Alert archive / Nebraska / Red Flag Warnings in 2012

Red Flag Warning 18, NWS North Platte, NE

May 15, 201211 counties in Nebraska

NWS North Platte, NE issued this red flag warning at May 15, 2012, 2:30 PM MDT for 11 counties in Nebraska. It took effect at May 16, 2012, 10:00 AM 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: May 15, 2012, 2:30 PM MDT (20:30 UTC)
In effect from: May 16, 2012, 10:00 AM MDT
Expired: May 16, 2012, 8:00 PM MDT
In force: 10 hr
Issued by: NWS North Platte, NE

Counties Arthur County, NE, Chase County, NE, Cherry County, NE, Deuel County, NE, Garden County, NE, Grant County, NE, Hayes County, NE, Keith County, NE, Lincoln County, NE, Perkins County, NE, Sheridan County, NE

The radar

The North Platte radar (KLNX), 110 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:32 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

N. Platte/Lee Bi, NE (KLBF), launched 12:00Z, 8.5 hours before the alert went out and 95 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 3190 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 22 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 47 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 87 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.

912 
WWUS83 KLBF 152030
RFWLBF

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
330 PM CDT TUE MAY 15 2012

...EXTREME FIRE POTENTIAL ACROSS THE EASTERN PANHANDLE OF NEBRASKA...

.ABNORMALLY WARM AND DRY CONDITIONS WILL BE EXPECTED ACROSS THE
EASTERN PANHANDLE OF NEBRASKA ON WEDNESDAY...INCLUDING CRESCENT
LAKE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE. MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES OF
LESS THAN 15 PERCENT WILL COMBINE WITH GUSTY SOUTHERLY WINDS UP
TO 30 MPH TO CREATE CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR EXTREME FIRE GROWTH.

IN ADDITION...HIGH BASED THUNDERSTORMS MAY BE POSSIBLE LATE
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON ACROSS THE WARNED AREA. DUE TO THE ELEVATED
NATURE OF THE STORMS...LITTLE IF ANY PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO
FALL TO THE GROUND. THE PROBABILITY OF DRY LIGHTNING IS LOW...BUT
WORTH A MENTION.

NEZ204-160430-
/O.NEW.KLBF.FW.W.0018.120516T1600Z-120517T0200Z/
EASTERN PANHANDLE/CRESCENT LAKE NWR-
230 PM MDT TUE MAY 15 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM TO 8 PM MDT WEDNESDAY
FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE ZONE 204 /EASTERN
PANHANDLE INCLUDING THE CRESCENT LAKE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE/...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NORTH PLATTE HAS ISSUED A RED
FLAG WARNING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...WHICH IS IN
EFFECT FROM 10 AM TO 8 PM MDT WEDNESDAY.

* AFFECTED AREA...IN NEBRASKA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 204 EASTERN 
  PANHANDLE/CRESCENT LAKE NWR.

* WINDS...SOUTH 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH.

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

* IMPACTS...FIRES THAT DEVELOP WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL OF EXTREME
  FIRE GROWTH

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.

&&

JACOBS

$$

HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/LBF

3 follow-up statements

281 
WWUS83 KLBF 160928
RFWLBF

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
428 AM CDT WED MAY 16 2012

...EXTREME FIRE POTENTIAL ACROSS THE EASTERN PANHANDLE OF
NEBRASKA...

.ABNORMALLY WARM AND DRY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE
EASTERN PANHANDLE OF NEBRASKA TODAY...INCLUDING CRESCENT
LAKE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE. MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES
OF LESS THAN 15 PERCENT WILL COMBINE WITH GUSTY SOUTHERLY WINDS
UP TO 30 MPH AND DRY FUEL CONDITIONS TO CREATE CONDITIONS
FAVORABLE FOR EXTREME FIRE GROWTH.

IN ADDITION...HIGH-BASED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE LATE
THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS THE WARNED AREA. DUE TO THE ELEVATED NATURE
OF THE STORMS...LITTLE IF ANY PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO FALL TO
THE GROUND. THE PROBABILITY OF DRY LIGHTNING IS LOW.

