Alert archive / Washington / Red Flag Warnings in 2012
Red Flag Warning 2, NWS Seattle, WA
NWS Seattle, WA issued this red flag warning at Aug 15, 2012, 8:59 AM PDT for 7 counties in Washington. It took effect at Aug 15, 2012, 11:00 PM PDT. It was in force for 13 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
- Aug 15, 2012, 8:59 AM PDT (15:59 UTC)
- In effect from
- Aug 15, 2012, 11:00 PM PDT
- Expired
- Aug 16, 2012, 12:00 PM PDT
- In force
- 13 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Seattle, WA
Counties Clallam County, WA, Grays Harbor County, WA, Jefferson County, WA, King County, WA, Lewis County, WA, Pierce County, WA, Skamania County, WA
The radar
The Langley Hill radar (KLGX), 99 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 16:00 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
Quillayute State, WA (KUIL), launched 12:00Z, 4.0 hours before the alert went out and 154 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1102 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 22 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- -136 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 22 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
722 WWUS86 KSEW 151559 RFWSEW URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA 859 AM PDT WED AUG 15 2012 ...CRITICAL COMBINATIONS OF WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY IN COMBINATION WITH DRY FUELS THROUGH MID-DAY THURSDAY... .A THERMAL PRESSURE TROUGH WILL BUILD UP THE COAST TODAY AND PEAK IN STRENGTH NEAR THE COAST ON THURSDAY MORNING. FOR TODAY...THIS WILL LEAD TO BREEZY NORTH WINDS DOWN THE PUGET SOUND LOWLANDS...THEN EAST WINDS WILL DEVELOP EARLY THURSDAY MORNING WEST OF GAPS IN THE CENTRAL CASCADES...AS WELL AS OVER THE NORTHWEST OLYMPIC PENINSULA. WAZ654-655-160000- /O.NEW.KSEW.FW.W.0001.120815T2000Z-120816T0400Z/ CENTRAL AND SOUTH PUGET SOUND LOWLANDS- BLACK HILLS AND SOUTHWEST INTERIOR LOWLANDS- 859 AM PDT WED AUG 15 2012 ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 9 PM PDT THIS EVENING FOR A COMBINATION OF NORTH WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FIRE WEATHER ZONES 654 AND 655... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SEATTLE HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG WARNING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 9 PM PDT THIS EVENING. * AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 654 AND 655...MAINLY INTENDED FOR THE I-5 CORRIDOR OF KING...PIERCE...THURSTON AND LEWIS COUNTIES...AS WELL AS THE KITSAP PENINSULA AND HOOD CANAL AREAS. * WINDS...NORTHEAST 8 TO 14 MPH...WITH AFTERNOON GUSTS NEAR 20 MPH. * TIMING...THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 24-30 PERCENT. * TEMPERATURES...IN THE MID 80S TO LOWER 90S. * IMPACTS...ANY FIRES THAT GET STARTED COULD SPREAD RAPIDLY UNDER THE COMBINATION OF WIND AND LOW HUMIDITY THIS AFTERNOON AND 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. && $$ WAZ657-659-160000- /O.NEW.KSEW.FW.W.0002.120816T0600Z-120816T1800Z/ SOUTHEAST PUGET SOUND LOWLANDS GENERALLY BELOW 1500 FEET- WEST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL CASCADES GENERALLY ABOVE 1500 FEET- 859 AM PDT WED AUG 15 2012 ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 11 AM PDT THURSDAY FOR EAST WIND AND LOW HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 657 AND 659... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SEATTLE HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG WARNING FOR EAST WIND AND LOW HUMIDITY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 11 AM PDT THURSDAY. * AFFECTED AREA...GAP AREAS OF THE CENTRAL CASCADES AND THE ADJACENT FOOTHILLS...PARTICULARLY IN EAST KING COUNTY AND PARTS OF EASTERN LEWIS COUNTY. * WINDS...EAST 6 TO 12 MPH. GUSTS OF 20 TO 30 MPH IN THE HOURS AFTER SUNRISE ON THURSDAY MORNING. * TIMING...LATE TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...FALLING TO 30-35 PERCENT WITH THE ONSET OF MODERATE EAST WIND. * TEMPERATURES...OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURES IN THE UPPER 60S. * IMPACTS...ANY FIRES THAT GET STARTED COULD SPREAD RAPIDLY UNDER THE COMBINATION OF WIND AND LOW HUMIDITY. