Alert archive / Washington / Red Flag Warnings in 2012
Red Flag Warning 3, NWS Seattle, WA
NWS Seattle, WA issued this red flag warning at Aug 17, 2012, 3:42 PM PDT for 15 counties in Washington. It took effect at Aug 18, 2012, 7:00 AM PDT. It was in force for 22 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 17, 2012, 3:42 PM PDT (22:42 UTC)
- In effect from
- Aug 18, 2012, 7:00 AM PDT
- Expired
- Aug 19, 2012, 5:00 AM PDT
- In force
- 22 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Seattle, WA
Counties Clallam County, WA, Grays Harbor County, WA, Island County, WA, Jefferson County, WA, King County, WA, Kitsap County, WA, Lewis County, WA, Mason County, WA, Pierce County, WA, San Juan County, WA, Skagit County, WA, Skamania County, WA, Snohomish County, WA, Thurston County, WA, Whatcom County, WA
The radar
The Seattle radar (KATX), 66 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:48 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, 10.7 hours before the alert went out and 145 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
- 1667 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 4 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- -34 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.
793 WWUS86 KSEW 172242 RFWSEW URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA 342 PM PDT FRI AUG 17 2012 ...LIGHTNING EVENT ON SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO START NEW FIRES... .ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO SPREAD ACROSS ALL OF WESTERN WASHINGTON ON SATURDAY WITH ONLY SMALL AMOUNTS OF RAINFALL. LIGHTNING WOULD MOST LIKELY AFFECT THE COAST AND OLYMPIC PENINSULA IN THE MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON...THEN LIGHTNING WOULD PROGRESS EAST TO THE CASCADES BY LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING...POSSIBLY LINGERING OVER THE CASCADES THROUGH THE NIGHT. GIVEN VERY DRY FUEL CONDITIONS... LIGHTNING HAS THE POTENTIAL TO START NEW WILDFIRES. ONLY THE IMMEDIATE COAST AND LOWER CHEHALIS VALLEY ARE LEFT OUT OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING DUE TO THE LIKELY MOISTENING OF FINE FUELS FROM INCOMING MARINE AIR. HOWEVER...COASTAL LOCATIONS HAVE THE SAME RISK OF LIGHTNING AS OTHER WESTERN WASHINGTON LOCATIONS. WAZ650-652-180645- /O.UPG.KSEW.FW.A.0001.120818T1800Z-120819T1800Z/ /O.NEW.KSEW.FW.W.0003.120818T1400Z-120819T0600Z/ NORTH COASTAL LOWLANDS-WEST PORTION OF THE OLYMPIC MOUNTAINS- 342 PM PDT FRI AUG 17 2012 ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM TO 11 PM PDT SATURDAY FOR LIGHTNING FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 650 AND 652... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SEATTLE HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM TO 11 PM PDT SATURDAY. THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. * THUNDERSTORMS...ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING IN THE MORNING...THEN MOVING EAST OF THE OLYMPIC PENINSULA BY LATE AFTERNOON OR EVENING. * IMPACTS...LIGHTNING WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO START NEW FIRES. THE EFFICIENCY WITH WHICH THE LIGHTNING MAY START NEW FIRES IS EXPECTED TO BE HIGH. 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. && $$ WAZ653>659-661-662-180645- /O.UPG.KSEW.FW.A.0001.120818T1800Z-120819T1800Z/ /O.NEW.KSEW.FW.W.0003.120818T1900Z-120819T1200Z/ STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA AND NORTHWEST INTERIOR LOWLANDS- CENTRAL AND SOUTH PUGET SOUND LOWLANDS- BLACK HILLS AND SOUTHWEST INTERIOR LOWLANDS- NORTHEAST PUGET SOUND LOWLANDS GENERALLY BELOW 1500 FEET- SOUTHEAST PUGET SOUND LOWLANDS GENERALLY BELOW 1500 FEET- WEST SLOPES OF THE NORTH CASCADES GENERALLY ABOVE 1500 FEET- WEST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL CASCADES GENERALLY ABOVE 1500 FEET- EAST PORTION OF THE OLYMPIC MOUNTAINS- EAST PORTION OF NORTH CASCADES NATIONAL PARK/LAKE CHELAN NATIONAL RECREATIONAL AREA- 342 PM PDT FRI AUG 17 2012 ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON SATURDAY TO 5 AM PDT SUNDAY FOR LIGHTNING FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 653...654... 