Alert archive / Colorado / Red Flag Warnings in 2012

Red Flag Warning 14, NWS Pueblo, CO

April 5, 20125 counties in Colorado

NWS Pueblo, CO issued this red flag warning at Apr 5, 2012, 3:48 AM MDT for 5 counties in Colorado. It took effect at Apr 6, 2012, 11:00 AM MDT. It was in force for 9 hr. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Apr 5, 2012, 3:48 AM MDT (09:48 UTC)
In effect from
Apr 6, 2012, 11:00 AM MDT
Expired
Apr 6, 2012, 8:00 PM MDT
In force
9 hr
Issued by
NWS Pueblo, CO

Counties Alamosa County, CO, Conejos County, CO, Costilla County, CO, Rio Grande County, CO, Saguache County, CO

The radar

The Pueblo radar (KPUX), 190 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 09:51 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.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Apr 6, 2:07 PM MDTNON-TSTM WND GST 602 S Alamosa, COVISIBILITY 3/4 SM BLOWING DUST

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Grand Junction, CO (KGJT), launched 00:00Z, 9.8 hours before the alert went out and 279 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, Grand Junction, CO at 00:00Z on 2012-04-05Temperature 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 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Grand Junction, CO at 00:00Z on 2012-04-05The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 37 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
2859 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
29 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
37 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
153 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.

178 
WWUS85 KPUB 050948
RFWPUB

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
348 AM MDT THU APR 5 2012

...A RED FLAG WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR STRONG WINDS...LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITY VALUES AND EXISTING DRY CONDITIONS FROM LATE FRIDAY
MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING...1100 THROUGH 2000 LOCAL
TIME...FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONE 224 WHICH INCLUDES THE SAN LUIS
VALLEY...

COZ224-060200-
/O.UPG.KPUB.FW.A.0008.120406T1700Z-120407T0200Z/
/O.NEW.KPUB.FW.W.0014.120406T1700Z-120407T0200Z/
SAN LUIS VALLEY-
348 AM MDT THU APR 5 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 8 PM MDT FRIDAY FOR
GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONE 224...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PUEBLO HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...WHICH IS IN
EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 8 PM MDT FRIDAY. THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS
NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 224.

* WINDS...SOUTHWEST 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 40 MPH AT TIMES.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 8 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...CONDITIONS WILL BE FAVORABLE FOR EXTREME FIRE 
  BEHAVIOR WITH RAPID RATES OF FIRE GROWTH AND SPREAD. 

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.

&&

$$
4 follow-up statements
626 
WWUS85 KPUB 052100
RFWPUB

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
300 PM MDT THU APR 5 2012

...A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR STRONG WINDS...LOW
RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES AND EXISTING DRY CONDITIONS...FROM LATE
FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING...1100 THROUGH 2000 LOCAL
TIME...FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONE 224...WHICH INCLUDES THE SAN LUIS
VALLEY...

COZ224-061300-
/O.CON.KPUB.FW.W.0014.120406T1700Z-120407T0200Z/
SAN LUIS VALLEY-
300 PM MDT THU APR 5 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 8 PM MDT
FRIDAY FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER
ZONE 224...

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 224. 

* WINDS...SOUTHWEST 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 9 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...CONDITIONS WILL BE FAVORABLE FOR EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR
  WITH RAPID RATES OF FIRE GROWTH AND SPREAD...IF A FIRE SHOULD
  START. 

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.

&&

$$
027 
WWUS85 KPUB 061207
RFWPUB

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
607 AM MDT FRI APR 6 2012

...A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR STRONG WINDS...LOW HUMIDITIES
AND DRY FUELS FROM 1100 TO 2000 LOCAL TIME TODAY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONE
224 WHICH INCLUDES THE SAN LUIS VALLEY...

COZ224-070200-
/O.CON.KPUB.FW.W.0014.120406T1700Z-120407T0200Z/
SAN LUIS VALLEY-
607 AM MDT FRI APR 6 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO
8 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY
FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONE 224...

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 224.

* WINDS...SOUTHWEST 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 8 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...CONDITIONS WILL BE FAVORABLE FOR FIRE STARTS...EXTREME
  FIRE BEHAVIOR...AND RAPID RATES OF FIRE GROWTH AND SPREAD.

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 HUMIDITIES AND DRY FUELS WILL CREATE EXPLOSIVE
FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL.

&&

$$
596 
WWUS85 KPUB 062103
RFWPUB

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
303 PM MDT FRI APR 6 2012

...A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR STRONG WINDS...LOW
HUMIDITIES AND DRY FUELS UNTIL 2000 LOCAL TIME TODAY FOR FIRE WEATHER
ZONE 224 WHICH INCLUDES THE SAN LUIS VALLEY...

COZ224-070200-
/O.CON.KPUB.FW.W.0014.000000T0000Z-120407T0200Z/
SAN LUIS VALLEY-
303 PM MDT FRI APR 6 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING
FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONE
224...

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 224.

* WINDS...SOUTHWEST 30 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 60 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 5 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...CONDITIONS WILL BE FAVORABLE FOR FIRE STARTS... 
  EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR...AND RAPID RATES OF FIRE GROWTH AND 
  SPREAD. 

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 HUMIDITIES AND DRY FUELS WILL CREATE EXPLOSIVE
FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL.

&&

$$
398 
WWUS85 KPUB 070146
RFWPUB

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
746 PM MDT FRI APR 6 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONE 224...THE SAN LUIS
VALLEY...WILL EXPIRE AT 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING...

COZ224-070300-
/O.EXP.KPUB.FW.W.0014.000000T0000Z-120407T0200Z/
SAN LUIS VALLEY-
746 PM MDT FRI APR 6 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR
GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONE 224...

WINDS HAVE DECREASED ACROSS THE AREA AND THUS THE RED FLAG WARNING
WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE AT 8 PM.

$$

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Colorado, 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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.