Alert archive / Montana / Red Flag Warnings in 2012

Red Flag Warning 5, NWS Great Falls, MT

March 13, 201214 counties in Montana

NWS Great Falls, MT issued this red flag warning at Mar 13, 2012, 4:16 AM MDT for 14 counties in Montana. It took effect at Mar 13, 2012, 9:00 AM MDT. It was in force for 19 hr. 37 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 13, 2012, 4:16 AM MDT (10:16 UTC)
In effect from
Mar 13, 2012, 9:00 AM MDT
Expired
Mar 14, 2012, 3:31 AM MDT
In force
19 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 10:17 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 13, 11:06 AM MDTNON-TSTM WND GST 654 S Cascade, MTMEASURED WIND GUST 65 MPH.
Mar 13, 12:15 PM MDTNON-TSTM WND GST 602 E Highwood, MT
Mar 13, 12:15 PM MDTNON-TSTM WND GST 602 Se Highwood, MT
Mar 13, 1:44 PM MDTNON-TSTM WND GST 602 Sse Geyser, MT60 MPH WIND GUST AT GEYSER DOT.
Mar 13, 1:58 PM MDTNON-TSTM WND GST 661 Nw Cascade, MT66 MPH WIND GUST MEASURED NEAR CASCADE SINCE THIS MORNING... EXACT TIME UNKNOWN.
Mar 13, 2:00 PM MDTNON-TSTM WND GST 605 Ese Pendroy, MTWIND GUST OF 60 MPH MEASURED AT RICE RIDGE.
Mar 13, 2:30 PM MDTNON-TSTM WND DMG8 Sse Danvers, MTCOTTONWOOD TREES SIX INCHES IN DIAMETER DOWN DUE TO HIGH WINDS.
Mar 13, 2:32 PM MDTNON-TSTM WND GST 506 Ne Whitlash, MT
Mar 13, 2:42 PM MDTNON-TSTM WND GST 659 E Ferdig, MTWIND GUST OF 65 MPH MEASURED. BLOWING DUST.
Mar 13, 2:45 PM MDTNON-TSTM WND GST 586 Nnw Sunburst, MTWIND GUST OF 58 MPH MEASURED NEAR SUNBURST.
Mar 13, 3:12 PM MDTNON-TSTM WND GST 603 W Lincoln, MTESTIMATED WINDS OF 60 MPH WEST OF LINCOLN. TEMPERATURE DROPPED FROM 52 TO 28. CURRENTLY SNOWING HEAVY.
Mar 13, 3:39 PM MDTNON-TSTM WND GST 60Hilger, MTWINDS OF 50 TO 60 MPH ESTIMATED IN HILGER.
Mar 13, 3:50 PM MDTNON-TSTM WND GST 617 E Geyser, MT61 MPH WIND GUST MEASURED NEAR GEYSER.
Mar 13, 4:14 PM MDTNON-TSTM WND GST 635 Wsw Great Falls, MTSUSTAINED WINDS 50 MPH GUSTS 63 MPH. COLD FRONT WIND SHIFT WITH RESTRICTED VSBY DUE TO BLOWING DUST.
