Alert archive / Florida / Red Flag Warnings in 2012
Red Flag Warning 39, NWS Tampa Bay, FL
NWS Tampa Bay, FL issued this red flag warning at Dec 20, 2012, 1:08 PM EST for 6 counties in Florida. It took effect at Dec 21, 2012, 12:00 PM EST. 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
- Dec 20, 2012, 1:08 PM EST (18:08 UTC)
- In effect from
- Dec 21, 2012, 12:00 PM EST
- Expired
- Dec 21, 2012, 6:00 PM EST
- In force
- 6 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Tampa Bay, FL
Counties DeSoto County, FL, Hardee County, FL, Highlands County, FL, Pinellas County, FL, Polk County, FL, Sumter County, FL
The radar
The Tampa radar (KTBW), 49 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:13 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
Tampa Bay, FL (KTBW), launched 12:00Z, 6.1 hours before the alert went out and 49 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
- 19 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -335 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 587 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 31 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 107 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 109 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.1
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
094 WWUS82 KTBW 201808 RFWTBW URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 108 PM EST THU DEC 20 2012 ...RED FLAG WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 6 PM EST FRIDAY FOR A COMBINATION OF LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND WIND... .A COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE FLORIDA PENINSULA TONIGHT USHERING IN A MUCH COOLER AND DRIER AIRMASS TO THE REGION ON GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS. RELATIVE HUMIDITY IS EXPECTED TO DROP BELOW CRITICAL LEVELS BY MIDDAY AND REMAIN BELOW THROUGH MUCH IF NOT ALL OF THE AFTERNOON. THE LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL COMBINE WITH GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS TO PRODUCE WIDESPREAD RED FLAG CONDITIONS. ANOTHER DAY OF VERY LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY IS ANTICIPATED FOR SATURDAY... HOWEVER HIGH PRESSURE NEARBY SHOULD HELP KEEP WINDS BELOW CRITICAL LEVELS. FLZ039-042-043-048>052-055>057-060>062-065-211200- /O.UPG.KTBW.FW.A.0018.121221T1700Z-121221T2300Z/ /O.NEW.KTBW.FW.W.0039.121221T1700Z-121221T2300Z/ LEVY-CITRUS-SUMTER-HERNANDO-PASCO-PINELLAS-HILLSBOROUGH-POLK- MANATEE-HARDEE-HIGHLANDS-SARASOTA-DESOTO-CHARLOTTE-LEE- 108 PM EST THU DEC 20 2012 ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 6 PM EST FRIDAY FOR A COMBINATION OF LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND WIND... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 6 PM EST FRIDAY. * AFFECTED AREA...LEVY...CITRUS...SUMTER...HERNANDO...PASCO... PINELLAS...HILLSBOROUGH...POLK...MANATEE...HARDEE... HIGHLANDS...SARASOTA...DESOTO...CHARLOTTE...LEE. * WIND...NORTHWEST WINDS 15 TO 20 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. * HUMIDITY...25 TO 30 PERCENT. LOCATIONS INLAND FROM THE I-75 CORRIDOR BY BRIEFLY DROP BELOW 25 PERCENT DURING THE MIDDLE AFTERNOON HOURS. * IMPACTS...ANY FIRES THAT DEVELOP WILL LIKELY SPREAD RAPIDLY. OUTDOOR BURNING IS NOT RECOMMENDED. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A RED FLAG WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN VERY FAVORABLE CONDITIONS FOR THE SPREAD OF WILDFIRE ARE OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL OCCUR WITHIN 24 HOURS. && $$
3 follow-up statements
075 WWUS82 KTBW 211029 RFWTBW URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY RUSKIN FL 529 AM EST FRI DEC 21 2012 ...RED FLAG WARNING WILL BE IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 6 PM EST TODAY FOR A COMBINATION OF LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND WIND... ...A FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS IN EFFECT SATURDAY FOR LONG DURATIONS OF LOW RH ALONG WITH POSSIBLY HIGH ERC VALUE... .HIGH PRESSURE BEGINS MOVING IN FROM THE TODAY TODAY AND WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEKEND WITH A MUCH COOLER AND DRIER AIRMASS ALONG WITH WINDY CONDITIONS TODAY. RELATIVE HUMIDITY IS EXPECTED TO DROP BELOW CRITICAL LEVELS BY MIDDAY AND REMAIN BELOW THROUGH MUCH IF NOT ALL OF THE AFTERNOON. THE LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL COMBINE WITH GUSTY WINDS TO PRODUCE WIDESPREAD RED FLAG CONDITIONS. ANOTHER DAY OF VERY LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY IS ANTICIPATED FOR SATURDAY...DEPENDING UPON FUEL VALUES. FLZ039-042-043-048>052-055>057-060>062-065-212300- /O.NEW.KTBW.FW.A.0019.121222T1700Z-121222T2300Z/ /O.CON.KTBW.FW.W.0039.121221T1700Z-121221T2300Z/ LEVY-CITRUS-SUMTER-HERNANDO-PASCO-PINELLAS-HILLSBOROUGH-POLK- MANATEE-HARDEE-HIGHLANDS-SARASOTA-DESOTO-CHARLOTTE-LEE- 529 AM EST FRI DEC 21 2012 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 6 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR LOW RH AND WIND FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 039... 