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF STRONG WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND WARM TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL. && $$ WAZ650-160000- /O.NEW.KSEW.FW.W.0002.120816T0600Z-120816T1900Z/ NORTH COASTAL LOWLANDS- 859 AM PDT WED AUG 15 2012 ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON PDT THURSDAY FOR EAST WIND AND LOW HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONE 650... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SEATTLE HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG WARNING FOR EAST WIND AND LOW HUMIDITY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON PDT THURSDAY. * AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 650. INTENDED MAINLY FOR RIDGES OF THE NORTHWEST OLYMPIC PENINSULA AND THE SOL DUC RIVER DRAINAGE. * WINDS...EAST 6 TO 14 MPH. RIDGETOP GUSTS TO 30 MPH ON THURSDAY MORNING. * TIMING...LATE TONIGHT THROUGH MID-DAY ON THURSDAY. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...LOW MORNING RH VALUES OF 25 TO 35 PERCENT. * TEMPERATURES...IN THE MID 60S TO MID 70S. * IMPACTS...ANY FIRES THAT GET STARTED COULD SPREAD RAPIDLY UNDER THE COM THIS AFTERNOON AND 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. && $$ HANER WEATHER.GOV/SEATTLE
2 follow-up statements
240 WWUS86 KSEW 152350 RFWSEW URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA 450 PM PDT WED AUG 15 2012 ...CRITICAL COMBINATIONS OF WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY IN COMBINATION WITH DRY FUELS THROUGH MID-DAY THURSDAY... .A THERMAL PRESSURE TROUGH WAS NEAR THE COAST THIS AFTERNOON AND WILL PEAK IN STRENGTH NEAR THE COAST ON THURSDAY MORNING. THIS HAS FIRST LED BREEZY NORTH WINDS DOWN THE PUGET SOUND LOWLANDS THIS AFTERNOON. BREEZY EAST WINDS WILL DEVELOP EARLY THURSDAY MORNING WEST OF GAPS IN THE CENTRAL CASCADES...AND CONTINUE OVER THE NORTHWEST OLYMPIC PENINSULA. WAZ654-655-160400- /O.CON.KSEW.FW.W.0001.000000T0000Z-120816T0400Z/ CENTRAL AND SOUTH PUGET SOUND LOWLANDS- BLACK HILLS AND SOUTHWEST INTERIOR LOWLANDS- 450 PM PDT WED AUG 15 2012 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM PDT THIS EVENING FOR A COMBINATION OF NORTH WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FIRE WEATHER ZONES 654 AND 655... A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM PDT THIS EVENING. * AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 654 AND 655...MAINLY INTENDED FOR THE I-5 CORRIDOR OF KING...PIERCE...THURSTON AND LEWIS COUNTIES...AS WELL AS THE KITSAP PENINSULA AND HOOD CANAL AREAS. * WINDS...NORTHEAST 8 TO 14 MPH...WITH AFTERNOON GUSTS NEAR 20 MPH. * TIMING...THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 24-30 PERCENT. * TEMPERATURES...IN THE MID 80S TO LOWER 90S. * IMPACTS...ANY FIRES THAT GET STARTED COULD SPREAD RAPIDLY UNDER THE COMBINATION OF WIND AND LOW HUMIDITY THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF STRONG WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND WARM TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL. && $$ WAZ657-659-161600- /O.CON.KSEW.FW.W.0002.120816T0600Z-120816T1800Z/ SOUTHEAST PUGET SOUND LOWLANDS GENERALLY BELOW 1500 FEET- WEST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL CASCADES GENERALLY ABOVE 1500 FEET- 450 PM PDT WED AUG 15 2012 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 11 AM PDT THURSDAY FOR EAST WIND AND LOW HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 657 AND 659... A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 11 AM PDT THURSDAY. * AFFECTED AREA...GAP AREAS OF THE CENTRAL CASCADES AND THE ADJACENT FOOTHILLS...PARTICULARLY IN EAST KING COUNTY NEAR NORTH BEND AND ENUMCLAW...AS WELL AS PARTS OF EASTERN LEWIS COUNTY. * WINDS...EAST 6 TO 12 MPH. GUSTS OF 20 TO 30 MPH IN THE HOURS AFTER SUNRISE ON THURSDAY MORNING. * TIMING...LATE TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...FALLING TO 30-40 PERCENT WITH THE ONSET OF MODERATE EAST WIND. * TEMPERATURES...OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURES IN THE UPPER 60S ABOVE THE VALLEY FLOORS. * IMPACTS...ANY FIRES