Alert archive / North Dakota / Red Flag Warnings in 2012

Red Flag Warning 2, NWS Grand Forks, ND

April 7, 20125 counties in North Dakota; 5 counties in Minnesota

NWS Grand Forks, ND issued this red flag warning at Apr 7, 2012, 3:32 AM CDT for 5 counties in North Dakota; 5 counties in Minnesota. It took effect at Apr 7, 2012, 1:00 PM CDT. It was in force for 7 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 7, 2012, 3:32 AM CDT (08:32 UTC)
In effect from
Apr 7, 2012, 1:00 PM CDT
Expired
Apr 7, 2012, 8:00 PM CDT
In force
7 hr
Issued by
NWS Grand Forks, ND

Counties Becker County, MN, Clay County, MN, Grant County, MN, Otter Tail County, MN, Wilkin County, MN, Barnes County, ND, Cass County, ND, Ransom County, ND, Richland County, ND, Sargent County, ND

The radar

The Fargo/Grand Forks radar (KMVX), 119 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 08:37 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

Aberdeen, SD (KABR), launched 00:00Z, 8.5 hours before the alert went out and 219 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, Aberdeen, SD at 00:00Z on 2012-04-07Temperature 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, Aberdeen, SD at 00:00Z on 2012-04-07The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 139 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
2658 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
34 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
139 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
162 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.

753 
WWUS83 KFGF 070832
RFWFGF

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS ND
332 AM CDT SAT APR 7 2012

...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON...

.STRONG WESTERLY WINDS WILL DEVELOP LATE THIS MORNING IN THE WAKE
OF A COLD FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM LIFTING
ACROSS MANITOBA. SUSTAINED WINDS WILL APPROACH 30 MPH...WITH GUSTS
EXCEEDING 40 MPH POSSIBLE. WITH DRIER AIR SPREADING IN BEHIND THE
DEPARTING SYSTEM...RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES ARE EXPECTED TO FALL
TO 20 TO 30 PERCENT DURING THE AFTERNOON. WITH VERY DRY FUELS IN
PLACE...THE COMBINATION OF VERY WINDY CONDITIONS AND DRY AIR WILL
LEAD TO CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON.

MNZ003-029-030-040-NDZ038-039-049-052-053-072100-
/O.UPG.KFGF.FW.A.0001.120407T1800Z-120408T0100Z/
/O.NEW.KFGF.FW.W.0002.120407T1800Z-120408T0100Z/
CLAY-WILKIN-WEST OTTER TAIL-GRANT-BARNES-CASS-RANSOM-SARGENT-
RICHLAND-
332 AM CDT SAT APR 7 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 8 PM
CDT THIS EVENING FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY ACROSS 
PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND FORKS HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...WHICH IS IN
EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING. THE FIRE
WEATHER WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* AFFECTED AREA...IN MINNESOTA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 003...029... 
  030 AND 040. IN NORTH DAKOTA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 038...039... 
  049...052 AND 053.

* WINDS...WEST 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH.

* TIMING...DEVELOPING DURING THE EARLY AFTERNOON AND CONTINUING
  INTO THE EARLY EVENING.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 20 TO 25 PERCENT DURING THE AFTERNOON.

* TEMPERATURES...HIGHS THIS AFTERNOON IN THE LOW TO MID 50S.

* IMPACTS...ANY FIRES THAT DEVELOP WILL SPREAD RAPIDLY. 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.

&&

$$

MNZ027-028-031-072100-
/O.NEW.KFGF.FW.W.0002.120407T1800Z-120408T0100Z/
WEST BECKER-EAST BECKER-EAST OTTER TAIL-
332 AM CDT SAT APR 7 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 8 PM
CDT THIS EVENING FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY ACROSS 
PORTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND FORKS HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT
FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING.

* AFFECTED AREA...IN MINNESOTA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 027...028 
  AND 031.

* WINDS...WEST 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH.

* TIMING...DEVELOPING DURING THE EARLY AFTERNOON AND CONTINUING
  INTO THE EARLY EVENING.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 25 TO 30 PERCENT DURING THE AFTERNOON.

* TEMPERATURES...HIGHS THIS AFTERNOON IN THE LOW TO MID 50S.

* IMPACTS...ANY FIRES THAT DEVELOP WILL SPREAD RAPIDLY. 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.

&&

$$

JAM
2 follow-up statements
762 
WWUS83 KFGF 072000
RFWFGF

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS ND
300 PM CDT SAT APR 7 2012

...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS THROUGH EARLY EVENING AND
POSSIBLY AGAIN SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING...

.STRONG WESTERLY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY VALUES WILL CONTINUE
THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING HOURS OVER SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA AS
WELL AS WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA. ON SUNDAY...WEST TO NORTHWEST
WINDS OF UP TO 40 MPH WITHIN A FAIRLY DEEP MIXING COLUMN WILL
TRANSLATE TO AT LEAST 25 MPH AT THE SURFACE...ONCE AGAIN IN TANDEM
WITH HUMIDITY LEVELS OF 20 TO 25 PERCENT OVER THE EXTREME SOUTHERN
FORECAST AREA. VEGETATION REMAINS DRY ACROSS THE REGION AND THE
COMBINATION OF THE DRY AND WINDY CONDITIONS IS LIKELY TO CREATE
CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS SUNDAY.

