Alert archive / Montana / Red Flag Warnings in 2012

Red Flag Warning 2, NWS Great Falls, MT

March 9, 201214 counties in Montana

NWS Great Falls, MT issued this red flag warning at Mar 9, 2012, 3:46 AM MST for 14 counties in Montana. It took effect at Mar 9, 2012, 11:00 AM MST. It was in force for 11 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
Mar 9, 2012, 3:46 AM MST (10:46 UTC)
In effect from
Mar 9, 2012, 11:00 AM MST
Expired
Mar 9, 2012, 10:11 PM MST
In force
11 hr
Issued by
NWS Great Falls, MT

Counties Blaine County, MT, Cascade County, MT, Chouteau County, MT, Fergus County, MT, Glacier County, MT, Hill County, MT, Judith Basin County, MT, Lewis and Clark County, MT, Liberty County, MT, Meagher County, MT, Phillips County, MT, Pondera County, MT, Teton County, MT, Toole County, MT

The radar

The Great Falls radar (KTFX), 63 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 10:48 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.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Mar 9, 12:00 PM MSTNON-TSTM WND GST 648 Se East Glacier Park, MT64 MPH WIND GUST AT THE DEEP CREEK RAWS LOCATION.
Mar 9, 1:40 PM MSTNON-TSTM WND GST 513 Sw Cut Bank, MT51 MPH WIND GUST AT THE CUT BANK AIRPORT.
Mar 9, 1:46 PM MSTNON-TSTM WND GST 474 W Havre, MT47 MPH WIND GUST AT THE HAVRE AIRPORT.
Mar 9, 3:10 PM MSTNON-TSTM WND GST 525 Wsw Great Falls, MT52 MPH WIND GUST AT THE GREAT FALLS AIRPORT.
Mar 9, 7:27 PM MSTNON-TSTM WND GST 581 E East Glacier Park, MTWIND GUST OF 58 MPH MEASURED AT TWO MEDICINE. WINDS SUSTAINED AT 45 MPH.

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

The nearest sounding before it

Great_falls, MT (KTFX), launched 00:00Z, 10.8 hours before the alert went out and 51 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, Great_falls, MT at 00:00Z on 2012-03-09Temperature 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, Great_falls, MT at 00:00Z on 2012-03-09The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 141 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
2755 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
60 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
141 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
230 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.

681 
WWUS85 KTFX 091046
RFWTFX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
346 AM MST FRI MAR 9 2012

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FRIDAY FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW
RELATIVE HUMIDITIES FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND NORTH CENTRAL
MONTANA...

.GUSTY WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL DEVELOP AROUND MIDDAY FRIDAY
AND COMBINE WITH AFTERNOON RELATIVE HUMIDITIES OF 15 TO
20 PERCENT...CREATING CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR LOW
ELEVATION GRASSLANDS THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING.

MTZ112>115-117-100300-
/O.UPG.KTFX.FW.A.0001.120309T1800Z-120310T0300Z/
/O.NEW.KTFX.FW.W.0002.120309T1800Z-120310T0300Z/
EASTERN GLACIER/TOOLE/CENTRAL AND EASTERN PONDERA/LIBERTY
COUNTIES-HILL AND BLAINE COUNTIES-
LEWIS AND CLARK NATIONAL FOREST ROCKY MOUNTAIN DISTRICT/ROCKY
MOUNTAIN FRONT-CHOUTEAU AND FERGUS COUNTIES-
CENTRAL AND EASTERN LEWIS AND CLARK NATIONAL FOREST AREAS-
346 AM MST FRI MAR 9 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM MST
THIS EVENING FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE
WEATHER ZONES 112...113...114...115 AND 117 BELOW 5000 FEET...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREAT FALLS HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING BELOW 5000 FEET FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM MST
THIS EVENING. THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. 

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 112 BELOW 5000 FEET... 113 
  BELOW 5000 FEET...114 BELOW 5000 FEET...115 BELOW 5000 FEET 
  AND 117 BELOW 5000 FEET.

* WINDS...SOUTHWEST 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 55 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 15 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...THIS WARNING IS PRIMARILY FOR GRASSLAND AREAS FREE OF
  SNOW COVER. THE COMBINATION OF FORECAST CONDITIONS AND DRY FUEL
  MAY RESULT IN QUICKLY SPREADING GRASS FIRES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE OFFICIALS OR FIRE CREWS IN THESE
AREAS OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING.