655...656...657...658...659...661 AND 662... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SEATTLE HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM NOON SATURDAY TO 5 AM PDT SUNDAY. THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. * THUNDERSTORMS...ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER THE INTERIOR OF WESTERN WASHINGTON ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON...THEN SPREAD INTO THE CASCADES ON SATURDAY EVENING. * IMPACTS...LIGHTNING WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO START NEW FIRES. THE EFFICIENCY WITH WHICH THE LIGHTNING MAY START NEW FIRES IS EXPECTED TO BE HIGH. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF STRONG WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND WARM TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL. && $$ HANER WEATHER.GOV/SEATTLE
3 follow-up statements
569 WWUS86 KSEW 172314 RFWSEW URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA 414 PM PDT FRI AUG 17 2012 ...LIGHTNING EVENT ON SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO START NEW FIRES... .ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO SPREAD ACROSS ALL OF WESTERN WASHINGTON ON SATURDAY WITH ONLY SMALL AMOUNTS OF RAINFALL. LIGHTNING WOULD MOST LIKELY AFFECT THE COAST AND OLYMPIC PENINSULA IN THE MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON...THEN LIGHTNING WOULD PROGRESS EAST TO THE CASCADES BY LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING...POSSIBLY LINGERING OVER THE CASCADES THROUGH THE NIGHT. GIVEN VERY DRY FUEL CONDITIONS... LIGHTNING HAS THE POTENTIAL TO START NEW WILDFIRES. ONLY THE IMMEDIATE COAST AND LOWER CHEHALIS VALLEY ARE LEFT OUT OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING DUE TO THE LIKELY MOISTENING OF FINE FUELS FROM INCOMING MARINE AIR. HOWEVER...COASTAL LOCATIONS HAVE THE SAME RISK OF LIGHTNING AS OTHER WESTERN WASHINGTON LOCATIONS. WAZ650-652-181600- /O.CON.KSEW.FW.W.0003.120818T1400Z-120819T0600Z/ NORTH COASTAL LOWLANDS-WEST PORTION OF THE OLYMPIC MOUNTAINS- 414 PM PDT FRI AUG 17 2012 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM TO 11 PM PDT SATURDAY FOR LIGHTNING FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 650 AND 652... * THUNDERSTORMS...ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING IN THE MORNING...THEN MOVING EAST OF THE OLYMPIC PENINSULA BY LATE AFTERNOON OR EVENING. * IMPACTS...LIGHTNING WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO START NEW FIRES. THE EFFICIENCY WITH WHICH THE LIGHTNING STARTS NEW FIRES IS EXPECTED TO BE HIGH. 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. && $$ WAZ653>659-661-662-181600- /O.CON.KSEW.FW.W.0003.120818T1900Z-120819T1200Z/ STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA AND NORTHWEST INTERIOR LOWLANDS- CENTRAL AND SOUTH PUGET SOUND LOWLANDS- BLACK HILLS AND SOUTHWEST INTERIOR LOWLANDS- NORTHEAST PUGET SOUND LOWLANDS GENERALLY BELOW 1500 FEET- SOUTHEAST PUGET SOUND LOWLANDS GENERALLY BELOW 1500 FEET- WEST SLOPES OF THE NORTH CASCADES GENERALLY ABOVE 1500 FEET- WEST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL CASCADES GENERALLY ABOVE 1500 FEET- EAST PORTION OF THE OLYMPIC MOUNTAINS- EAST PORTION OF NORTH CASCADES NATIONAL PARK/LAKE CHELAN NATIONAL RECREATIONAL AREA- 414 PM PDT FRI AUG 17 2012 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON SATURDAY TO 5 AM PDT SUNDAY FOR LIGHTNING FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 653...654... 655...656...657...658...659...661 AND 662... * THUNDERSTORMS...ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER THE INTERIOR OF WESTERN WASHINGTON ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON...THEN SPREAD INTO THE CASCADES ON SATURDAY EVENING. * IMPACTS...LIGHTNING WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO START NEW FIRES.THE EFFICIENCY WITH WHICH THE LIGHTNING STARTS NEW FIRES IS EXPECTED TO BE HIGH. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF STRONG WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND WARM TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL. && $$ HANER WEATHER.GOV/SEATTLE
