Alert archive / California / Red Flag Warnings in 2012

Red Flag Warning 3, NWS Reno, NV

January 19, 20124 counties in California

NWS Reno, NV issued this red flag warning at Jan 19, 2012, 6:32 AM PST for 4 counties in California. It was in force for 15 hr. 5 reports 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
Jan 19, 2012, 6:32 AM PST (14:32 UTC)
Expired
Jan 19, 2012, 10:00 PM PST
In force
15 hr
Issued by
NWS Reno, NV

Counties El Dorado County, CA, Nevada County, CA, Placer County, CA, Sierra County, CA

The radar

The Beale AFB radar (KBBX), 93 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 14:36 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
Jan 19, 10:00 AM PSTSNOWGrass Valley, CASPOTTER NV 56, LIGHT SNOW NEAR GRASS VALLEY ELEVATION 2,500
Jan 19, 10:45 AM PSTSLEET2 E Cherokee, CAREPORTED BY SPOTTER NV09 SLEET FALLING AT ELEVATION 2800 FEET
Jan 19, 12:38 PM PSTNON-TSTM WND GST 70South Lake Tahoe, CAA WIND GUST OF 70 MPH WAS REPORTED AT SOUTH LAKE TAHOE AIRPORT.
Jan 19, 3:33 PM PSTNON-TSTM WND DMGVerdi, CAA LARGE TREE WAS BLOWN OVER A PRIVATE ROAD IN VERDI.
Jan 19, 4:40 PM PSTSNOW 03 Se Nevada City, CAMDT SNOW.

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

The nearest sounding before it

Oakland, CA (KOAK), launched 12:00Z, 2.5 hours before the alert went out and 211 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, Oakland, CA at 12:00Z on 2012-01-19Temperature 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, Oakland, CA at 12:00Z on 2012-01-19The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 33 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
597 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
48 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
33 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
183 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.

856 
WWUS85 KREV 191432
RFWREV

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
632 AM PST THU JAN 19 2012

...WINDY AND DRY AGAIN TODAY...

.A DRY AIRMASS REMAINS NEAR THE SURFACE ALONG AND SOUTH OF
INTERSTATE 80. STRONG WINDS ARE EXPECTED AGAIN LATE THIS MORNING
INTO THE AFTERNOON. MOISTURE WILL SLOWLY WORK ITS WAY SOUTH THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING. HUMIDITY WILL INCREASE SHARPLY WHEN THIS
BOUNDARY ARRIVES...BEGINNING ON THE NORTH SIDE OF LAKE TAHOE. IT 
WILL THEN PROGRESS TO SOUTH LAKE TAHOE AND THE SIERRA FRONT BY
LATE AFTERNOON AND INTO MONO COUNTY THIS EVENING.

CAZ273-200000-
/O.NEW.KREV.FW.W.0003.120119T1800Z-120120T0400Z/
MONO-EASTERN ALPINE COUNTIES-
632 AM PST THU JAN 19 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM PST
THIS EVENING FOR GUSTY WIND AND LOW HUMIDITY FOR MONO COUNTY AND
EASTERN ALPINE COUNTY DUE TO GUSTY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RENO HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING FOR GUSTY WIND AND LOW HUMIDITY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM
10 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM PST THIS EVENING. 

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE ZONE 273 MONO-EASTERN ALPINE COUNTIES.

* WINDS...SOUTHWEST 15 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 45 MPH THIS
  AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

* HUMIDITY...8 TO 15 PERCENT THROUGH THE AFTERNOON THEN RISING
  RAPIDLY FROM NORTH TO SOUTH EARLY THIS EVENING.

* IMPACTS...THE COMBINATION OF GUSTY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY WILL 
  CREATE CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
WILL OCCUR.  CONTINUE TO CHECK WEATHER.GOV/RENO FOR UPDATES.  

