Alert archive / Minnesota / Red Flag Warnings in 2012

Red Flag Warning 2, NWS Twin Cities, MN

April 6, 201213 counties in Minnesota

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this red flag warning at Apr 6, 2012, 4:37 AM CDT for 13 counties in Minnesota. It took effect at Apr 6, 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 6, 2012, 4:37 AM CDT (09:37 UTC)
In effect from
Apr 6, 2012, 1:00 PM CDT
Expired
Apr 6, 2012, 8:00 PM CDT
In force
7 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 09:41 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, 9.6 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 2012-04-06Temperature 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 2012-04-06The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -12 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
2880 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
13 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-12 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
29 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.

530 
WWUS83 KMPX 060937
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
437 AM CDT FRI APR 6 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING FOR WEST 
CENTRAL INTO PARTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

.THE AREA WILL BE WEDGED BETWEEN VERY DRY HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE
WESTERN GREAT LAKES AND A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE ACROSS THE
WESTERN DAKOTAS. RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL AGAIN DROP INTO THE 20 TO
25 PERCENT RANGE THIS AFTERNOON...BUT WINDS WILL BE STRONGER THAN
YESTERDAY. EXPECT SOUTHEAST WINDS THIS AFTERNOON TO INCREASE TO
20 TO 25 MPH WITH SOME GUSTS OVER 30 MPH. WINDS WILL REMAIN
STRONG INTO THE EVENING...BUT HUMIDITY WILL BEGIN TO RECOVER. THE
RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR AREAS WEST OF ABOUT ALEXANDRIA
TO WILLMAR TO FAIRMONT.

MNZ041-047-048-054>057-064-065-073-074-082-091-061745-
/O.NEW.KMPX.FW.W.0002.120406T1800Z-120407T0100Z/
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
437 AM CDT FRI APR 6 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 8 PM
CDT THIS EVENING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR WEST CENTRAL
AND PARTS OF SOUTH CENTARL MINNESOTA...OR WEST OF A LINE FROM AROUND 
ALEXANDRIA TO WILLMAR TO FAIRMONT.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN HAS ISSUED
A RED FLAG WARNING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...WHICH IS
IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING.

* 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.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 20 TO 25 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...THE COMBINATION OF LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...STRONG
  WINDS AND DRY FUELS WILL CREATE DANGEROUS FIRE WEATHER
  CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING WHICH COULD CAUSE FIRES TO
  GROW QUICKLY.

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.

&&

$$
3 follow-up statements
116 
WWUS83 KMPX 061713
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
1213 PM CDT FRI APR 6 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING FOR WEST
CENTRAL INTO PARTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

.THE AREA WAS WEDGED BETWEEN VERY DRY HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE
WESTERN GREAT LAKES AND A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE ACROSS THE
WESTERN DAKOTAS. RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL DROP INTO THE 20 TO 25
PERCENT RANGE THIS AFTERNOON. SOUTHEAST WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH WITH
GUSTS OVER 30 MPH WILL PREVAIL THROUGH THE BULK OF THE AFTERNOON. 
WINDS WILL REMAIN STRONG INTO THE EVENING...BUT HUMIDITY WILL
BEGIN TO RECOVER. THE RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR AREAS WEST
OF ABOUT ALEXANDRIA TO WILLMAR TO FAIRMONT. T FOR AREAS WEST OF
ABOUT ALEXANDRIA TO WILLMAR TO FAIRMONT.

MNZ041-047-048-054>057-064-065-073-074-082-091-070100-
/O.CON.KMPX.FW.W.0002.120406T1800Z-120407T0100Z/
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
1213 PM CDT FRI APR 6 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING
   FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM 
   THIS AFTERNOON TO 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR WEST CENTRAL AND
   PARTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA...OR WEST OF A LINE FROM AROUND
   ALEXANDRIA...WILLMAR TO FAIRMONT... 

* 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.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 20 TO 25 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...THE COMBINATION OF LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...STRONG 
  WINDS AND DRY FUELS WILL CREATE DANGEROUS FIRE WEATHER 
  CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING WHICH COULD CAUSE FIRES 
  TO GROW QUICKLY. 

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.

