Alert archive / Minnesota / Red Flag Warnings in 2012

Red Flag Warning 13, NWS Grand Forks, ND

October 1, 201218 counties in Minnesota

NWS Grand Forks, ND issued this red flag warning at Oct 1, 2012, 3:55 AM CDT for 18 counties in Minnesota. It took effect at Oct 1, 2012, 1:00 PM CDT. It was in force for 6 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
Oct 1, 2012, 3:55 AM CDT (08:55 UTC)
In effect from
Oct 1, 2012, 1:00 PM CDT
Expired
Oct 1, 2012, 7:00 PM CDT
In force
6 hr
Issued by
NWS Grand Forks, ND

Counties Becker County, MN, Beltrami County, MN, Clay County, MN, Clearwater County, MN, Grant County, MN, Hubbard County, MN, Kittson County, MN, Lake of the Woods County, MN, Mahnomen County, MN, Marshall County, MN, Norman County, MN, Otter Tail County, MN, Pennington County, MN, Polk County, MN, Red Lake County, MN, Roseau County, MN, Wadena County, MN, Wilkin County, MN

The radar

The Fargo/Grand Forks radar (KMVX), 111 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 08:56 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

International Fa, MN (KINL), launched 00:00Z, 8.9 hours before the alert went out and 224 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, International Fa, MN at 00:00Z on 2012-10-01Temperature 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, International Fa, MN at 00:00Z on 2012-10-01The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 99 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
2800 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
15 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
99 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
167 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.

087 
WWUS83 KFGF 010855
RFWFGF

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS ND
355 AM CDT MON OCT 1 2012

...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS MONDAY AND TUESDAY AFTERNOONS...

.FUELS ACROSS NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA ARE VERY DRY...
LEADING TO A CRITICAL SITUATION. RAPID FIRE GROWTH IS LIKELY
WITH RELATIVE HUMIDITY BELOW 30 PERCENT AND WINDS ABOVE 15 MPH
UNDER THESE CONDITIONS. ACROSS PORTIONS OF MINNESOTA...MONDAY
AFTERNOON HUMIDITY VALUES ARE FORECASTED TO DROP TO AROUND 25
PERCENT AND NORTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 15 TO 20 MPH WITH
GUSTS UP TO 25 MPH.

LOW PRESSURE MOVING ACROSS SOUTHERN CANADA ON TUESDAY WILL SHIFT
WINDS TO THE SOUTH AND INCREASE THEM TO EVEN GREATER SPEEDS ACROSS
THE REGION. WITH AFTERNOON RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES DROPPING TO
AROUND 20 PERCENT OR LOWER...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL
AGAIN BE POSSIBLE TUESDAY.

MNZ001>009-013>017-022>024-027>032-040-011700-
/O.UPG.KFGF.FW.A.0010.121001T1800Z-121002T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KFGF.FW.W.0013.121001T1800Z-121002T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KFGF.FW.A.0011.121002T1800Z-121003T0000Z/
WEST POLK-NORMAN-CLAY-KITTSON-ROSEAU-LAKE OF THE WOODS-
WEST MARSHALL-EAST MARSHALL-NORTH BELTRAMI-PENNINGTON-RED LAKE-
EAST POLK-NORTH CLEARWATER-SOUTH BELTRAMI-MAHNOMEN-
SOUTH CLEARWATER-HUBBARD-WEST BECKER-EAST BECKER-WILKIN-
WEST OTTER TAIL-EAST OTTER TAIL-WADENA-GRANT-
355 AM CDT MON OCT 1 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 7 PM
CDT THIS EVENING FOR VERY DRY FUELS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY 
VALUES...AND BREEZY WINDS ACROSS NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...
...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
TUESDAY EVENING FOR VERY DRY FUELS...VERY LOW HUMIDITY VALUES...AND WINDY 
CONDITIONS ACROSS NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA....

* AFFECTED AREA...IN MINNESOTA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 001...002... 
  003...004...005...006...007...008...009...013...014...015...
  016... 017...022...023...024...027...028...029...030...031...
  032 AND 040.

* WINDS...NORTH WINDS MONDAY AT 15 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 25 MPH
  WILL SHIFT TO THE SOUTHWEST 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH BY
  TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

* TIMING...MONDAY AFTERNOON AND AGAIN GOING CRITICAL BY TUESDAY
  AFTERNOON. 

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AROUND 25 PERCENT ON MONDAY AND DOWN TO THE 15
  TO 25 PERCENT RANGE ON TUESDAY. 

* TEMPERATURES...IN THE 60S TO LOW 70S.

* IMPACTS...DANGEROUS FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL DUE TO VERY DRY 
  FUELS. OUTDOOR BURNING IS RESTRICTED. 

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.

