Alert archive / New Mexico / Red Flag Warnings in 2012

Red Flag Warning 13, NWS El Paso, TX

March 31, 20128 counties in New Mexico; El Paso County, Hudspeth County, Texas

NWS El Paso, TX issued this red flag warning at Mar 31, 2012, 12:47 PM MDT for 8 counties in New Mexico; El Paso County, Hudspeth County, Texas. It took effect at Apr 1, 2012, 12:00 PM MDT. It was in force for 10 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
Mar 31, 2012, 12:47 PM MDT (18:47 UTC)
In effect from
Apr 1, 2012, 12:00 PM MDT
Expired
Apr 1, 2012, 9:46 PM MDT
In force
10 hr
Issued by
NWS El Paso, TX

Counties Catron County, NM, Doña Ana County, NM, Grant County, NM, Hidalgo County, NM, Lincoln County, NM, Luna County, NM, Otero County, NM, Sierra County, NM, El Paso County, TX, Hudspeth County, TX

The radar

The El Paso radar (KEPZ), 84 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:53 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

Santa Teresa, NM (KEPZ), launched 12:00Z, 6.8 hours before the alert went out and 84 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, Santa Teresa, NM at 12:00Z on 2012-03-31Temperature 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, Santa Teresa, NM at 12:00Z on 2012-03-31The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -12 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
4495 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
21 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-12 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
27 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.

048 
WWUS84 KEPZ 311847
RFWEPZ

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EL PASO TX/SANTA TERESA NM
1247 PM MDT SAT MAR 31 2012

...CRITICAL FIRE CONDITIONS TO RETURN SUNDAY...

.A PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WILL REACH
NORTHERN ARIZONA LATE SUNDAY AND MOVE INTO NEW MEXICO MONDAY.
WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE AHEAD OF THAT STORM WITH
SUSTAINED WINDS OF 20 TO 35 MPH AND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH POSSIBLE
SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THESE WINDS...COMBINED WITH MINIMUM
RELATIVE HUMIDITY UNDER 15 PERCENT...WILL CREATE CRITICAL FIRE
WEATHER CONDITIONS SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

NMZ110>113-TXZ055-056-010300-
/O.UPG.KEPZ.FW.A.0011.120401T1800Z-120402T0400Z/
/O.NEW.KEPZ.FW.W.0013.120401T1800Z-120402T0400Z/
SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS-SOUTHWEST DESERTS AND LOWLANDS-
SOUTH CENTRAL LOWLANDS AND SOUTHERN RIO GRANDE VALLEY-
CAPITAN AND SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS-EL PASO-HUDSPETH-
1247 PM MDT SAT MAR 31 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 10 PM MDT SUNDAY FOR
STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 
055...056...110...111...112 AND 113...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN EL PASO TX/SANTA TERESA HAS
ISSUED A RED FLAG WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 10 PM
MDT SUNDAY. THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. 

* EVENT: RED FLAG WARNING...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 110 SOUTHWEST
  MOUNTAINS. FIRE WEATHER ZONE 111 SOUTHWEST DESERTS AND LOWLANDS.
  FIRE WEATHER ZONE 112 SOUTH CENTRAL LOWLANDS AND SOUTHERN RIO
  GRANDE VALLEY. FIRE WEATHER ZONE 113 CAPITAN AND SACRAMENTO
  MOUNTAINS. FIRE WEATHER ZONE 055 EL PASO. FIRE WEATHER ZONE 056
  HUDSPETH.

* TIMING: SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

* WIND: WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 20 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 
  50 MPH ARE LIKELY.

* HUMIDITY: MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL FALL TO AROUND 5
  PERCENT ACROSS LOWER DESERTS AND AROUND 15 PERCENT IN THE GILA
  AND THE SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS.

* IMPACTS...ANY FIRES THAT DEVELOP WILL LIKELY SPREAD RAPIDLY.
  OUTDOOR BURNING IS NOT RECOMMENDED.

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 EXTREME FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL.

&&

$$
4 follow-up statements
584 
WWUS84 KEPZ 010248
RFWEPZ

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EL PASO TX/SANTA TERESA NM
848 PM MDT SAT MAR 31 2012

...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS TO RETURN SUNDAY...