THAT GET STARTED COULD SPREAD RAPIDLY UNDER THE COMBINATION OF WIND 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. && $$ WAZ650-161600- /O.CON.KSEW.FW.W.0002.120816T0600Z-120816T1900Z/ NORTH COASTAL LOWLANDS- 450 PM PDT WED AUG 15 2012 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON PDT THURSDAY FOR EAST WIND AND LOW HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONE 650... A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON PDT THURSDAY. * AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 650. INTENDED MAINLY FOR RIDGES OF THE NORTHWEST OLYMPIC PENINSULA AND THE SOL DUC RIVER DRAINAGE. * WINDS...EAST 6 TO 14 MPH. RIDGETOP GUSTS TO 30 MPH ON THURSDAY MORNING. * TIMING...LATE TONIGHT THROUGH MID-DAY ON THURSDAY. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...LOW MORNING RH VALUES OF 25 TO 35 PERCENT. * TEMPERATURES...IN THE MID 60S TO MID 70S ON RIDGES TONIGHT. * IMPACTS...ANY FIRES THAT GET STARTED COULD SPREAD RAPIDLY UNDER THE COMBINATION OF WIND AND LOW HUMIDITY. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF STRONG WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND WARM TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL. && $$ HANER WEATHER.GOV/SEATTLE
599 WWUS86 KSEW 161541 RFWSEW URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA 841 AM PDT THU AUG 16 2012 ...CRITICAL COMBINATION OF WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY OVER THE RIDGES OF THE NORTHWEST OLYMPIC PENINSULA THROUGH THIS MORNING... .A THERMAL PRESSURE TROUGH WAS NEAR THE COAST THIS MORNING...LEADING TO BREEZY EAST WIND AND LOW HUMIDITY OVER THE RIDGES OF THE NORTHWEST OLYMPIC PENINSULA...ESPECIALLY NEAR ELLIS MOUNTAIN. WIND SPEEDS WILL SUBSIDE THIS AFTERNOON...BUT HOT TEMPERATURES AND MID-LEVEL HAINES 5 CONDITIONS WILL LEAD TO A CONDUCIVE BURNING ENVIRONMENT. WAZ657-659-161645- /O.CAN.KSEW.FW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-120816T1800Z/ SOUTHEAST PUGET SOUND LOWLANDS GENERALLY BELOW 1500 FEET- WEST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL CASCADES GENERALLY ABOVE 1500 FEET- 841 AM PDT THU AUG 16 2012 ...RED FLAG WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR WIND AND LOW HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 657 AND 659... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SEATTLE HAS CANCELLED THE RED FLAG WARNING. WIND AND LOW HUMIDITY LEVELS HAVE FAILED TO REACH RED FLAG CRITERIA ALONG THE WEST SLOPES OF THE CASCADES...BUT A HOT AND DRY DAY LIES AHEAD WITH MID-LEVEL HAINES 5 CONDITIONS TODAY...INDICATIVE OF LOW-LEVEL INSTABILITY. $$ WAZ650-161900- /O.CON.KSEW.FW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-120816T1900Z/ NORTH COASTAL LOWLANDS- 841 AM PDT THU AUG 16 2012 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON PDT TODAY FOR WIND AND LOW HUMIDITY OVER THE RIDGES OF FIRE WEATHER ZONE 650 NORTH OF THE SOL DUC BASIN... A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON PDT TODAY. * AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 650. INTENDED MAINLY FOR RIDGES OF THE NORTHWEST OLYMPIC PENINSULA NORTH OF THE SOL DUC DRAINAGE. * WINDS...EAST 10 TO 15 MPH THROUGH THIS MORNING WITH GUSTS OF 20 TO 30 MPH. * TIMING...CONTINUING UNTIL MID-DAY TODAY. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...30 TO 35 PERCENT. * TEMPERATURES...75-80 DEGREES THIS MORNING. * IMPACTS...ANY FIRES THAT GET STARTED COULD SPREAD RAPIDLY UNDER THE COMBINATION OF WIND AND LOW HUMIDITY. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF STRONG WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND WARM TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL. && $$ HANER WEATHER.GOV/SEATTLE
The office that day
Everything else NWS Seattle, WA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 15, 2:09 AM PDT | Small Craft Advisory | SEW | 18 hr | |
| Aug 15, 8:59 AM PDT | Red Flag Warning | SEW | Grays Harbor, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Lewis, Mason and 2 more | 12 hr |
| Aug 15, 3:25 PM PDT | Excessive Heat Warning | SEW | 44 hr |
Nearby
Red Flag Warnings in Washington, 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.