Mar 13, 4:24 PM MDTNON-TSTM WND GST 62Galata, MT62 MPH WIND GUST MEASURED NEAR GALATA.
Mar 13, 4:25 PM MDTNON-TSTM WND GST 5817 Sw Simms, MTWIND GUST OF 58 MPH MEASURED NEAR BOWMANS.
Mar 13, 4:58 PM MDTNON-TSTM WND GST 5613 Wnw Big Sandy, MT
Mar 13, 5:00 PM MDTNON-TSTM WND GST 558 N Belt, MTESTIMATED WINDS OF 55 MPH. SMALL HAIL AND HEAVY RAIN HAS CHANGED TO SNOW.
Mar 13, 5:00 PM MDTNON-TSTM WND GST 6213 W Bynum, MTWIND GUST OF 62 MPH MEASURED AT DELLWO.
Mar 13, 5:08 PM MDTNON-TSTM WND GST 622 E Inverness, MTWIND GUST OF 62 MPH MEASURED NEAR INVERNESS. WINDS SUSTAINED AT 48 MPH.
Mar 13, 5:08 PM MDTNON-TSTM WND GST 633 Sw Cut Bank, MT
Mar 13, 5:51 PM MDTNON-TSTM WND GST 614 W Havre, MT61 MPH WIND GUST MEASURED BY HAVRE ASOS.
Mar 13, 5:52 PM MDTNON-TSTM WND GST 585 Ese Denton, MTWIND GUST OF 58 MPH MEASURED NEAR DENTON.
Mar 13, 5:59 PM MDTNON-TSTM WND GST 631 Se Big Sandy, MT
Mar 13, 6:00 PM MDTNON-TSTM WND GST 6514 Nnw Joplin, MT
Mar 13, 6:00 PM MDTNON-TSTM WND GST 6617 N Chester, MT66 MPH WIND GUST MEASURED NORTH OF CHESTER.
Mar 13, 6:03 PM MDTNON-TSTM WND GST 622 Nw Pendroy, MT63 MPH WIND GUST MEASURED AT PENDROY.
Mar 13, 6:18 PM MDTNON-TSTM WND GST 6113 S Fort Belknap, MTSUSTAINED WINDS 46 MPH WITH GUSTS 61 MPH.
Mar 13, 6:50 PM MDTNON-TSTM WND GST 6335 S Malta, MTMALTA SOUTH US-191 DOT WEATHER STATION GUSTING TO 63 MPH.
Mar 13, 7:00 PM MDTNON-TSTM WND GST 7913 W Saint Mary, MTGARDEN WALL
Mar 13, 7:15 PM MDTNON-TSTM WND GST 541 W Malta, MTMALTA SUPERAWOS STATION AT THE MALTA AIRPORT WIND GUST 54 MPH.
Mar 13, 7:15 PM MDTNON-TSTM WND GST 601 Ssw Malta, MTWIND GUSTS ESTIMATED 55 TO 60 MPH
Mar 13, 7:18 PM MDTNON-TSTM WND GST 6313 S Fort Belknap, MT
Mar 13, 7:27 PM MDTNON-TSTM WND GST 5823 N Havre, MT
Mar 13, 9:21 PM MDTNON-TSTM WND GST 8111 Ene Zortman, MTSUSTAINED WINDS WERE 52 MPH AT THE TIME.
Mar 14, 12:25 AM MDTNON-TSTM WND GST 6814 W Bynum, MT
Mar 14, 12:33 AM MDTNON-TSTM WND GST 7410 Sw Dupuyer, MT