.A PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WILL REACH
NORTHERN ARIZONA LATE SUNDAY AND MOVE INTO NEW MEXICO MONDAY.
WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE AHEAD OF THIS STORM SYSTEM
WITH SUSTAINED WINDS OF 20 TO 35 MPH AND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH
POSSIBLE SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THESE WINDS...COMBINED
WITH MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITY UNDER 15 PERCENT...WILL CREATE
CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

NMZ110>113-TXZ055-056-011330-
/O.CON.KEPZ.FW.W.0013.120401T1800Z-120402T0400Z/
SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS-SOUTHWEST DESERTS AND LOWLANDS-
SOUTH CENTRAL LOWLANDS AND SOUTHERN RIO GRANDE VALLEY-
CAPITAN AND SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS-EL PASO-HUDSPETH-
848 PM MDT SAT MAR 31 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT SUNDAY FROM NOON TO 10 PM
MDT DUE TO STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY...

* AFFECTED AREA: ALL OF SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH-CENTRAL NEW MEXICO
  INCLUDING FIRE WEATHER ZONES 110...111...112 AND 113...AND FAR
  WEST TEXAS INCLUDING FIRE WEATHER ZONES 055 AND 056.

* TIMING: SUNDAY FROM NOON TO 10 PM MDT.

* WIND: WEST TO SOUTHWEST 20-FOOT WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH WITH
  GUSTS TO 45 MPH ARE LIKELY.

* HUMIDITY: MINIMUM RH 5 TO 10 PERCENT IN THE LOWER DESERTS AND 10
  TO 15 PERCENT IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE SACRAMENTO
  MOUNTAINS AND GILA REGION.

* IMPACTS...ANY FIRES THAT DEVELOP WILL LIKELY SPREAD RAPIDLY. 
  OUTDOOR BURNING IS NOT RECOMMENDED.

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 EXTREME FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL.

&&

$$

HARDIMAN
266 
WWUS84 KEPZ 011241
RFWEPZ

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EL PASO TX/SANTA TERESA NM
641 AM MDT SUN APR 1 2012

...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS TO RETURN SUNDAY...

.A PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WILL CROSS
ARIZONA LATE TODAY AND TONIGHT...THEN INTO NEW MEXICO MONDAY.
WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE AHEAD OF THIS STORM SYSTEM
WITH SUSTAINED WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH. GUSTS OF UP TO 50 MPH ARE
POSSIBLE SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE STRONG WINDS...COMBINED
WITH MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITY UNDER 15 PERCENT...WILL CREATE
CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

NMZ110>113-TXZ055-056-020400-
/O.CON.KEPZ.FW.W.0013.120401T1800Z-120402T0400Z/
SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS-SOUTHWEST DESERTS AND LOWLANDS-
SOUTH CENTRAL LOWLANDS AND SOUTHERN RIO GRANDE VALLEY-
CAPITAN AND SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS-EL PASO-HUDSPETH-
641 AM MDT SUN APR 1 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 10 PM
MDT THIS EVENING FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER 
ZONES 055...056...110...111...112 AND 113...

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT SUNDAY FROM NOON TO 10 PM
MDT DUE TO STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY...

* AFFECTED AREA: ALL OF SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH-CENTRAL NEW MEXICO 
  INCLUDING FIRE WEATHER ZONES 110...111...112 AND 113...AND FAR 
  WEST TEXAS INCLUDING FIRE WEATHER ZONES 055 AND 056. 

* TIMING: SUNDAY FROM NOON TO 10 PM MDT.

* WIND: WEST TO SOUTHWEST 20-FOOT WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS
  TO 50 MPH.

* HUMIDITY: MINIMUM RH 5 TO 10 PERCENT IN THE LOWER DESERTS AND
  10 TO 15 PERCENT IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE SACRAMENTO 
  MOUNTAINS AND GILA REGION.

* IMPACTS...ANY FIRES THAT DEVELOP WILL LIKELY SPREAD RAPIDLY. 
  OUTDOOR BURNING IS NOT RECOMMENDED.