605 WWUS86 KSEW 181555 RFWSEW URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA 855 AM PDT SAT AUG 18 2012 ...LIGHTNING EVENT ON SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO START NEW FIRES... .ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO SPREAD ACROSS ALL OF WESTERN WASHINGTON TODAY WITH ONLY SMALL AMOUNTS OF RAINFALL. LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED TO AFFECT THE COAST AND OLYMPIC PENINSULA IN THE MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON...THEN THE LIGHTNING THREAT WILL EXPAND EAST TO THE CASCADES BY LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING...POSSIBLY LINGERING OVER THE CASCADES THROUGH THE NIGHT. GIVEN VERY DRY FUEL CONDITIONS... LIGHTNING HAS THE POTENTIAL TO START NEW WILDFIRES. ONLY THE IMMEDIATE COAST AND LOWER CHEHALIS VALLEY ARE LEFT OUT OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING DUE TO THE LIKELY MOISTENING OF FINE FUELS FROM THE PAST TWO DAYS OF MARINE AIR. HOWEVER...COASTAL LOCATIONS HAVE THE SAME RISK OF LIGHTNING AS OTHER WESTERN WASHINGTON LOCATIONS. WAZ650-652-190000- /O.CON.KSEW.FW.W.0003.000000T0000Z-120819T0600Z/ NORTH COASTAL LOWLANDS-WEST PORTION OF THE OLYMPIC MOUNTAINS- 855 AM PDT SAT AUG 18 2012 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM PDT THIS EVENING FOR LIGHTNING FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 650 AND 652... * THUNDERSTORMS...ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS MOVING UP THE COAST AND WESTERN OLYMPIC MOUNTAINS LATE THIS MORNING. THE LIGHTNING THREAT WILL MOVE EAST OF THE OLYMPIC PENINSULA BY LATE AFTERNOON OR EVENING. * IMPACTS...LIGHTNING WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO START NEW FIRES. THE EFFICIENCY WITH WHICH THE LIGHTNING STARTS NEW FIRES IS EXPECTED TO BE HIGH. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A RED FLAG WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN DRY LIGHTNING OR THE COMBINATION OF STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES ARE IMMINENT OR OCCURRING. && $$ WAZ653>659-661-662-190000- /O.CON.KSEW.FW.W.0003.120818T1900Z-120819T1200Z/ STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA AND NORTHWEST INTERIOR LOWLANDS- CENTRAL AND SOUTH PUGET SOUND LOWLANDS- BLACK HILLS AND SOUTHWEST INTERIOR LOWLANDS- NORTHEAST PUGET SOUND LOWLANDS GENERALLY BELOW 1500 FEET- SOUTHEAST PUGET SOUND LOWLANDS GENERALLY BELOW 1500 FEET- WEST SLOPES OF THE NORTH CASCADES GENERALLY ABOVE 1500 FEET- WEST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL CASCADES GENERALLY ABOVE 1500 FEET- EAST PORTION OF THE OLYMPIC MOUNTAINS- EAST PORTION OF NORTH CASCADES NATIONAL PARK/LAKE CHELAN NATIONAL RECREATIONAL AREA- 855 AM PDT SAT AUG 18 2012 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 5 AM PDT SUNDAY FOR LIGHTNING FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 653...654... 655... 656...657...658...659...661 AND 662... * THUNDERSTORMS...ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER THE INTERIOR OF WESTERN WASHINGTON ON THIS AFTERNOON...THEN SPREAD INTO THE CASCADES ON SATURDAY EVENING. * IMPACTS...LIGHTNING WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO START NEW FIRES. THE EFFICIENCY WITH WHICH THE LIGHTNING STARTS NEW FIRES IS EXPECTED TO BE HIGH. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A RED FLAG WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN DRY LIGHTNING OR THE COMBINATION OF STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES ARE IMMINENT OR OCCURRING. && $$ HANER WEATHER.GOV/SEATTLE
