Alert archive / Kansas / Red Flag Warnings in 2012

Red Flag Warning 10, NWS Topeka, KS

August 21, 201223 counties in Kansas

NWS Topeka, KS issued this red flag warning at Aug 21, 2012, 3:32 PM CDT for 23 counties in Kansas. It took effect at Aug 22, 2012, 12:00 PM CDT. It was in force for 7 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 21, 2012, 3:32 PM CDT (20:32 UTC)
In effect from
Aug 22, 2012, 12:00 PM CDT
Expired
Aug 22, 2012, 7:00 PM CDT
In force
7 hr
Issued by
NWS Topeka, KS
All 23 counties

Anderson County, KS, Brown County, KS, Clay County, KS, Cloud County, KS, Coffey County, KS, Dickinson County, KS, Douglas County, KS, Franklin County, KS, Geary County, KS, Jackson County, KS, Jefferson County, KS, Lyon County, KS, Marshall County, KS, Morris County, KS, Nemaha County, KS, Osage County, KS, Ottawa County, KS, Pottawatomie County, KS, Republic County, KS, Riley County, KS, Shawnee County, KS, Wabaunsee County, KS, Washington County, KS

The radar

The Topeka radar (KTWX), 16 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:32 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

Topeka, KS (KFOE), launched 12:00Z, 8.5 hours before the alert went out and 61 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, Topeka, KS at 12:00Z on 2012-08-21Temperature 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 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Topeka, KS at 12:00Z on 2012-08-21The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 81 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
2396 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
23 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
81 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
180 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.

884 
WWUS83 KTOP 212032
RFWTOP

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
332 PM CDT TUE AUG 21 2012

...DRY AND WINDY CONDITIONS TO ENHANCE FIRE CONCERNS WEDNESDAY...

.WINDS WILL BE ON THE INCREASE WEDNESDAY MORNING AND BECOME
SUSTAINED NEAR 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 30 MPH BY THE LATE MORNING
HOURS. DEEP MIXING WILL DROP RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES NEAR THE
20 PERCENT MARK. PERSISTENT DROUGHT HAS BROUGHT DRY VEGETATION ACROSS
THE AREA...AND THEREFORE A RED FLAG WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.

KSZ008>012-020>024-026-034>040-054>056-058-059-221000-
/O.UPG.KTOP.FW.A.0003.120822T1700Z-120823T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KTOP.FW.W.0010.120822T1700Z-120823T0000Z/
REPUBLIC-WASHINGTON-MARSHALL-NEMAHA-BROWN-CLOUD-CLAY-RILEY-
POTTAWATOMIE-JACKSON-JEFFERSON-OTTAWA-DICKINSON-GEARY-MORRIS-
WABAUNSEE-SHAWNEE-DOUGLAS-LYON-OSAGE-FRANKLIN-COFFEY-ANDERSON-
332 PM CDT TUE AUG 21 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 7 PM CDT WEDNESDAY FOR
WARM...DRY AND GUSTY CONDITIONS FOR ALL OF NORTHEAST...EAST CENTRAL 
AND NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TOPEKA HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING DUE TO GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES ALONG
WITH CRITICALLY DRY FUELS...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 7 PM
CDT WEDNESDAY. THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* AFFECTED AREA...ALL OF NORTHEAST...EAST CENTRAL AND NORTH
  CENTRAL KANSAS.

* WINDS...SOUTHWEST 15 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH.

* TIMING...WINDS WILL BECOME GUSTY AROUND 11AM AND CONTINUE INTO 
  THE EARLY EVENING HOURS. 

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 20 PERCENT.

* TEMPERATURES...IN THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 90S.

* IMPACTS...FIRES CAN SPREAD QUICKLY AND BECOME VERY DIFFICULT 
  TO CONTROL. OUTDOOR OPEN FLAMES ARE HIGHLY DISCOURAGED. USE 
  CAUTION WITH DISPOSAL OF SMOKING MATERIALS. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF DRY
FUELS...STRONG WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND WARM
TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL.

&&

$$
3 follow-up statements
458 
WWUS83 KTOP 220852
RFWTOP

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
352 AM CDT WED AUG 22 2012

...DRY AND WINDY CONDITIONS TO ENHANCE FIRE CONCERNS TODAY...

.WINDS WILL BE ON THE INCREASE THIS MORNING AND BECOME SUSTAINED NEAR
15 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 30 MPH BY THE LATE MORNING HOURS. DEEP
MIXING WILL DROP RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES NEAR THE 20 PERCENT MARK
OR LOWER. PERSISTENT DROUGHT HAS BROUGHT DRY VEGETATION ACROSS THE
AREA...AND THEREFORE A RED FLAG WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THIS
AFTERNOON.