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 EXTREME FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL.

&&

$$

PARK - 21
173 
WWUS84 KEPZ 011854
RFWEPZ

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EL PASO TX/SANTA TERESA NM
1254 PM MDT SUN APR 1 2012

...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...

.A PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WILL CROSS
ARIZONA LATE TODAY AND TONIGHT...THEN INTO NEW MEXICO MONDAY.
WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE AHEAD OF THIS STORM SYSTEM
WITH SUSTAINED WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH. GUSTS OF UP TO 50 MPH ARE
POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE STRONG WINDS...COMBINED
WITH MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITY UNDER 15 PERCENT...WILL CREATE
CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
WINDS WILL REMAIN STRONG AND GUSTY MONDAY AS THAT SYSTEM SLOWLY
MOVES ACROSS NEW MEXICO. AFTERNOON HUMIDITY WILL BE IN THE LOW TO
MID TEENS OVER THE LOWLANDS AND IN THE UPPER TEENS TO LOW 20S AT
HIGHER ELEVATIONS. CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE
MONDAY AFTERNOON AT ELEVATIONS BELOW 7500 FEET.

NMZ110>113-TXZ055-056-020400-
/O.NEW.KEPZ.FW.A.0012.120402T2000Z-120403T0100Z/
/O.CON.KEPZ.FW.W.0013.000000T0000Z-120402T0400Z/
SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS-SOUTHWEST DESERTS AND LOWLANDS-
SOUTH CENTRAL LOWLANDS AND SOUTHERN RIO GRANDE VALLEY-
CAPITAN AND SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS-EL PASO-HUDSPETH-
1254 PM MDT SUN APR 1 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM MDT THIS
EVENING FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 
055...056...110...111...112 AND 113...

* AFFECTED AREA: ALL OF SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH-CENTRAL NEW MEXICO 
  INCLUDING FIRE WEATHER ZONES 110...111...112 AND 113...AND FAR 
  WEST TEXAS INCLUDING FIRE WEATHER ZONES 055 AND 056. 

* TIMING: SUNDAY FROM NOON TO 10 PM MDT.

* WIND: WEST TO SOUTHWEST 20-FOOT WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS
  TO 50 MPH.

* HUMIDITY: MINIMUM RH 5 TO 10 PERCENT IN THE LOWER DESERTS AND
  10 TO 15 PERCENT IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE SACRAMENTO 
  MOUNTAINS AND GILA REGION.

* IMPACTS...ANY FIRES THAT DEVELOP WILL LIKELY SPREAD RAPIDLY. 
  OUTDOOR BURNING IS NOT RECOMMENDED.

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 EXTREME FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL.
 

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
MONDAY EVENING FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER 
ZONES 055... 056...110...111...112 AND 113... 

* AFFECTED AREA: ALL OF SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH-CENTRAL NEW MEXICO AT
  ELEVATIONS BELOW 7500 FEET...INCLUDING FIRE WEATHER ZONES
  110...111...112 AND 113 IN NEW MEXICO...AND FIRE WEATHER ZONES
  055 AND 056 IN FAR WEST TEXAS.

* TIMING: MONDAY FROM 2 PM MDT TIL 7 PM MDT.

* WIND: WEST TO SOUTHWEST 20-FOOT WINDS OF 20 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS
  TO 35 MPH.

* HUMIDITY: MINIMUM RH 10 TO 15 PERCENT AT ELEVATIONS BELOW 7500
  FEET. HIGHER ELEVATIONS WILL HAVE RH ABOVE 15 PERCENT. 

* IMPACTS...ANY FIRES THAT DEVELOP WILL LIKELY SPREAD RAPIDLY. 
  OUTDOOR BURNING IS NOT RECOMMENDED.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FIRE WEATHER WATCH MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE FORECAST TO OCCUR. LISTEN FOR LATER FORECASTS AND POSSIBLE
RED FLAG WARNINGS.

