Alert archive / Alabama / Red Flag Warnings in 2012

Red Flag Warning 35, NWS Mobile, AL

December 20, 201210 counties in Alabama

NWS Mobile, AL issued this red flag warning at Dec 20, 2012, 2:19 PM CST for 10 counties in Alabama. It took effect at Dec 21, 2012, 10:00 AM CST. 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
Dec 20, 2012, 2:19 PM CST (20:19 UTC)
In effect from
Dec 21, 2012, 10:00 AM CST
Expired
Dec 21, 2012, 5:00 PM CST
In force
7 hr
Issued by
NWS Mobile, AL

Counties Butler County, AL, Choctaw County, AL, Clarke County, AL, Conecuh County, AL, Covington County, AL, Crenshaw County, AL, Escambia County, AL, Monroe County, AL, Washington County, AL, Wilcox County, AL

The radar

The Mobile radar (KMOB), 138 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:17 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

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 8.3 hours before the alert went out and 182 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, Birmingham, AL at 12:00Z on 2012-12-20Temperature 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, Birmingham, AL at 12:00Z on 2012-12-20The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 574 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
512 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
52 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
574 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
705 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

864 
WWUS84 KMOB 202019
RFWMOB

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
219 PM CST THU DEC 20 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM LATE FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH
FRIDAY AFTERNOON FOR THE WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE DUE TO A PERIOD OF
CRITICALLY LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND HIGH 20 FOOT WIND SPEEDS...

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FRIDAY AFTERNOON FOR PORTIONS OF
SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA DUE TO POTENTIALLY LONG PERIOD OF CRITICALLY
LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...

.MUCH DRIER AND COOLER AIR WILL FILTER INTO THE REGION THROUGH
FRIDAY IN THE WAKE OF A STRONG COLD FRONT. HUMIDITY VALUES WILL
DROP INTO THE UPPER TEEN TO LOWER 20 PERCENT RANGE ACROSS THE
WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE AND SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA. 20 FOOT WINDS
SPEEDS WILL INCREASE TO 15 TO 20 MPH DURING THE AFTERNOON.

FLZ001>006-211300-
/O.UPG.KMOB.FW.A.0032.121221T1600Z-121221T2300Z/
/O.NEW.KMOB.FW.W.0035.121221T1600Z-121221T2300Z/
INLAND ESCAMBIA-COASTAL ESCAMBIA-INLAND SANTA ROSA-
COASTAL SANTA ROSA-INLAND OKALOOSA-COASTAL OKALOOSA-
219 PM CST THU DEC 20 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM TO 5 PM CST FRIDAY FOR
THE WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE DUE TO A PERIOD OF CRITICALLY LOW 
RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND HIGH 20 FOOT WIND SPEEDS...

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY: 19 TO 24 PERCENT.

* WINDS: SUSTAINED NORTHWEST NEAR 15 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 20 TO 25 MPH.

* DISPERSIONS: 55 TO 60.

* ERC: 20 TO 25.

* 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 LOW
RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND DRY FUELS WILL CREATE RAPID FIRE GROWTH
POTENTIAL.

&&

$$

ALZ054>060-211300-
/O.NEW.KMOB.FW.A.0033.121221T1800Z-121221T2300Z/
WILCOX-MONROE-CONECUH-BUTLER-CRENSHAW-ESCAMBIA-COVINGTON-
219 PM CST THU DEC 20 2012

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FRIDAY AFTERNOON FOR PORTIONS OF
SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA DUE TO A POTENTIALLY LONG PERIOD OF CRITICALLY
LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MOBILE HAS ISSUED A FIRE WEATHER
WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FRIDAY AFTERNOON. 

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 054...055...056...057... 
  058...059 AND 060. 

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY: 19 TO 23 PERCENT. 

* WINDS: SUSTAINED NORTHWEST NEAR 15 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 2O TO 25 MPH. 

* DISPERSIONS: 65 TO 75. 

* 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.

&&

$$
2 follow-up statements
846 
WWUS84 KMOB 202246 CCA
RFWMOB

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
219 PM CST THU DEC 20 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM LATE FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH
FRIDAY AFTERNOON FOR THE WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE DUE TO A PERIOD OF
CRITICALLY LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND HIGH 20 FOOT WIND SPEEDS...

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FRIDAY AFTERNOON FOR PORTIONS OF
SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA DUE TO POTENTIALLY LONG PERIOD OF CRITICALLY
LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...

.MUCH DRIER AND COOLER AIR WILL FILTER INTO THE REGION THROUGH
FRIDAY IN THE WAKE OF A STRONG COLD FRONT. HUMIDITY VALUES WILL
DROP INTO THE UPPER TEEN TO LOWER 20 PERCENT RANGE ACROSS THE
WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE AND SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA. 20 FOOT WINDS
SPEEDS WILL INCREASE TO 15 TO 20 MPH DURING THE AFTERNOON.