&&

$$

HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/GREATFALLS
3 follow-up statements
721 
WWUS85 KTFX 092113
RFWTFX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
213 PM MST FRI MAR 9 2012

MTZ112>115-117-100300-
/O.CON.KTFX.FW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-120310T0300Z/
EASTERN GLACIER/TOOLE/CENTRAL AND EASTERN PONDERA/LIBERTY
COUNTIES-HILL AND BLAINE COUNTIES-
LEWIS AND CLARK NATIONAL FOREST ROCKY MOUNTAIN DISTRICT/ROCKY
MOUNTAIN FRONT-CHOUTEAU AND FERGUS COUNTIES-
CENTRAL AND EASTERN LEWIS AND CLARK NATIONAL FOREST AREAS-
213 PM MST FRI MAR 9 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM MST THIS EVENING
FOR LOW HUMIDITIES AND GUSTY WINDS FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 112...113...
114...115 AND 117 BELOW 5000 FEET...

A RED FLAG WARNING BELOW 5000 FEET REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM
MST THIS EVENING. 

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 112 BELOW 5000 FEET... 113 
  BELOW 5000 FEET...114 BELOW 5000 FEET...115 BELOW 5000 FEET 
  AND 117 BELOW 5000 FEET. 

* WINDS...SOUTHWEST 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 55 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...NEAR 15 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...THIS WARNING IS PRIMARILY FOR GRASSLAND AREAS FREE 
  OF SNOW COVER. THE COMBINATION OF FORECAST CONDITIONS AND DRY 
  FUEL MAY RESULT IN QUICKLY SPREADING GRASS FIRES. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE OFFICIALS OR FIRE CREWS IN THESE
AREAS OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING.

&&

$$

HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/GREATFALLS
707 
WWUS85 KTFX 100225
RFWTFX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
725 PM MST FRI MAR 9 2012

MTZ112>115-117-100600-
/O.EXT.KTFX.FW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-120310T0600Z/
EASTERN GLACIER/TOOLE/CENTRAL AND EASTERN PONDERA/LIBERTY
COUNTIES-HILL AND BLAINE COUNTIES-
LEWIS AND CLARK NATIONAL FOREST ROCKY MOUNTAIN DISTRICT/ROCKY
MOUNTAIN FRONT-CHOUTEAU AND FERGUS COUNTIES-
CENTRAL AND EASTERN LEWIS AND CLARK NATIONAL FOREST AREAS-
725 PM MST FRI MAR 9 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM MST THIS EVENING
FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES
112...113...114...115 AND 117 BELOW 5000 FEET...

THE RED FLAG WARNING BELOW 5000 FEET IS NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM
MST THIS EVENING. 

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 112 BELOW 5000 FEET... 113 
  BELOW 5000 FEET...114 BELOW 5000 FEET...115 BELOW 5000 FEET 
  AND 117 BELOW 5000 FEET. 

* WINDS...SOUTHWEST 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...15 TO 20 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...THIS WARNING IS PRIMARILY FOR GRASSLAND AREAS FREE 
  OF SNOW COVER. THE COMBINATION OF FORECAST CONDITIONS AND DRY 
  FUEL MAY RESULT IN QUICKLY SPREADING GRASS FIRES. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE OFFICIALS OR FIRE CREWS IN THESE
AREAS OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING.

&&

$$

HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/GREATFALLS
022 
WWUS85 KTFX 100511
RFWTFX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
1011 PM MST FRI MAR 9 2012

MTZ112>115-117-100615-
/O.CAN.KTFX.FW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-120310T0600Z/
EASTERN GLACIER/TOOLE/CENTRAL AND EASTERN PONDERA/LIBERTY
COUNTIES-HILL AND BLAINE COUNTIES-
LEWIS AND CLARK NATIONAL FOREST ROCKY MOUNTAIN DISTRICT/ROCKY
MOUNTAIN FRONT-CHOUTEAU AND FERGUS COUNTIES-
CENTRAL AND EASTERN LEWIS AND CLARK NATIONAL FOREST AREAS-
1011 PM MST FRI MAR 9 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 112...113...114...115 AND 117...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREAT FALLS HAS CANCELLED THE RED
FLAG WARNING. 

GUSTY WINDS HAVE DIMINISHED AND RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES ARE
RISING. AS A RESULT...THE RED FLAG WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

$$

HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/GREATFALLS

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Montana, 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.