NEZ204-161730-
/O.CON.KLBF.FW.W.0018.120516T1600Z-120517T0200Z/
EASTERN PANHANDLE/CRESCENT LAKE NWR-
328 AM MDT WED MAY 16 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO
8 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR THE 
EASTERN NEBRASKA PANHANDLE...

* AFFECTED AREA...IN NEBRASKA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 204 EASTERN 
  PANHANDLE/CRESCENT LAKE NWR.

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

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 16 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...FIRES THAT DEVELOP WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL OF 
  EXTREME FIRE GROWTH 

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.

&&

SPRINGER

$$

HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/LBF

150 
WWUS83 KLBF 161425
RFWLBF

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
925 AM CDT WED MAY 16 2012

...EXTREME FIRE POTENTIAL ACROSS THE EASTERN PANHANDLE OF
NEBRASKA...

.ABNORMALLY WARM AND DRY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS WESTERN
AND SOUTHWESTERN NEBRASKA TODAY. MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES
OF LESS THAN 15 PERCENT WILL COMBINE WITH GUSTY SOUTHERLY WINDS UP
TO 35 MPH AND DRY FUEL CONDITIONS TO CREATE A FAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR
EXTREME FIRE GROWTH.

IN ADDITION...HIGH BASED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE LATE THIS
AFTERNOON ACROSS THE EASTERN PANHANDLE. DUE TO THE ELEVATED NATURE OF THE
STORMS...LITTLE IF ANY PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO FALL TO THE
GROUND. THE PROBABILITY OF DRY LIGHTNING IS LOW.

NEZ210-170200-
/O.EXA.KLBF.FW.W.0018.120516T1600Z-120517T0200Z/
FRENCHMAN BASIN-
925 AM CDT WED MAY 16 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR
WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR SOUTHWEST NEBRASKA INCLUDING 
THE FRENCHMAN BASIN FIRE ZONE...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NORTH PLATTE HAS ISSUED A RED
FLAG WARNING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...WHICH IS IN
EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CDT /8 PM MDT/ THIS EVENING.

* AFFECTED AREA...IN NEBRASKA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 210 FRENCHMAN 
  BASIN.

* WINDS...SOUTH 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH.

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

* IMPACTS...FIRES THAT DEVELOP WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL OF 
  EXTREME FIRE GROWTH 

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.

&&

JACOBS/AHSENMACHER

$$

NEZ204-170200-
/O.CON.KLBF.FW.W.0018.120516T1600Z-120517T0200Z/
EASTERN PANHANDLE/CRESCENT LAKE NWR-
825 AM MDT WED MAY 16 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING
FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR THE 
EASTERN NEBRASKA PANHANDLE...

* AFFECTED AREA...IN NEBRASKA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 204 EASTERN 
  PANHANDLE/CRESCENT LAKE NWR.

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

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

* IMPACTS...FIRES THAT DEVELOP WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL OF 
  EXTREME FIRE GROWTH 

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.

&&

JACOBS/AHSENMACHER

$$

HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/LBF

402 
WWUS83 KLBF 170203
RFWLBF

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
903 PM CDT WED MAY 16 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING ALLOWED TO EXPIRE...

NEZ204-210-170315-
/O.EXP.KLBF.FW.W.0018.000000T0000Z-120517T0200Z/
EASTERN PANHANDLE/CRESCENT LAKE NWR-FRENCHMAN BASIN-
903 PM CDT WED MAY 16 2012 /803 PM MDT WED MAY 16 2012/

...RED FLAG WARNING HAS EXPIRED FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITY FOR THE EASTERN NEBRASKA PANHANDLE AND PORTIONS OF
SOUTHWEST NEBRASKA HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO EXPIRE. RELATIVE HUMIDITY
ACROSS THE AREA WAS INCREASING AS TEMPERATURES FELL AND WINDS
DECREASED. 

$$

HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/LBF

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Nebraska, 2012 Every 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.