Alert archive / Minnesota / Red Flag Warnings in 2012

Red Flag Warning 13, NWS Twin Cities, MN

October 12, 201213 counties in Minnesota

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this red flag warning at Oct 12, 2012, 2:49 AM CDT for 13 counties in Minnesota. It took effect at Oct 12, 2012, 12:00 PM CDT. It was in force for 8 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 12, 2012, 2:49 AM CDT (07:49 UTC)
In effect from
Oct 12, 2012, 12:00 PM CDT
Expired
Oct 12, 2012, 8:06 PM CDT
In force
8 hr
Issued by
NWS Twin Cities, MN

Counties Brown County, MN, Chippewa County, MN, Douglas County, MN, Kandiyohi County, MN, Lac qui Parle County, MN, Martin County, MN, Pope County, MN, Redwood County, MN, Renville County, MN, Stevens County, MN, Swift County, MN, Watonwan County, MN, Yellow Medicine County, MN

The radar

The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 139 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 07:53 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

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 00:00Z, 7.8 hours before the alert went out and 136 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, Minneapolis, MN at 00:00Z on 2012-10-12Temperature 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, Minneapolis, MN at 00:00Z on 2012-10-12The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -35 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 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
2672 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
76 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-35 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
5 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.

524 
WWUS83 KMPX 120749
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
249 AM CDT FRI OCT 12 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING FOR PARTS OF WEST
CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA FOR LOW HUMIDITY AND STRONG
WINDS...

.DANGEROUS FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON
AND EVENING ACROSS PARTS OF WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL
MINNESOTA...AS STRONG SOUTHEAST WINDS COMBINE WITH LOW HUMIDITY
VALUES AND DRY CONDITIONS. THE RED FLAG WARNING IS GENERALLY ALONG
AND WEST OF A LINE FROM ALEXANDRIA...TO WILLMAR...TO NEW ULM...TO
FAIRMONT.

SOUTHEAST WINDS OF AT LEAST 20 MPH...WITH GUSTS TO 35 MPH...ARE
FORECAST THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING ALONG WITH RELATIVE
HUMIDITY VALUES REACHING AROUND 20 PERCENT. 

MNZ041-047-048-054>057-064-065-073-074-082-091-121600-
/O.UPG.KMPX.FW.A.0012.121012T1700Z-121013T0200Z/
/O.NEW.KMPX.FW.W.0013.121012T1700Z-121013T0200Z/
DOUGLAS-STEVENS-POPE-LAC QUI PARLE-SWIFT-CHIPPEWA-KANDIYOHI-
YELLOW MEDICINE-RENVILLE-REDWOOD-BROWN-WATONWAN-MARTIN-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ALEXANDRIA...MORRIS...GLENWOOD...
MADISON...BENSON...MONTEVIDEO...WILLMAR...GRANITE FALLS...
OLIVIA...REDWOOD FALLS...NEW ULM...ST. JAMES...FAIRMONT
249 AM CDT FRI OCT 12 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 9 PM CDT THIS
EVENING FOR LOW HUMIDITY AND STRONG WINDS FOR PARTS OF WEST CENTRAL
AND SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN HAS ISSUED
A RED FLAG WARNING FOR LOW HUMIDITY AND STRONG WINDS...WHICH IS IN
EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING. THE FIRE WEATHER
WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 041 DOUGLAS...FIRE WEATHER 
  ZONE 047 STEVENS...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 048 POPE...FIRE WEATHER 
  ZONE 054 LAC QUI PARLE...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 055 SWIFT...FIRE 
  WEATHER ZONE 056 CHIPPEWA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 057 KANDIYOHI...
  FIRE WEATHER ZONE 064 YELLOW MEDICINE...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 065 
  RENVILLE...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 073 REDWOOD...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 
  074 BROWN...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 082 WATONWAN AND FIRE WEATHER 
  ZONE 091 MARTIN.

* WINDS...SOUTHEAST 20 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH.

* TIMING...THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING.

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

* TEMPERATURES...FROM 52 TO 57.

* IMPACTS...FIRES COULD BECOME FAST MOVING IN A SHORT PERIOD OF 
  TIME DUE TO THE STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY. 

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.

&&

$$

RAH
3 follow-up statements
471 
WWUS83 KMPX 121500
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
1000 AM CDT FRI OCT 12 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING FOR PARTS OF WEST
CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA FOR LOW HUMIDITY AND STRONG
WINDS...

.DANGEROUS FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON
AND EVENING ACROSS PARTS OF WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL
MINNESOTA...AS STRONG SOUTHEAST WINDS COMBINE WITH LOW HUMIDITY
VALUES AND DRY CONDITIONS. THE RED FLAG WARNING IS GENERALLY
ALONG AND WEST OF A LINE FROM ALEXANDRIA TO FAIRMONT.