&&

$$

CAZ272-200000-
/O.NEW.KREV.FW.W.0003.120119T1432Z-120120T0000Z/
GREATER LAKE TAHOE AREA-
632 AM PST THU JAN 19 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON FOR
GUSTY WIND AND LOW HUMIDITY FOR THE LAKE TAHOE BASIN DUE TO STRONG
WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RENO HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING FOR GUSTY WIND AND LOW HUMIDITY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT
UNTIL 4 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON. 

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE ZONE 272 GREATER LAKE TAHOE AREA.

* WINDS...SOUTHWEST 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 35 MPH THIS MORNING
  INCREASING TO 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 55 MPH THIS AFTERNOON.

* HUMIDITY...10 TO 20 PERCENT. RAPIDLY INCREASING ABOVE 20
  PERCENT AROUND NOON FOR NORTH LAKE TAHOE AND AROUDN 3 PM FOR
  SOUTH LAKE TAHOE.

* IMPACTS...THE COMBINATION OF GUSTY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY WILL 
  CREATE CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
WILL OCCUR.  CONTINUE TO CHECK WEATHER.GOV/RENO FOR UPDATES.  

&&

$$

NVZ450-200000-
/O.NEW.KREV.FW.W.0003.120119T1432Z-120120T0000Z/
WESTERN NEVADA SIERRA FRONT-
632 AM PST THU JAN 19 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON FOR
GUSTY WIND AND LOW HUMIDITY FOR THE WESTERN NEVADA SIERRA FRONT
DUE TO STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RENO HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING FOR GUSTY WIND AND LOW HUMIDITY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT
UNTIL 4 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON. 

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE ZONE 450 WESTERN NEVADA SIERRA FRONT.

* WINDS...SOUTHWEST 15 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 50 MPH. LOCAL GUSTS
  TO 60 MPH IN WIND PRONE AREAS.

* HUMIDITY...8 TO 15 PERCENT. HUMIDITY WILL BEGIN TO RISE AROUND 3
  PM. 

* IMPACTS...THE COMBINATION OF GUSTY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY WILL 
  CREATE CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
WILL OCCUR.  CONTINUE TO CHECK WEATHER.GOV/RENO FOR UPDATES.  

&&

$$

HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/RENO
2 follow-up statements
768 
WWUS85 KREV 192245
RFWREV

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
245 PM PST THU JAN 19 2012

...STRONG WINDS WILL CONTINUE INTO THIS EVENING...

STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE INTO THIS EVENING AHEAD OF A
WINTER STORM APPROACHING THE SIERRA. RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES WILL
GRADUALLY INCREASE THROUGH THIS EVENING AS THE ATMOSPHERE MOISTENS
AHEAD OF THE STORM. STRONG WINDS COMBINED WITH UNSEASONABLY DRY
FUELS WILL CREATE CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS THROUGH 10 PM.

CAZ272-192345-
/O.CAN.KREV.FW.W.0003.000000T0000Z-120120T0000Z/
GREATER LAKE TAHOE AREA-
245 PM PST THU JAN 19 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR GUSTY WIND AND LOW HUMIDITY
FOR THE LAKE TAHOE BASIN DUE TO STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RENO HAS CANCELLED THE RED FLAG
WARNING. 

RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES HAVE INCREASED THIS AFTERNOON AND RAIN
AND SNOW ARE MOVING INTO THE WESTERN HALF OF THE TAHOE BASIN.

$$

CAZ273-200600-
/O.EXT.KREV.FW.W.0003.000000T0000Z-120120T0600Z/
MONO-EASTERN ALPINE COUNTIES-
245 PM PST THU JAN 19 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM PST THIS EVENING
FOR GUSTY WIND AND LOW HUMIDITY FOR MONO COUNTY AND EASTERN
ALPINE COUNTY DUE TO GUSTY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY...

THE RED FLAG WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM PST THIS
EVENING. 

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE ZONE 273 MONO-EASTERN ALPINE COUNTIES.