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

&&

$$

NDZ006>008-014>016-024-026>030-038-039-049-052>054-011700-
/O.NEW.KFGF.FW.A.0011.121002T1800Z-121003T0000Z/
TOWNER-CAVALIER-PEMBINA-BENSON-RAMSEY-EASTERN WALSH-EDDY-NELSON-
GRAND FORKS-GRIGGS-STEELE-TRAILL-BARNES-CASS-RANSOM-SARGENT-
RICHLAND-WESTERN WALSH-
355 AM CDT MON OCT 1 2012

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
TUESDAY EVENING FOR DRY FUELS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES...AND 
STRONG WINDS FOR EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA...


* AFFECTED AREA...IN NORTH DAKOTA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 006... 
  007...008...014...015...016...024...026...027...028...029...
  030... 038...039...049...052...053 AND 054.

* WINDS...SOUTHWEST 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH.

* TIMING...REACHING CRITICAL CONDITIONS BY TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 17 PERCENT.

* TEMPERATURES...IN THE MID 70S.

* IMPACTS...DANGEROUS FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL DUE TO VERY DRY 
  FUELS. OUTDOOR BURNING IS RESTRICTED. 

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.

&&

$$

JR
2 follow-up statements
415 
WWUS83 KFGF 012013
RFWFGF

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS ND
313 PM CDT MON OCT 1 2012

...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON AND AGAIN TUESDAY
AFTERNOON...

.FUELS ACROSS NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA ARE VERY DRY...
LEADING TO A CRITICAL SITUATION. THE POTENTIAL FOR RAPID FIRE
GROWTH WILL CONTINUE THROUGH LATE AFTERNOON...WITH RELATIVE
HUMIDITY FALLING TO UNDER 30 PERCENT AND NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTING
UP TO 25 MPH. SOME IMPROVEMENT IN CONDITIONS IS EXPECTED BY EARLY
THIS EVENING AS WINDS DIMINISH AND RELATIVE HUMIDITY INCREASES.

A STRONG AREA OF LOW PRESSURE MOVING ACROSS SOUTHERN CANADA ON
TUESDAY WILL CAUSE WINDS TO STRENGTHEN OUT OF THE SOUTH TO
SOUTHWEST. WITH AFTERNOON RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES DROPPING TO
AROUND 20 PERCENT OR LOWER...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE
LIKELY ON TUESDAY.

MNZ001>009-013>017-022>024-027>032-040-020415-
/O.CON.KFGF.FW.W.0013.000000T0000Z-121002T0000Z/
/O.CON.KFGF.FW.A.0011.121002T1800Z-121003T0000Z/
WEST POLK-NORMAN-CLAY-KITTSON-ROSEAU-LAKE OF THE WOODS-
WEST MARSHALL-EAST MARSHALL-NORTH BELTRAMI-PENNINGTON-RED LAKE-
EAST POLK-NORTH CLEARWATER-SOUTH BELTRAMI-MAHNOMEN-
SOUTH CLEARWATER-HUBBARD-WEST BECKER-EAST BECKER-WILKIN-
WEST OTTER TAIL-EAST OTTER TAIL-WADENA-GRANT-
313 PM CDT MON OCT 1 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING
FOR VERY DRY FUELS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND BREEZY WINDS FOR 
NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...
...FIRE WEATHER WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON
THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING FOR VERY DRY FUELS...LOW RELATIVE 
HUMIDITY...AND WINDY CONDITIONS FOR NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

* AFFECTED AREA...IN MINNESOTA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 001...002... 
  003...004...005...006...007...008...009...013...014...015...
  016... 017...022...023...024...027...028...029...030...031...
  032 AND 040.

* WINDS...NORTHWEST WINDS AT 15 TO 20 MPH THIS AFTERNOON WITH
  GUSTS TO 25 MPH WILL SHIFT TO THE SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST AT 15 TO 25
  MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH BY TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

* TIMING...MONDAY AFTERNOON AND AGAIN GOING CRITICAL BY TUESDAY 
  AFTERNOON. 

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AROUND 25 PERCENT THIS AFTERNOON AND FALLING
  TO 15 TO 25 PERCENT ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

* TEMPERATURES...IN THE 60S AND 70S.

* IMPACTS...DANGEROUS FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL DUE TO VERY DRY 
  FUELS. OUTDOOR BURNING IS RESTRICTED. 

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.

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

&&

$$

NDZ006>008-014>016-024-026>030-038-039-049-052>054-020415-
/O.CON.KFGF.FW.A.0011.121002T1800Z-121003T0000Z/
TOWNER-CAVALIER-PEMBINA-BENSON-RAMSEY-EASTERN WALSH-EDDY-NELSON-
GRAND FORKS-GRIGGS-STEELE-TRAILL-BARNES-CASS-RANSOM-SARGENT-
RICHLAND-WESTERN WALSH-
313 PM CDT MON OCT 1 2012

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON
THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING FOR DRY FUELS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND
STRONG WINDS FOR EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA...

* AFFECTED AREA...IN NORTH DAKOTA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 006... 
  007...008...014...015...016...024...026...027...028...029...
  030... 038...039...049...052...053 AND 054.

