Alert archive / Minnesota / Red Flag Warnings in 2012

Red Flag Warning 8, NWS Twin Cities, MN

September 15, 201212 counties in Minnesota

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this red flag warning at Sep 15, 2012, 2:55 AM CDT for 12 counties in Minnesota. It took effect at Sep 15, 2012, 1:00 PM CDT. It was in force for 6 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
Sep 15, 2012, 2:55 AM CDT (07:55 UTC)
In effect from
Sep 15, 2012, 1:00 PM CDT
Expired
Sep 15, 2012, 7:15 PM CDT
In force
6 hr
Issued by
NWS Twin Cities, MN

Counties Blue Earth County, MN, Brown County, MN, Chippewa County, MN, Faribault County, MN, Lac qui Parle County, MN, Martin County, MN, Nicollet County, MN, Redwood County, MN, Renville County, MN, Sibley County, MN, Watonwan County, MN, Yellow Medicine County, MN

The radar

The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 115 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 07:58 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, 7.9 hours before the alert went out and 113 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 2012-09-15Temperature 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 2012-09-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 22 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
2946 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
25 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
22 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
135 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.

430 
WWUS83 KMPX 150755
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
255 AM CDT SAT SEP 15 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING ACROSS SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA FOR SATURDAY
AFTERNOON...

.SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE TO AROUND 20 MPH TODAY...WITH GUSTS
TO BETWEEN 25 AND 30 MPH POSSIBLE DURING THE AFTERNOON...AS RELATIVE
HUMIDITY VALUES FALL TO AROUND 20 PERCENT. GIVEN THE STRONG
WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES...AND DRY FUELS... A RED FLAG WARNING
HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THIS AFTERNOON INTO EARLY THIS EVENING
GENERALLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE MINNESOTA RIVER VALLEY.

FARTHER NORTH IN WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH
THAT INCLUDED STEVENS...POPE...SWIFT...AND KANDIYOHI COUNTIES HAS
BEEN CANCELED. WHILE RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES WILL FALL TO BETWEEN
20 AND 25 PERCENT THIS AFTERNOON...WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN
BELOW 20 MPH.

MNZ047-048-055-057-150900-
/O.CAN.KMPX.FW.A.0007.120915T1800Z-120916T0100Z/
STEVENS-POPE-SWIFT-KANDIYOHI-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MORRIS...GLENWOOD...BENSON...WILLMAR
255 AM CDT SAT SEP 15 2012

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS CANCELLED FOR WIND...LOW HUMIDITY...AND
DRY FUELS FOR SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN HAS
CANCELED THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH.

WHILE RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES WILL FALL TO BETWEEN 20
AND 25 PERCENT THIS AFTERNOON...WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN
BELOW 20 MPH.

$$

MNZ054-056-064-065-067-073>075-082-083-091-092-151600-
/O.UPG.KMPX.FW.A.0007.120915T1800Z-120916T0100Z/
/O.NEW.KMPX.FW.W.0008.120915T1800Z-120916T0100Z/
LAC QUI PARLE-CHIPPEWA-YELLOW MEDICINE-RENVILLE-SIBLEY-REDWOOD-
BROWN-NICOLLET-WATONWAN-BLUE EARTH-MARTIN-FARIBAULT-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MADISON...MONTEVIDEO...GRANITE FALLS...
OLIVIA...GAYLORD...REDWOOD FALLS...NEW ULM...ST. PETER...
ST. JAMES...MANKATO...FAIRMONT...BLUE EARTH
255 AM CDT SAT SEP 15 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 8 PM
CDT THIS EVENING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA...

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. THE
FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 054 LAC QUI PARLE...FIRE 
  WEATHER ZONE 056 CHIPPEWA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 064 YELLOW 
  MEDICINE...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 065 RENVILLE...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 
  067 SIBLEY...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 073 REDWOOD...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 
  074 BROWN...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 075 NICOLLET...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 
  082 WATONWAN...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 083 BLUE EARTH...FIRE WEATHER 
  ZONE 091 MARTIN AND FIRE WEATHER ZONE 092 FARIBAULT.

* WINDS...SOUTH 15 TO 20 MPH WITH POTENTIAL GUSTS 25 TO 30 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...RANGING FROM 20 TO 25 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...FIRES COULD BECOME FAST MOVING IN A SHORT PERIOD OF 
  TIME DUE TO THE GUSTY 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.

&&

$$
3 follow-up statements
545 
WWUS83 KMPX 151521
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
1021 AM CDT SAT SEP 15 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING CONTINUES ACROSS SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL 
MINNESOTA THROUGH EARLY EVENING...

.SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL REMAIN BETWEEN 15 AND 20 MPH...WITH GUSTS UP
TO 35 MPH DURING THE AFTERNOON...AS RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES FALL
TO AROUND 20 PERCENT. GIVEN THE STRONG WINDS...LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITY VALUES...AND DRY FUELS...A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN
EFFECT THIS AFTERNOON...AND INTO EARLY THIS EVENING GENERALLY
ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE MINNESOTA RIVER VALLEY.