* WINDS...SOUTHWEST 15 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 45 MPH WITH GUSTS
  TO 55 MPH IN WIND PRONE AREAS.

* HUMIDITY...5 TO 10 PERCENT THEN RISING TO 20 TO 30 PERCENT BY
  MIDNIGHT.

* IMPACTS...THE COMBINATION OF GUSTY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY WILL 
  CREATE CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
WILL OCCUR.  CONTINUE TO CHECK WEATHER.GOV/RENO FOR UPDATES.

&&

$$

NVZ450-200600-
/O.EXT.KREV.FW.W.0003.000000T0000Z-120120T0600Z/
WESTERN NEVADA SIERRA FRONT-
245 PM PST THU JAN 19 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM PST THIS EVENING
FOR GUSTY WIND AND LOW HUMIDITY FOR THE WESTERN NEVADA SIERRA
FRONT DUE TO STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY...

THE RED FLAG WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM PST THIS
EVENING. 

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE ZONE 450 WESTERN NEVADA SIERRA FRONT.

* WINDS...SOUTHWEST 20 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 55 MPH. GUSTS 60 TO
  70 MPH IN WIND PRONE AREAS...SUCH AS WASHOE VALLEY NEAR THE
  WASHOE DRIVE FIRE.

* HUMIDITY...20 TO 30 PERCENT THIS AFTERNOON...RISING ABOVE 40
  PERCENT BY 10 PM THIS EVENING.

* IMPACTS...THE COMBINATION OF GUSTY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY WILL 
  CREATE CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
WILL OCCUR.  CONTINUE TO CHECK WEATHER.GOV/RENO FOR UPDATES.

&&

$$

HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/RENO
585 
WWUS85 KREV 200555
RFWREV

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
955 PM PST THU JAN 19 2012

CAZ273-200700-
/O.EXP.KREV.FW.W.0003.000000T0000Z-120120T0600Z/
MONO-EASTERN ALPINE COUNTIES-
955 PM PST THU JAN 19 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 10 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR
GUSTY WIND AND LOW HUMIDITY FOR MONO COUNTY AND EASTERN ALPINE
COUNTY DUE TO GUSTY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY...

THE RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 10 PM PST THIS EVENING. 

HUMIDITY HAS INCREASED TO OVER 50% THIS EVENING, ENDING THE
CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS. STRONG WIND GUSTS OF UP TO 45
MPH WILL CONTINUE OVERNIGHT, ESPECIALLY FOR MIDSLOPES AND WIND
PRONE AREAS.

$$

NVZ450-200700-
/O.EXP.KREV.FW.W.0003.000000T0000Z-120120T0600Z/
WESTERN NEVADA SIERRA FRONT-
955 PM PST THU JAN 19 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 10 PM PST THIS EVENING FOR
GUSTY WIND AND LOW HUMIDITY FOR THE WESTERN NEVADA SIERRA FRONT
DUE TO STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY...

THE RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 10 PM PST THIS EVENING. 

HUMIDITY HAS INCREASED TO OVER 50% THIS EVENING, ENDING THE
CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS. STRONG WIND GUSTS OF UP TO 45
MPH WILL CONTINUE OVERNIGHT, ESPECIALLY FOR MIDSLOPES AND WIND
PRONE AREAS.

$$

HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/RENO

The office that day

Everything else NWS Reno, NV issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jan 18, 4:00 PM PSTWinter Storm WatchREVDouglas, Washoe23 hr
Jan 18, 4:00 PM PSTWinter Weather AdvisoryREVDouglas, Washoe36 hr
Jan 18, 8:55 PM PSTLake Wind AdvisoryREVChurchill, Douglas, Lyon, Pershing, Washoe21 hr
Jan 19, 3:16 PM PSTWinter Storm WarningREVDouglas, Washoe43 hr
Jan 19, 3:16 PM PSTWinter Weather AdvisoryREVWashoe43 hr

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in California, 2012Red Flag Warnings in Nevada, 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.