MNZ029>031-040-NDZ049-052-053-080400-
/O.NEW.KFGF.FW.A.0002.120408T1800Z-120409T0100Z/
/O.CON.KFGF.FW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-120408T0100Z/
WILKIN-WEST OTTER TAIL-EAST OTTER TAIL-GRANT-RANSOM-SARGENT-
RICHLAND-
300 PM CDT SAT APR 7 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING
FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES FOR SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...
...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
SUNDAY EVENING FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES FOR EXTREME SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA AND 
WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND FORKS HAS ISSUED A FIRE
WEATHER WATCH FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES...WHICH IS IN
EFFECT FROM SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING.

* AFFECTED AREA...IN MINNESOTA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 029...030... 
  031 AND 040. IN NORTH DAKOTA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 049...052 
  AND 053.

* WINDS...WEST 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH.

* TIMING...DEVELOPING DURING THE EARLY AFTERNOON AND CONTINUING 
  INTO THE EARLY EVENING. 

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 20 PERCENT.

* TEMPERATURES...IN THE MID 40S.

* IMPACTS...ANY FIRES THAT DEVELOP WILL SPREAD RAPIDLY. 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 AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY 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.

&&

$$

MNZ003-027-028-NDZ038-039-080100-
/O.CON.KFGF.FW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-120408T0100Z/
CLAY-WEST BECKER-EAST BECKER-BARNES-CASS-
300 PM CDT SAT APR 7 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING
FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES FOR SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA AND 
WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

* AFFECTED AREA...IN MINNESOTA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 003...027 
  AND 028. IN NORTH DAKOTA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 038 AND 039.

* WINDS...WEST 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH.

* TIMING...THROUGH THE LATE AFTERNOON AND CONTINUING INTO THE
  EARLY EVENING.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 25 PERCENT.

* TEMPERATURES...IN THE UPPER 40S.

* IMPACTS...ANY FIRES THAT DEVELOP WILL SPREAD RAPIDLY. 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 AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE
GROWTH POTENTIAL.

&&

$$
WJB
523 
WWUS83 KFGF 080058
RFWFGF

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS ND
758 PM CDT SAT APR 7 2012

...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS POSSIBLE AGAIN SUNDAY
AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING...

.DECREASING WINDS AND RISING HUMIDITY VALUES HAVE DECREASED THE
THREAT FOR CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR THIS EVENING. ON
SUNDAY...WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS OF UP TO 40 MPH WITHIN A FAIRLY
DEEP MIXING COLUMN WILL TRANSLATE TO AT LEAST 25 MPH AT THE
SURFACE...ONCE AGAIN IN TANDEM WITH HUMIDITY LEVELS OF 20 TO 25
PERCENT OVER THE EXTREME SOUTHERN FORECAST AREA. VEGETATION
REMAINS DRY ACROSS THE REGION AND THE COMBINATION OF THE DRY AND
WINDY CONDITIONS IS LIKELY TO CREATE CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER
CONDITIONS SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

MNZ029>031-040-NDZ049-052-053-080900-
/O.EXP.KFGF.FW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-120408T0100Z/
/O.CON.KFGF.FW.A.0002.120408T1800Z-120409T0100Z/
WILKIN-WEST OTTER TAIL-EAST OTTER TAIL-GRANT-RANSOM-SARGENT-
RICHLAND-
758 PM CDT SAT APR 7 2012

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY AFTERNOON
THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES ACROSS
EXTREME SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...
...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR
STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES FOR SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA AND
WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

* AFFECTED AREA...IN MINNESOTA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 029...030... 
  031 AND 040. IN NORTH DAKOTA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 049...052 
  AND 053.

* WINDS...WEST 25 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH.

* TIMING...DEVELOPING DURING THE EARLY AFTERNOON AND CONTINUING 
  INTO THE EARLY EVENING. 

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 23 PERCENT.

* TEMPERATURES...IN THE MID 40S.

* IMPACTS...ANY FIRES THAT DEVELOP WILL SPREAD RAPIDLY. 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.

&&

$$

MNZ003-027-028-NDZ038-039-080200-
/O.EXP.KFGF.FW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-120408T0100Z/
CLAY-WEST BECKER-EAST BECKER-BARNES-CASS-
758 PM CDT SAT APR 7 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR
STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES FOR SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA AND
WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

DECREASING WINDS AND RISING HUMIDITY VALUES HAVE DECREASED THE
THREAT FOR CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR THIS EVENING.

$$
12

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 7, 3:35 AM CDTWind AdvisoryFGFBarnes, Benson, Cass, Cavalier, Eddy, Grand Forks and 11 more17 hr
Apr 7, 3:00 PM CDTFire Weather WatchFGFRansom, Richland, Sargent12 hr

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in North Dakota, 2012Red 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.