* WINDS...SOUTHWEST 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH.

* TIMING...REACHING CRITICAL CONDITIONS BY TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 17 PERCENT.

* TEMPERATURES...IN THE MID 70S.

* IMPACTS...DANGEROUS FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL DUE TO VERY DRY 
  FUELS. OUTDOOR BURNING IS RESTRICTED. 

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.

&&

$$

JAM
393 
WWUS83 KFGF 020013
RFWFGF

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS ND
713 PM CDT MON OCT 1 2012

...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS EXPECTED TUESDAY OVER ALL OF
EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

.FUELS ACROSS EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL
MINNESOTA ARE VERY DRY... LEADING TO A CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER SITUATION.
THE POTENTIAL FOR RAPID FIRE GROWTH WILL OCCUR AGAIN ON TUESDAY
FROM LATE MORNING THROUGH LATE AFTERNOON...WITH RELATIVE HUMIDITY
FALLING TO AROUND 20 PERCENT AND SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 15 TO
30 MPH...WITH GUSTS OVER 35 MPH IN THE RED RIVER VALLEY.


MNZ001>009-013>017-022>024-027>032-040-020815-
/O.EXP.KFGF.FW.W.0013.000000T0000Z-121002T0000Z/
/O.UPG.KFGF.FW.A.0011.121002T1800Z-121003T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KFGF.FW.W.0014.121002T1600Z-121003T0000Z/
WEST POLK-NORMAN-CLAY-KITTSON-ROSEAU-LAKE OF THE WOODS-
WEST MARSHALL-EAST MARSHALL-NORTH BELTRAMI-PENNINGTON-RED LAKE-
EAST POLK-NORTH CLEARWATER-SOUTH BELTRAMI-MAHNOMEN-
SOUTH CLEARWATER-HUBBARD-WEST BECKER-EAST BECKER-WILKIN-
WEST OTTER TAIL-EAST OTTER TAIL-WADENA-GRANT-
713 PM CDT MON OCT 1 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 7 PM CDT TUESDAY FOR
DRY FUELS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND STRONG WINDS ALL OF NORTHWESTERN 
AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA..

...RED FLAG WARNING THAT WAS IN EFFECT FOR THIS MONDAY AFTERNOON
HAS EXPIRED...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND FORKS HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING FOR DRY FUELS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND STRONG WINDS
...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 7 PM CDT TUESDAY. THE FIRE
WEATHER WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* AFFECTED AREA...IN MINNESOTA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 001...002... 
  003...004...005...006...007...008...009...013...014...015...
  016... 017...022...023...024...027...028...029...030...031...
  032 AND 040.

* WINDS...SOUTH 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH. STRONGEST WINDS
  IN THE RED RIVER VALLEY. 

* TIMING...11 AM TO 7 PM TUESDAY.

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

* TEMPERATURES...AFTERNOON HIGH TEMPERATURES 70 TO 75.

* IMPACTS...DANGEROUS FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL DUE TO VERY DRY 
  FUELS. OUTDOOR BURNING IS RESTRICTED. 

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.

&&

$$

NDZ006>008-014>016-024-026>030-038-039-049-052>054-020815-
/O.UPG.KFGF.FW.A.0011.121002T1800Z-121003T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KFGF.FW.W.0014.121002T1600Z-121003T0000Z/
TOWNER-CAVALIER-PEMBINA-BENSON-RAMSEY-EASTERN WALSH-EDDY-NELSON-
GRAND FORKS-GRIGGS-STEELE-TRAILL-BARNES-CASS-RANSOM-SARGENT-
RICHLAND-WESTERN WALSH-
713 PM CDT MON OCT 1 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 7 PM CDT TUESDAY FOR
DRY FUELS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND STRONG WINDS FOR ALL OF EASTERN
NORTH DAKOTA...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND FORKS HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING FOR DRY FUELS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND STRONG WINDS
...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 7 PM CDT TUESDAY. THE FIRE
WEATHER WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* AFFECTED AREA...IN NORTH DAKOTA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 006... 
  007...008...014...015...016...024...026...027...028...029...
  030... 038...039...049...052...053 AND 054.

* WINDS...SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST 15 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40
  MPH.

* TIMING...11 AM TO 7 PM TUESDAY.

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

* TEMPERATURES...AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES 75 TO 80. 

* IMPACTS...DANGEROUS FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL DUE TO VERY DRY 
  FUELS. OUTDOOR BURNING IS RESTRICTED. 

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.

&&

$$

DTR

The office that day

Everything else NWS Grand Forks, ND issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 30, 7:49 PM CDTFire Weather WatchFGFBecker, Beltrami, Clay, Clearwater, Grant, Hubbard and 12 more8 hr
Oct 1, 3:55 AM CDTFire Weather WatchFGFBecker, Beltrami, Clay, Clearwater, Grant, Hubbard and 12 more15 hr

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Minnesota, 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.