FLZ001>006-211300-
/O.UPG.KMOB.FW.A.0032.121221T1600Z-121221T2300Z/
/O.NEW.KMOB.FW.W.0035.121221T1600Z-121221T2300Z/
INLAND ESCAMBIA-COASTAL ESCAMBIA-INLAND SANTA ROSA-
COASTAL SANTA ROSA-INLAND OKALOOSA-COASTAL OKALOOSA-
219 PM CST THU DEC 20 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM TO 5 PM CST FRIDAY FOR
THE WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE DUE TO A PERIOD OF CRITICALLY LOW 
RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND HIGH 20 FOOT WIND SPEEDS...

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY: 19 TO 24 PERCENT.

* WINDS: SUSTAINED NORTHWEST NEAR 15 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 20 TO 25 MPH.

* DISPERSIONS: 55 TO 60.

* ERC: 20 TO 25.

* 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 LOW
RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND DRY FUELS WILL CREATE RAPID FIRE GROWTH
POTENTIAL.

&&

$$

ALZ054>060-211300-
/O.COR.KMOB.FW.A.0033.121221T1800Z-121221T2300Z/
WILCOX-MONROE-CONECUH-BUTLER-CRENSHAW-ESCAMBIA-COVINGTON-
219 PM CST THU DEC 20 2012

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FRIDAY AFTERNOON FOR PORTIONS OF
SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA DUE TO A POTENTIALLY LONG PERIOD OF CRITICALLY
LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MOBILE HAS ISSUED A FIRE WEATHER
WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FRIDAY AFTERNOON. 

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 054...055...056...057... 
  058...059 AND 060. 

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY: 19 TO 23 PERCENT. 

* WINDS: SUSTAINED NORTHWEST NEAR 15 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 20 TO 25 MPH.

* DISPERSIONS: 65 TO 75. 

* 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.

&&

$$
548 
WWUS84 KMOB 211206
RFWMOB

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
606 AM CST FRI DEC 21 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 5 PM CST
THIS AFTERNOON FOR A LONG DURATION OF LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY BELOW
35 PERCENT ACROSS THE WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE...

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 5 PM CST THIS
AFTERNOON FOR A LONG DURATION OF LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY BELOW 35
PERCENT ACROSS SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...

.MUCH DRIER AND COOLER AIR WILL FILTER INTO THE REGION TODAY IN THE
WAKE OF A STRONG COLD FRONT. HUMIDITY VALUES WILL DROP INTO THE UPPER
TEEN TO LOWER 20 PERCENT RANGE ACROSS THE WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE
AND SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA. 20
FOOT WINDS SPEEDS WILL INCREASE TO 15 TO 20 MPH TODAY.

ALZ054>060-212300-
/O.UPG.KMOB.FW.A.0033.121221T1800Z-121221T2300Z/
/O.EXB.KMOB.FW.W.0035.121221T1800Z-121221T2300Z/
WILCOX-MONROE-CONECUH-BUTLER-CRENSHAW-ESCAMBIA-COVINGTON-
606 AM CST FRI DEC 21 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 5 PM CST THIS
AFTERNOON FOR A LONG DURATION OF LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY BELOW 35
PERCENT ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY: 19 TO 23 PERCENT.

* WINDS: SUSTAINED NORTHWEST NEAR 15 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 20 TO 25 
  MPH.

* DISPERSIONS: 65 TO 75.

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

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT DANGEROUS FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE
EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR LIKELY WILL OCCUR. A COMBINATION OF LOW
RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND WARM TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE
GROWTH POTENTIAL.

&&

$$

ALZ051>053-061>064-212300-
/O.EXB.KMOB.FW.W.0035.121221T1800Z-121221T2300Z/
CHOCTAW-WASHINGTON-CLARKE-UPPER MOBILE-UPPER BALDWIN-LOWER MOBILE-
LOWER BALDWIN-
606 AM CST FRI DEC 21 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 5 PM CST THIS
AFTERNOON FOR A LONG DURATION OF LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY BELOW 35
PERCENT ACROSS SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY: 19 TO 24 PERCENT.

* WINDS: SUSTAINED NORTHWEST NEAR 15 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 20 TO 25 
  MPH.

* DISPERSIONS: 55 TO 60.

* ERC: 20 TO 25.

* 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 LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITY...AND DRY FUELS WILL CREATE RAPID FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL.

