082-092-093-120115-
/O.CAN.KDMX.FW.W.0003.000000T0000Z-120912T0200Z/
EMMET-KOSSUTH-WINNEBAGO-WORTH-PALO ALTO-HANCOCK-CERRO GORDO-
POCAHONTAS-HUMBOLDT-WRIGHT-FRANKLIN-BUTLER-BREMER-SAC-CALHOUN-
WEBSTER-HAMILTON-HARDIN-GRUNDY-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-GREENE-BOONE-
STORY-MARSHALL-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-POLK-CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-
ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR-RINGGOLD-
712 PM CDT TUE SEP 11 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR EXTREME FIRE CONDITIONS....

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS CANCELLED THE RED
FLAG WARNING.

RED FLAG WARNING CONDITIONS ARE NO LONGER BEING MET WITH GRADUAL BUT
SUFFICIENT RISES AND FALLS IN RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND WIND SPEEDS
RESPECTIVELY. THUS THE RED FLAG WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELED FOR MUCH
OF CENTRAL IOWA.

$$

SMALL

The office that day

Everything else NWS Des Moines, IA issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 10, 4:10 AM CDTFire Weather WatchDMXAudubon, Calhoun, Carroll, Cass, Cerro Gordo, Crawford and 13 more11 hr

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Iowa, 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.