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, 10.3 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 2012-03-13Temperature 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 2012-03-13The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 101 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
2310 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
51 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
101 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
237 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.

391 
WWUS85 KTFX 131016
RFWTFX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
416 AM MDT TUE MAR 13 2012

.SOUTHWEST WINDS AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT WILL BECOME STRONG BY LATE
THIS MORNING AND CONTINUE THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. NEAR RECORD HIGH
TEMPERATURES AND LOW HUMIDITY WILL ALSO OCCUR THIS AFTERNOON.

MTZ112>115-117-132230-
/O.UPG.KTFX.FW.A.0002.120313T1500Z-120314T0600Z/
/O.NEW.KTFX.FW.W.0005.120313T1500Z-120314T0600Z/
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-
416 AM MDT TUE MAR 13 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM THIS MORNING TO MIDNIGHT
MDT TONIGHT FOR STRONG 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 STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY
...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM THIS MORNING TO MIDNIGHT MDT
TONIGHT. 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.

* TIMING...THE COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO REACH CUT BANK AROUND
  NOON THEN MOVE TO A LINE FROM CHINOOK THROUGH LEWISTOWN TO NEAR
  BOZEMAN AROUND 6 PM MDT. 

* WINDS...SOUTHWEST 30 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS AS HIGH AS 70 MPH.
  WINDS SHIFTING TO THE WEST BEHIND THE COLD FRONT.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 16 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...STRONG WINDS...LOW HUMIDITY AND UNSEASONABLY WARM
  TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS IN
  GRASSLAND AREAS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE COMBINATION OF
  FORECAST CONDITIONS AND DRY GRASSLAND FUELS COULD RESULT IN RAPID
  FIRE SPREAD.

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
568 
WWUS85 KTFX 131603
RFWTFX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
1003 AM MDT TUE MAR 13 2012

...STRONG WINDS...WARM TEMPERATURES AND LOW HUMIDITY THIS
AFTERNOON WITH A FRONTAL PASSAGE SHIFTING WINDS TO WEST BY THIS
EVENING...

MTZ112>115-117-140600-
/O.CON.KTFX.FW.W.0005.000000T0000Z-120314T0600Z/
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-
1003 AM MDT TUE MAR 13 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT MDT TONIGHT
FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES
112...113...114...115 AND 117 BELOW 5000 FEET...

A RED FLAG WARNING BELOW 5000 FEET REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL
MIDNIGHT MDT TONIGHT. 

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

* TIMING...A COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO REACH CUT BANK AROUND
  1400...THEN MOVE EAST TO A LINE FROM HAVRE TO GREAT FALLS BY
  1700 AND CHINOOK THROUGH LEWISTOWN AND BOZEMAN BY AROUND 2000 MDT.

* WINDS...SOUTHWEST 30 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS AS HIGH AS 70 MPH. 
  WINDS SHIFTING TO THE WEST BEHIND THE COLD FRONT. 

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 16 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...STRONG WINDS...LOW HUMIDITY AND UNSEASONABLY WARM 
  TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS IN 
  GRASSLAND AREAS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE COMBINATION OF 
  FORECAST CONDITIONS AND DRY GRASSLAND FUELS COULD RESULT IN 
  RAPID FIRE SPREAD. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

&&

$$

HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/GREATFALLS
096 
WWUS85 KTFX 140346
RFWTFX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
946 PM MDT TUE MAR 13 2012


MTZ112-114-115-117-140500-
/O.CAN.KTFX.FW.W.0005.000000T0000Z-120314T0600Z/
EASTERN GLACIER/TOOLE/CENTRAL AND EASTERN PONDERA/LIBERTY
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-
946 PM MDT TUE MAR 13 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES
112...114...115 AND 117...

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

RELATIVE HUMIDITIES HAVE RISEN AND WINDS HAVE DIMINISHED.
THUS...THE RED FLAG WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELED.

$$

MTZ113-141200-
/O.EXT.KTFX.FW.W.0005.000000T0000Z-120314T1200Z/
HILL AND BLAINE COUNTIES-
946 PM MDT TUE MAR 13 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM MDT WEDNESDAY FOR 
STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONE 113
BELOW 5000 FEET...

THE RED FLAG WARNING BELOW 5000 FEET IS NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM
MDT WEDNESDAY. 

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 113 BELOW 5000 FEET.

* TIMING...BRISK WINDS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE EVENING BUT
  DIMINISH AFTER MIDNIGHT. RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL INCREASE
  THROUGH THE NIGHT.

* WINDS...WEST 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH.

* IMPACTS...STRONG WINDS...STRONG WINDS AND DRY CONDITIONS ARE
  CREATING CONDITIONS FOR RAPID FIRE SPREAD.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

&&

$$

HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/GREATFALLS
491 
WWUS85 KTFX 140931
RFWTFX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
331 AM MDT WED MAR 14 2012

MTZ113-141045-
/O.CAN.KTFX.FW.W.0005.000000T0000Z-120314T1200Z/
HILL AND BLAINE COUNTIES-
331 AM MDT WED MAR 14 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONE 113...

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

STRONG WINDS HAVE DIMINISHED AND RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES ARE
SLOWLY RECOVERING. 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.