&&

$$

FLZ001>006-212300-
/O.CON.KMOB.FW.W.0035.121221T1600Z-121221T2300Z/
INLAND ESCAMBIA-COASTAL ESCAMBIA-INLAND SANTA ROSA-
COASTAL SANTA ROSA-INLAND OKALOOSA-COASTAL OKALOOSA-
606 AM CST FRI DEC 21 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO
5 PM CST THIS AFTERNOON FOR A LONG DURATION OF LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY
BELOW 35 PERCENT ACROSS THE WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE...

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY: 19 TO 24 PERCENT.

* WINDS: SUSTAINED NORTHWEST NEAR 15 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 20 TO 25 
  MPH.

* DISPERSIONS: 55 TO 60.

* ERC: 20 TO 25.

* 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 LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITY...AND DRY FUELS WILL CREATE RAPID FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL.

&&

$$

The office that day

Everything else NWS Mobile, AL issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Dec 20, 7:52 AM CSTTornado WarningMOBEscambia53 min
Dec 20, 8:27 AM CSTTornado WarningMOBEscambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa63 min
Dec 20, 8:29 AM CSTTornado WarningMOBOkaloosa, Santa Rosa46 min
Dec 20, 8:41 AM CSTTornado WarningMOBEscambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa64 min
Dec 20, 9:00 AM CSTTornado WarningMOBEscambia, Santa Rosa60 min
Dec 20, 9:11 AM CSTTornado WarningMOBOkaloosa, Santa Rosa25 min
Dec 20, 9:25 AM CSTTornado WarningMOBOkaloosa55 min
Dec 20, 9:43 AM CSTTornado WarningMOBOkaloosa, Santa Rosa62 min
Dec 20, 10:19 AM CSTAreal Flood AdvisoryMOBEscambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa3 hr
Dec 20, 2:51 AM CSTGale WarningMOB30 hr
Dec 20, 2:51 AM CSTSmall Craft AdvisoryMOB33 hr
Dec 20, 4:11 AM CSTTornado WarningMOBMobile64 min
Dec 20, 4:42 AM CSTTornado WarningMOBMobile36 min
Dec 20, 4:49 AM CSTTornado WarningMOBChoctaw30 min
Dec 20, 5:14 AM CSTTornado WarningMOBBaldwin46 min
Dec 20, 5:29 AM CSTTornado WarningMOBWashington46 min
Dec 20, 5:38 AM CSTTornado WarningMOBChoctaw, Clarke, Washington52 min
Dec 20, 5:45 AM CSTTornado WarningMOBBaldwin, Mobile39 min
Dec 20, 6:03 AM CSTTornado WarningMOBClarke28 min
Dec 20, 6:06 AM CSTTornado WarningMOBWashington22 min
Dec 20, 6:08 AM CSTTornado WarningMOBBaldwin21 min
Dec 20, 6:11 AM CSTTornado WarningMOBConecuh, Escambia, Monroe49 min
Dec 20, 6:39 AM CSTTornado WarningMOBConecuh, Monroe35 min
Dec 20, 6:40 AM CSTTornado WarningMOBWashington50 min
Dec 20, 6:56 AM CSTTornado WarningMOBBaldwin, Mobile34 min
Dec 20, 7:02 AM CSTTornado WarningMOBBaldwin, Mobile58 min
Dec 20, 7:06 AM CSTSpecial Marine WarningMOB84 min
Dec 20, 7:18 AM CSTTornado WarningMOBClarke, Washington42 min
Dec 20, 7:19 AM CSTTornado WarningMOBConecuh, Escambia, Monroe56 min
Dec 20, 7:25 AM CSTTornado WarningMOBClarke, Wilcox50 min
Dec 20, 7:36 AM CSTTornado WarningMOBBaldwin, Clarke, Monroe42 min
Dec 20, 8:10 AM CSTTornado WarningMOBWilcox32 min
Dec 20, 8:14 AM CSTTornado WarningMOBConecuh, Monroe33 min
Dec 20, 8:15 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBChoctaw, Clarke17 min
Dec 20, 8:26 AM CSTSpecial Marine WarningMOB94 min
Dec 20, 9:28 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBWilcox15 min
Dec 20, 9:30 AM CSTSpecial Marine WarningMOB60 min
Dec 20, 9:49 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBWilcox26 min
Dec 20, 9:50 AM CSTTornado WarningMOBCovington, Crenshaw16 min
Dec 20, 10:23 AM CSTSpecial Marine WarningMOB82 min
Dec 20, 11:34 AM CSTSpecial Marine WarningMOB61 min
Dec 20, 2:19 PM CSTFire Weather WatchMOBButler, Conecuh, Covington, Crenshaw, Escambia, Monroe and 1 more16 hr

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Alabama, 2012Red Flag Warnings in Florida, 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.