&&

$$
513 
WWUS84 KEPZ 020346
RFWEPZ

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EL PASO TX/SANTA TERESA NM
946 PM MDT SUN APR 1 2012

...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL RETURN MONDAY OVER THE
DESERT LOWLANDS...

.A STRONG UPPER LEVEL LOW WILL SLOWLY MOVE ACROSS NORTHERN NEW 
MEXICO MONDAY.  A SURFACE COLD FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SYSTEM
WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA SUNDAY NIGHT...BUT GUSTY WEST TO
NORTHWEST WINDS WILL RETURN TO THE AREA MONDAY AFTERNOON. COOLER
TEMPERATURES WILL RESULT IN HIGHER RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES...BUT
LOWLAND AREAS WILL STILL SEE HUMIDITY DROP BELOW 15 PERCENT.
EXPECT 20-FOOT WINDS OF 20 TO 25 MPH TO DEVELOP TOWARDS MIDDAY
WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY ALONG EAST-FACING
MOUNTAIN SLOPES. THE WORST CONDITIONS WILL MAINLY BE SOUTH OF A
LORDSBURG-LAS CRUCES-OROGRANDE LINE.

NMZ111-112-TXZ055-056-021330-
/O.CAN.KEPZ.FW.W.0013.000000T0000Z-120402T0400Z/
/O.UPG.KEPZ.FW.A.0012.120402T2000Z-120403T0100Z/
/O.NEW.KEPZ.FW.W.0014.120402T1800Z-120403T0200Z/
SOUTHWEST DESERTS AND LOWLANDS-
SOUTH CENTRAL LOWLANDS AND SOUTHERN RIO GRANDE VALLEY-EL PASO-
HUDSPETH-
946 PM MDT SUN APR 1 2012

...A NEW RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 8 PM MDT MONDAY
DUE TO STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY...

...RED FLAG WARNING PREVIOUSLY IN EFFECT WILL EXPIRE AT 10 PM
THIS EVENING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN EL PASO TX/SANTA TERESA HAS
ISSUED A RED FLAG WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 8 PM
MDT MONDAY. THIS REPLACES THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH THAT WAS
PREVIOUSLY IN EFFECT.

* AFFECTED AREA: LOWLANDS OF SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH-CENTRAL NEW
  MEXICO INCLUDING FIRE WEATHER ZONES 111 AND 112...AND FAR WEST
  TEXAS INCLUDING FIRE WEATHER ZONES 055 AND 056.

* TIMING: MONDAY FROM NOON TO 8 PM MDT.

* WIND: WEST TO NORTHWEST 20-FOOT WINDS OF 20 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS
  TO 35 MPH.

* HUMIDITY: MINIMUM RH 8 TO 14 PERCENT IN THE LOWER DESERTS...
  LOWEST CLOSE TO THE INTERNATIONAL BORDER.

* IMPACTS...ANY FIRES THAT DEVELOP WILL LIKELY SPREAD RAPIDLY. 
  OUTDOOR BURNING IS NOT RECOMMENDED.

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 EXTREME FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL.

&&

$$

NMZ110-113-020500-
/O.CAN.KEPZ.FW.W.0013.000000T0000Z-120402T0400Z/
/O.CAN.KEPZ.FW.A.0012.120402T2000Z-120403T0100Z/
SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS-CAPITAN AND SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS-
946 PM MDT SUN APR 1 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 10 PM MDT......

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FOR MONDAY HAS BEEN CANCELLED...

COOLER TEMPERATURES AND SLIGHTLY LIGHTER WINDS WILL RESULT IN FIRE
WEATHER CONDITIONS FALLING JUST SHORT OF RED FLAG CRITERIA OVER
THE HIGHER TERRAIN ON MONDAY. CAUTION IS STILL URGED AS WINDS WILL
BE BREEZY...ESPECIALLY ALONG EAST-FACING MOUNTAIN SLOPES.

$$

HARDIMAN

The office that day

Everything else NWS El Paso, TX issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 31, 2:53 PM MDTWind AdvisoryEPZDoña Ana, Grant, Hidalgo, Luna, Otero, Sierra31 hr

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in New Mexico, 2012Red Flag Warnings in Texas, 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.