042...043...048...049...050...051...052...055...056...057...060... 061...062 AND 065... ...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT SATURDAY AFTERNOON FOR LOW RH FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 039...042...043...048...049... 050...051...052...055...056...057...060...061...062 AND 065... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TAMPA BAY RUSKIN HAS ISSUED A FIRE WEATHER WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT SATURDAY AFTERNOON. * AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 039...042...043...048... 049...050...051...052...055...056...057...060...061...062 AND 065. * WIND...NORTHWEST WINDS 15 TO 20 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. * HUMIDITY...25 TO 30 PERCENT. LOCATIONS INLAND FROM THE I-75 CORRIDOR BY BRIEFLY DROP BELOW 25 PERCENT DURING THE MIDDLE AFTERNOON HOURS. * IMPACTS...ANY FIRES THAT DEVELOP WILL LIKELY SPREAD RAPIDLY. OUTDOOR BURNING IS NOT RECOMMENDED. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A RED FLAG WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN VERY FAVORABLE CONDITIONS FOR THE SPREAD OF WILDFIRE ARE OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL OCCUR WITHIN 24 HOURS. PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE OFFICIALS OR FIRE CREWS IN THE FIELD. && $$
919 WWUS82 KTBW 211822 RFWTBW URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 122 PM EST FRI DEC 21 2012 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EST TODAY FOR A COMBINATION OF LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND WIND... .VERY DRY AIR HAS MOVED INTO THE REGION WITH HUMIDITIES DROPPING BELOW 30 PERCENT. NORTHWEST WINDS OF 15 TO 20 MPH WILL CREATE RED FLAG CONDITIONS UNTIL THIS EVENING. DRY AIR WILL CONTINUE IN PLACE FOR SATURDAY AND SUNDAY BUT WINDS SHOULD REMAIN BELOW 15 MPH WITH ERC VALUES BELOW 35. FLZ039-042-043-048>052-055>057-060>062-065-212300- /O.CAN.KTBW.FW.A.0019.121222T1700Z-121222T2300Z/ /O.CON.KTBW.FW.W.0039.000000T0000Z-121221T2300Z/ LEVY-CITRUS-SUMTER-HERNANDO-PASCO-PINELLAS-HILLSBOROUGH-POLK- MANATEE-HARDEE-HIGHLANDS-SARASOTA-DESOTO-CHARLOTTE-LEE- 122 PM EST FRI DEC 21 2012 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR LOW HUMIDITIES AND WINDS OF 15 MPH OR GREATER... ...FIRE WEATHER WATCH FOR SATURDAY HAS BEEN CANCELLED... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL HAS CANCELLED THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH. * AFFECTED AREA...LEVY...CITRUS...SUMTER...HERNANDO...PASCO... PINELLAS...HILLSBOROUGH...POLK...MANATEE...HARDEE... HIGHLANDS...SARASOTA...DESOTO...CHARLOTTE...LEE. * WIND...NORTHWEST WINDS 15 TO 20 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. * HUMIDITY...20 TO 30 PERCENT. * IMPACTS...ANY FIRES THAT DEVELOP WILL LIKELY SPREAD RAPIDLY. OUTDOOR BURNING IS NOT RECOMMENDED. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A RED FLAG WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN VERY FAVORABLE CONDITIONS FOR THE SPREAD OF WILDFIRE ARE OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL OCCUR WITHIN 24 HOURS. && $$
265 WWUS82 KTBW 212253 RFWTBW URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 553 PM EST FRI DEC 21 2012 FLZ039-042-043-048>052-055>057-060>062-065-220000- /O.EXP.KTBW.FW.W.0039.000000T0000Z-121221T2300Z/ LEVY-CITRUS-SUMTER-HERNANDO-PASCO-PINELLAS-HILLSBOROUGH-POLK- MANATEE-HARDEE-HIGHLANDS-SARASOTA-DESOTO-CHARLOTTE-LEE- 553 PM EST FRI DEC 21 2012 ...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 6 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR... RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES HAVE RISEN ABOVE CRITICAL THRESHOLDS ACROSS WEST-CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. THEREFORE...THE RED FLAG WARNING WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE AT 6 PM. $$
The office that day
Everything else NWS Tampa Bay, FL issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 20, 3:50 AM EST | Freeze Watch | TBW | Sumter | 26 hr |
| Dec 20, 3:57 AM EST | Fire Weather Watch | TBW | DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands, Pinellas, Polk, Sumter | 9 hr |
| Dec 20, 4:31 AM EST | Gale Watch | TBW | 12 hr | |
| Dec 20, 4:31 AM EST | Small Craft Advisory | TBW | 53 hr | |
| Dec 20, 4:04 PM EST | Gale Warning | TBW | 21 hr | |
| Dec 20, 6:02 PM EST | Special Marine Warning | TBW | 118 min |
Nearby
Red Flag Warnings in Florida, 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.