SOUTHEAST WINDS OF AT LEAST 20 MPH...WITH GUSTS TO 30 MPH...ARE
FORECAST THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING ALONG WITH RELATIVE
HUMIDITY VALUES REACHING AROUND 20 PERCENT.

MNZ041-047-048-054>057-064-065-073-074-082-091-122300-
/O.CON.KMPX.FW.W.0013.121012T1700Z-121013T0200Z/
DOUGLAS-STEVENS-POPE-LAC QUI PARLE-SWIFT-CHIPPEWA-KANDIYOHI-
YELLOW MEDICINE-RENVILLE-REDWOOD-BROWN-WATONWAN-MARTIN-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ALEXANDRIA...MORRIS...GLENWOOD...
MADISON...BENSON...MONTEVIDEO...WILLMAR...GRANITE FALLS...
OLIVIA...REDWOOD FALLS...NEW ULM...ST. JAMES...FAIRMONT
1000 AM CDT FRI OCT 12 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING
FOR LOW HUMIDITY AND STRONG WINDS FOR PARTS OF WEST CENTRAL AND
SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

* AFFECTED AREA...LOCATIONS ALONG AND WEST OF AN ALEXANDRIA TO
  FAIRMONT LINE.

* WINDS...SOUTH 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH.

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

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

* IMPACTS...FIRES COULD BECOME FAST MOVING IN A SHORT PERIOD OF 
  TIME DUE TO THE STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY. 

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.

&&

$$
546 
WWUS83 KMPX 122025
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
325 PM CDT FRI OCT 12 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING
FOR LOW HUMIDITY AND STRONG WINDS FOR PARTS OF WEST CENTRAL AND
SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

.DANGEROUS FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH EARLY THIS
EVENING ACROSS PARTS OF WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA...
AS STRONG SOUTHEAST WINDS COMBINE WITH LOW HUMIDITY VALUES AND DRY
CONDITIONS. THE RED FLAG WARNING IS GENERALLY ALONG AND WEST OF A
LINE FROM ALEXANDRIA TO FAIRMONT.

SOUTHEAST WINDS OF AT LEAST 20 MPH...WITH GUSTS TO 30 MPH...ARE
FORECAST THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING HOURS ALONG WITH RELATIVE
HUMIDITY VALUES DROPPING TO AROUND 20 PERCENT.

MNZ041-047-048-054>057-064-065-073-074-082-091-130200-
/O.CON.KMPX.FW.W.0013.000000T0000Z-121013T0200Z/
DOUGLAS-STEVENS-POPE-LAC QUI PARLE-SWIFT-CHIPPEWA-KANDIYOHI-
YELLOW MEDICINE-RENVILLE-REDWOOD-BROWN-WATONWAN-MARTIN-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ALEXANDRIA...MORRIS...GLENWOOD...
MADISON...BENSON...MONTEVIDEO...WILLMAR...GRANITE FALLS...
OLIVIA...REDWOOD FALLS...NEW ULM...ST. JAMES...FAIRMONT
325 PM CDT FRI OCT 12 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING
FOR LOW HUMIDITY AND STRONG WINDS FOR PARTS OF WEST CENTRAL AND
SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 041 DOUGLAS...FIRE WEATHER 
  ZONE 047 STEVENS...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 048 POPE...FIRE WEATHER 
  ZONE 054 LAC QUI PARLE...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 055 SWIFT...FIRE 
  WEATHER ZONE 056 CHIPPEWA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 057 KANDIYOHI...
  FIRE WEATHER ZONE 064 YELLOW MEDICINE...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 065 
  RENVILLE...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 073 REDWOOD...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 
  074 BROWN...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 082 WATONWAN AND FIRE WEATHER 
  ZONE 091 MARTIN.

* WINDS...SOUTH 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 19 PERCENT.

* TEMPERATURES...IN THE LOWER 50S.

* IMPACTS...FIRES COULD BECOME FAST MOVING IN A SHORT PERIOD OF 
  TIME DUE TO THE STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY. 

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.

&&

$$
575 
WWUS83 KMPX 130106
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
806 PM CDT FRI OCT 12 2012


MNZ041-047-048-054>057-064-065-073-074-082-091-130215-
/O.CAN.KMPX.FW.W.0013.000000T0000Z-121013T0200Z/
DOUGLAS-STEVENS-POPE-LAC QUI PARLE-SWIFT-CHIPPEWA-KANDIYOHI-
YELLOW MEDICINE-RENVILLE-REDWOOD-BROWN-WATONWAN-MARTIN-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ALEXANDRIA...MORRIS...GLENWOOD...
MADISON...BENSON...MONTEVIDEO...WILLMAR...GRANITE FALLS...
OLIVIA...REDWOOD FALLS...NEW ULM...ST. JAMES...FAIRMONT
806 PM CDT FRI OCT 12 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITY FOR WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN HAS
CANCELLED THE RED FLAG WARNING. FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS HAVE
IMPROVED ACROSS THE AREA.


$$

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.