KSZ008>012-020>024-026-034>040-054>056-058-059-230000-
/O.CON.KTOP.FW.W.0010.120822T1700Z-120823T0000Z/
REPUBLIC-WASHINGTON-MARSHALL-NEMAHA-BROWN-CLOUD-CLAY-RILEY-
POTTAWATOMIE-JACKSON-JEFFERSON-OTTAWA-DICKINSON-GEARY-MORRIS-
WABAUNSEE-SHAWNEE-DOUGLAS-LYON-OSAGE-FRANKLIN-COFFEY-ANDERSON-
352 AM CDT WED AUG 22 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 7 PM CDT
THIS EVENING FOR WARM...DRY AND GUSTY CONDITIONS FOR ALL OF
NORTHEAST...EAST CENTRAL AND NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS...

* AFFECTED AREA...ALL OF NORTHEAST...EAST CENTRAL AND NORTH
  CENTRAL KANSAS.

* WINDS...SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST 15 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH.

* TIMING...WINDS WILL BECOME GUSTY AROUND 11 AM AND CONTINUE INTO 
  THE EARLY EVENING HOURS. 

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 18 PERCENT.

* TEMPERATURES...IN THE MIDDLE TO UPPER 90S.

* IMPACTS...FIRES CAN SPREAD QUICKLY AND BECOME VERY DIFFICULT 
  TO CONTROL. OUTDOOR OPEN FLAMES ARE HIGHLY DISCOURAGED. USE 
  CAUTION WITH DISPOSAL OF SMOKING MATERIALS. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF DRY
FUELS...STRONG WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND WARM
TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL.

&&

$$
159 
WWUS83 KTOP 221828 AAA
RFWTOP

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
128 PM CDT WED AUG 22 2012


KSZ008>012-020>024-026-034>040-054>056-058-059-230000-
/O.CON.KTOP.FW.W.0010.000000T0000Z-120823T0000Z/
REPUBLIC-WASHINGTON-MARSHALL-NEMAHA-BROWN-CLOUD-CLAY-RILEY-
POTTAWATOMIE-JACKSON-JEFFERSON-OTTAWA-DICKINSON-GEARY-MORRIS-
WABAUNSEE-SHAWNEE-DOUGLAS-LYON-OSAGE-FRANKLIN-COFFEY-ANDERSON-
128 PM CDT WED AUG 22 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING
FOR WARM...DRY AND GUSTY CONDITIONS FOR ALL OF NORTHEAST...EAST CENTRAL
AND NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS...

* AFFECTED AREA...ALL OF NORTHEAST...EAST CENTRAL AND NORTH
  CENTRAL KANSAS.

* WINDS...SOUTH 15 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH THROUGH
  SUNSET.

* TIMING...WINDS WILL CONTINUE INTO THE EARLY EVENING HOURS.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...DROPPING INTO THE 15 TO 20 PERCENT RANGE.

* TEMPERATURES...IN THE MIDDLE 90S.

* IMPACTS...FIRES CAN SPREAD QUICKLY AND BECOME VERY DIFFICULT 
  TO CONTROL. OUTDOOR OPEN FLAMES ARE HIGHLY DISCOURAGED. USE 
  CAUTION WITH DISPOSAL OF SMOKING MATERIALS. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF DRY
FUELS...STRONG WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND WARM
TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL.

&&

$$
290 
WWUS83 KTOP 222352 AAA
RFWTOP

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
652 PM CDT WED AUG 22 2012

KSZ008>012-020>024-026-034>040-054>056-058-059-230100-
/O.EXP.KTOP.FW.W.0010.000000T0000Z-120823T0000Z/
REPUBLIC-WASHINGTON-MARSHALL-NEMAHA-BROWN-CLOUD-CLAY-RILEY-
POTTAWATOMIE-JACKSON-JEFFERSON-OTTAWA-DICKINSON-GEARY-MORRIS-
WABAUNSEE-SHAWNEE-DOUGLAS-LYON-OSAGE-FRANKLIN-COFFEY-ANDERSON-
652 PM CDT WED AUG 22 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING...

RELATIVE HUMIDITY LEVELS WILL SLOWLY INCREASE THROUGH THE
REMAINDER OF THE EVENING AS SOUTHERLY WIND SPEEDS DECREASE.
THEREFORE THE RED FLAG CONDITIONS ARE NO LONGER EXPECTED TO
CONTINUE ACROSS THE AREA AND THE RED FLAG WARNING WILL BE
ALLOWED TO EXPIRE AT 7 PM.

$$

The office that day

Everything else NWS Topeka, KS issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 21, 4:21 AM CDTFire Weather WatchTOPAnderson, Brown, Clay, Cloud, Coffey, Dickinson and 17 more11 hr

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Kansas, 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.