MNZ054-056-064-065-067-073>075-082-083-091-092-160000-
/O.CON.KMPX.FW.W.0008.120915T1800Z-120916T0100Z/
LAC QUI PARLE-CHIPPEWA-YELLOW MEDICINE-RENVILLE-SIBLEY-REDWOOD-
BROWN-NICOLLET-WATONWAN-BLUE EARTH-MARTIN-FARIBAULT-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MADISON...MONTEVIDEO...GRANITE FALLS...
OLIVIA...GAYLORD...REDWOOD FALLS...NEW ULM...ST. PETER...
ST. JAMES...MANKATO...FAIRMONT...BLUE EARTH
1021 AM CDT SAT SEP 15 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING
FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR SOUTHWEST AND PORTIONS OF 
SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 054 LAC QUI PARLE...FIRE 
  WEATHER ZONE 056 CHIPPEWA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 064 YELLOW 
  MEDICINE...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 065 RENVILLE...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 
  067 SIBLEY...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 073 REDWOOD...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 
  074 BROWN...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 075 NICOLLET...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 
  082 WATONWAN...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 083 BLUE EARTH...FIRE WEATHER 
  ZONE 091 MARTIN AND FIRE WEATHER ZONE 092 FARIBAULT.

* WINDS...SOUTHWEST 15 TO 20 MPH...WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 22 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...FIRES COULD BECOME FAST MOVING IN A SHORT PERIOD OF 
  TIME DUE TO THE GUSTY 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.

&&

$$

JLT
057 
WWUS83 KMPX 152055
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
355 PM CDT SAT SEP 15 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING CONTINUES ACROSS SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL
MINNESOTA THROUGH EARLY EVENING...

.SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO RANGE BETWEEN 15 AND 20 MPH...WITH
GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING...AS RELATIVE
HUMIDITY VALUES LINGER AROUND 20 PERCENT. GIVEN THE STRONG
WINDS...LOW HUMIDITY VALUES...AND DRY FUELS...A RED FLAG WARNING
REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH 8 PM THIS EVENING ALONG AND SOUTHWEST OF
THE MINNESOTA RIVER VALLEY.

MNZ054-056-064-065-067-073>075-082-083-091-092-160100-
/O.CON.KMPX.FW.W.0008.000000T0000Z-120916T0100Z/
LAC QUI PARLE-CHIPPEWA-YELLOW MEDICINE-RENVILLE-SIBLEY-REDWOOD-
BROWN-NICOLLET-WATONWAN-BLUE EARTH-MARTIN-FARIBAULT-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MADISON...MONTEVIDEO...GRANITE FALLS...
OLIVIA...GAYLORD...REDWOOD FALLS...NEW ULM...ST. PETER...
ST. JAMES...MANKATO...FAIRMONT...BLUE EARTH
355 PM CDT SAT SEP 15 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING
FOR LOW HUMIDITY AND STRONG WINDS FOR PORTIONS OF WESTERN AND 
SOUTHERN MINNESOTA... 

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 054 LAC QUI PARLE...FIRE 
  WEATHER ZONE 056 CHIPPEWA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 064 YELLOW 
  MEDICINE...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 065 RENVILLE...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 
  067 SIBLEY...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 073 REDWOOD...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 
  074 BROWN...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 075 NICOLLET...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 
  082 WATONWAN...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 083 BLUE EARTH...FIRE WEATHER 
  ZONE 091 MARTIN AND FIRE WEATHER ZONE 092 FARIBAULT.

* WINDS...SOUTH 10 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 25 MPH.

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

* IMPACTS...FIRES COULD BECOME FAST MOVING IN A SHORT PERIOD OF 
  TIME DUE TO THE GUSTY 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.

&&

$$

JRB
125 
WWUS83 KMPX 160015
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
715 PM CDT SAT SEP 15 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED...

.WINDS HAVE DIMINISHED OVER THE LAST HOUR AND WILL CONTINUE TO
WEAKEN THIS EVENING. HUMIDITY VALUES WILL GRADUALLY INCREASE
OVERNIGHT AS TEMPERATURES COOL.

MNZ054-056-064-065-067-073>075-082-083-091-092-160115-
/O.CAN.KMPX.FW.W.0008.000000T0000Z-120916T0100Z/
LAC QUI PARLE-CHIPPEWA-YELLOW MEDICINE-RENVILLE-SIBLEY-REDWOOD-
BROWN-NICOLLET-WATONWAN-BLUE EARTH-MARTIN-FARIBAULT-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MADISON...MONTEVIDEO...GRANITE FALLS...
OLIVIA...GAYLORD...REDWOOD FALLS...NEW ULM...ST. PETER...
ST. JAMES...MANKATO...FAIRMONT...BLUE EARTH
715 PM CDT SAT SEP 15 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR LOW HUMIDITY AND STRONG
WINDS FOR PORTIONS OF WESTERN AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN HAS
CANCELLED THE RED FLAG WARNING.

WINDS HAVE DIMINISHED AND HUMIDITY VALUES HAVE INCREASED. TOMORROW
WILL BE DRY AS WELL...BUT WINDS SHOULD REMAIN LESS THAN 20 MPH.
RAIN SHOWERS WILL MOVE IN SUNDAY NIGHT WITH COOLER TEMPERATURES
AND HIGHER HUMIDITY EXPECTED FOR NEXT WEEK.

$$

JRB

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.