448 WWUS86 KSEW 182354 RFWSEW URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA 454 PM PDT SAT AUG 18 2012 ...LIGHTNING EVENT THROUGH TONIGHT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO START NEW FIRES... .MID-LEVEL MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY WERE STREAMING ACROSS WESTERN WASHINGTON THIS AFTERNOON. AS OF 430 PM...MANY LIGHTNING STRIKES HAD OCCURRED OFFSHORE...BUT NONE HAD YET OCCURRED OVER LAND. EVEN SO...THE THREAT OF ISOLATED TO SCATTERED LIGHTNING CONTINUES. THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTAIN VERY LITTLE RAINFALL. THE HIGHEST RISK FOR LIGHTNING LATE THIS AFTERNOON STRETCHED FROM NEAR CHEHALIS NORTH-NORTHWEST TO NEAR PORT ANGELES. THE HIGHEST RISK WILL SHIFT NORTHEAST THIS EVENING...REACHING A LINE FROM SNOQUALMIE PASS TO THE SAN JUAN ISLANDS BY 11 PM. THE RISK WILL CONTINUE NORTHEAST OVERNIGHT INTO THE NORTH CASCADES. A LITTLE RESIDUAL LIGHTNING IS POSSIBLE OVER BOTH THE CENTRAL AND NORTH CASCADES ON SUNDAY MORNING. WAZ653>659-661-662-191200- /O.CON.KSEW.FW.W.0003.000000T0000Z-120819T1200Z/ STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA AND NORTHWEST INTERIOR LOWLANDS- CENTRAL AND SOUTH PUGET SOUND LOWLANDS- BLACK HILLS AND SOUTHWEST INTERIOR LOWLANDS- NORTHEAST PUGET SOUND LOWLANDS GENERALLY BELOW 1500 FEET- SOUTHEAST PUGET SOUND LOWLANDS GENERALLY BELOW 1500 FEET- WEST SLOPES OF THE NORTH CASCADES GENERALLY ABOVE 1500 FEET- WEST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL CASCADES GENERALLY ABOVE 1500 FEET- EAST PORTION OF THE OLYMPIC MOUNTAINS- EAST PORTION OF NORTH CASCADES NATIONAL PARK/LAKE CHELAN NATIONAL RECREATIONAL AREA- 454 PM PDT SAT AUG 18 2012 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 AM PDT SUNDAY FOR LIGHTNING FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 653...654...655...656... 657...658...659...661 AND 662... * THUNDERSTORMS...ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER THE INTERIOR LOWLANDS OF WESTERN WASHINGTON THIS EVENING...THEN SPREAD INTO THE CASCADES LATER TONIGHT. THE RISK OF LIGHTNING WILL END ON SUNDAY MORNING. * IMPACTS...LIGHTNING WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO START NEW FIRES. THE EFFICIENCY WITH WHICH THE LIGHTNING STARTS NEW FIRES IS EXPECTED TO BE HIGH. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A RED FLAG WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN DRY LIGHTNING OR THE COMBINATION OF STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES ARE IMMINENT OR OCCURRING. && $$ WAZ650-652-190600- /O.CON.KSEW.FW.W.0003.000000T0000Z-120819T0600Z/ NORTH COASTAL LOWLANDS-WEST PORTION OF THE OLYMPIC MOUNTAINS- 454 PM PDT SAT AUG 18 2012 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM PDT THIS EVENING FOR LIGHTNING FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 650 AND 652... * THUNDERSTORMS...THE THREAT OF THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUES THIS EVENING BUT WILL END BY MIDNIGHT. * IMPACTS...LIGHTNING WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO START NEW FIRES. THE EFFICIENCY WITH WHICH THE LIGHTNING STARTS NEW FIRES IS EXPECTED TO BE HIGH. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A RED FLAG WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN DRY LIGHTNING OR THE COMBINATION OF STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES ARE IMMINENT OR OCCURRING. && $$ 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 17, 9:01 AM PDT | Small Craft Advisory | SEW | 17 hr | |
| Aug 17, 11:34 AM PDT | Heat Advisory | SEW | 9 hr | |
| Aug 17, 2:56 PM PDT | Gale Watch | SEW | 24 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.