&&

$$
321 
WWUS83 KMPX 062024
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
324 PM CDT FRI APR 6 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING FOR WEST
CENTRAL INTO PARTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH SATURDAY AFTERNOON SATURDAY AFTERNOON FOR 
WEST CENTRAL INTO PARTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON...THE AREA WAS WEDGED BETWEEN
VERY DRY HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES AND A TROUGH
OF LOW PRESSURE ACROSS THE WESTERN DAKOTAS. RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL
DROP INTO THE 20 TO 25 PERCENT RANGE THIS AFTERNOON. SOUTHEAST
WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS OVER 30 MPH WILL PREVAIL THROUGH
THE BULK OF THE AFTERNOON. WINDS WILL REMAIN STRONG INTO THE
EVENING...BUT HUMIDITY WILL BEGIN TO RECOVER. THE RED FLAG WARNING
IS IN EFFECT FOR AREAS WEST OF ABOUT ALEXANDRIA TO WILLMAR TO
FAIRMONT.

IN ADDITION...A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH ON SATURDAY
AFTERNOON...WITH DRIER AIR REENTERING THE AREA ON STRONG WEST
WINDS OF 25 TO 30 MPH. RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL DROP INTO THE 20 TO
25 PERCENT RANGE...MAINLY AFTER 2 PM. THESE CONDITIONS WILL
PERSIST INTO EARLY SATURDAY EVENING.


MNZ041-047-048-054>057-064-065-073-074-082-091-070430-
/O.NEW.KMPX.FW.A.0002.120407T1900Z-120408T0100Z/
/O.CON.KMPX.FW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-120407T0100Z/
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
324 PM CDT FRI APR 6 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING
FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM
  THIS AFTERNOON TO 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR WEST CENTRAL AND  
PARTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA...OR WEST OF A LINE FROM AROUND
  ALEXANDRIA...WILLMAR TO FAIRMONT...

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
SATURDAY EVENING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR WEST CENTRAL 
AND PARTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA...OR WEST OF A LINE FROM
AROUND ALEXANDRIA...WILLMAR TO FAIRMONT...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN HAS ISSUED
A FIRE WEATHER WATCH FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...WHICH
IS IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING.

* 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 30 MPH FOR THE
  REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON. EXPECTED WEST WINDS OF 25 TO 30 MPH
  WITH HIGHER GUSTS FOR SATURDAY AFTERNOON.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 20 TO 25 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...THE COMBINATION OF LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...STRONG
  WINDS AND DRY FUELS WILL CREATE DANGEROUS FIRE WEATHER
  CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING WHICH COULD CAUSE FIRES TO
  GROW QUICKLY. SIMILAR CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE SATURDAY AFTERNOON
  INTO SATURDAY EVENING.

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.

&&

$$
028 
WWUS83 KMPX 070118
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
818 PM CDT FRI APR 6 2012

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH SATURDAY AFTERNOON SATURDAY AFTERNOON FOR
WEST CENTRAL INTO PARTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON...WITH DRIER
AIR ENTERING THE AREA ON STRONG WEST WINDS OF 25 TO 30 MPH.
RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL DROP INTO THE 20 TO 25 PERCENT
RANGE...MAINLY AFTER 2 PM. THESE CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST INTO
EARLY SATURDAY EVENING. THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR
AREAS WEST OF ABOUT ALEXANDRIA TO WILLMAR TO FAIRMONT.

MNZ041-047-048-054>057-064-065-073-074-082-091-070930-
/O.EXP.KMPX.FW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-120407T0100Z/
/O.CON.KMPX.FW.A.0002.120407T1900Z-120408T0100Z/
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
818 PM CDT FRI APR 6 2012

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON
THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR 
WEST CENTRAL AND PARTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA...
...RED FLAG WARNING HAS EXPIRED FOR WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY
FOR WEST CENTRAL AND PARTS OF 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...SOUTHWEST 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 20 TO 25 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...THE COMBINATION OF LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...STRONG
  WINDS AND DRY FUELS WILL CREATE DANGEROUS FIRE WEATHER
  CONDITIONS SATURDAY AFTERNOON INTO SATURDAY EVENING WHICH COULD
  CAUSE FIRES TO GROW QUICKLY.

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.

&&

$$

The office that day

Everything else NWS Twin Cities, MN issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 6, 3:24 PM CDTFire Weather WatchMPXBrown, Chippewa, Douglas, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, Martin and 7 more12 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.