Alert archive / Nevada / Red Flag Warnings in 2012

Red Flag Warning 8, NWS Las Vegas, NV

April 9, 2012Inyo County, San Bernardino County, Tulare County, California; Mohave County, Arizona; 4 counties in Nevada

NWS Las Vegas, NV issued this red flag warning at Apr 9, 2012, 6:42 AM PDT for Inyo County, San Bernardino County, Tulare County, California; Mohave County, Arizona; 4 counties in Nevada. It took effect at Apr 10, 2012, 11:00 AM PDT. It was in force for 8 hr. 7 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
Apr 9, 2012, 6:42 AM PDT (13:42 UTC)
In effect from
Apr 10, 2012, 11:00 AM PDT
Expired
Apr 10, 2012, 7:00 PM PDT
In force
8 hr
Issued by
NWS Las Vegas, NV

Counties Mohave County, AZ, Inyo County, CA, San Bernardino County, CA, Tulare County, CA, Clark County, NV, Esmeralda County, NV, Lincoln County, NV, Nye County, NV

The radar

The Las Vegas radar (KESX), 160 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 13:45 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
Apr 10, 1:34 PM PDTNON-TSTM WND GST 435 Ene Boulder City, NVHOOVER DAM BYPASS BRIDGE MID-SPAN MESONET SITE REPORTED A PEAK WIND GUST OF 43 MPH AT AN ELEVATION OF 1436 FEET.
Apr 10, 1:45 PM PDTNON-TSTM WND GST 45Mercury (Nts A23), NVTHE MERCURY A23 MESONET SITE MEASURED A PEAK GUST OF 45 MPH AT AN ELEVATION OF 3678 FEET.
Apr 10, 4:00 PM PDTNON-TSTM WND GST 472 Ese Dyer, NVA MESONET SITE IN DYER MEASURED A PEAK WIND GUST OF 47 MPH AT AN ELEVATION OF 4883 FEET.
Apr 10, 4:06 PM PDTNON-TSTM WND GST 53Bishop Airport, CATHE BISHOP AIRPORT MEASURED A PEAK WIND GUST OF 53 MPH AT AN ELEVATION OF 4102 FEET.
Apr 10, 4:20 PM PDTNON-TSTM WND GST 55Sierra Rotors 10, CASIERRA ROTORS SITE NUMBER 10 MEASURED A PEAK WIND GUST OF 55 MPH AT AN ELEVATION OF 3868 FEET.
Apr 10, 4:40 PM PDTNON-TSTM WND GST 50Sierra Rotors 15, CASIERRA ROTORS SITE NUMBER 15 MEASURED A PEAK WIND GUST OF 50 MPH AT AN ELEVATION OF 3727 FEET.
Apr 10, 4:42 PM PDTNON-TSTM WND GST 57Oak Creek Raws, CAOAK CREEK RAWS MEASURED A PEAK WIND GUST OF 57 MPH AT AN ELEVATION OF 4900 FEET.

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

The nearest sounding before it

Las Vegas, NV (KVEF), launched 12:00Z, 1.7 hours before the alert went out and 71 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, Las Vegas, NV at 12:00Z on 2012-04-09Temperature 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 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Las Vegas, NV at 12:00Z on 2012-04-09The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 16 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
4456 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
16 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
16 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
57 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.

780 
WWUS85 KVEF 091342
RFWVEF

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
642 AM PDT MON APR 9 2012

.AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE SLOWLY APPROACHING THE CALIFORNIA COAST
WILL BRING AN INCREASE IN SOUTH WINDS TUESDAY. VERY DRY
CONDITIONS ALREADY IN PLACE WILL CONTINUE THROUGH TUESDAY. ANY
NEW FIRE START COULD QUICKLY SPREAD WITH THESE CONDITIONS.

AZZ101-102-CAZ229-NVZ465-466-101400-
/O.UPG.KVEF.FW.A.0004.120410T1700Z-120411T0300Z/
/O.NEW.KVEF.FW.W.0008.120410T1700Z-120411T0300Z/
LAKE MEAD NRA/COLORADO RIVER-AZ SIDE-
NORTHWEST DESERTS/NORTHWEST PLATEAU-LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY-
CLARK AND SW LINCOLN COUNTY DESERTS/LAS VEGAS DISPATCH-
LAKE MEAD NRA/COLORADO RIVER-NV SIDE-
642 AM PDT MON APR 9 2012 /642 AM MST MON APR 9 2012/

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM PDT /10 AM MST/ TO 8 PM
PDT /8 PM MST/ TUESDAY FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY
FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 101...102...229...465 AND 466...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LAS VEGAS HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...WHICH IS IN
EFFECT FROM 10 AM PDT /10 AM MST/ TO 8 PM PDT /8 PM MST/ TUESDAY.
THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. 

* AFFECTED AREA...IN ARIZONA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 101 LAKE MEAD 
  NRA/COLORADO RIVER-AZ SIDE AND FIRE WEATHER ZONE 102 NORTHWEST 
  DESERTS/NORTHWEST PLATEAU. IN CALIFORNIA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 
  229 LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY. IN NEVADA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 
  465 CLARK AND SW LINCOLN COUNTY DESERTS/LAS VEGAS DISPATCH AND 
  FIRE WEATHER ZONE 466 LAKE MEAD NRA/COLORADO RIVER-NV SIDE.

* TIMING...POOR HUMIDITY RECOVERY TONIGHT WILL ALLOW VALUES TO
  QUICKLY FALL BELOW 15 PERCENT TUESDAY MORNING AS WIND SPEEDS INCREASE
  BY LATE MORNING.

* WIND...SOUTH 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH.

* HUMIDITY...MINIMUM VALUES BETWEEN 5 AND 10 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...THE COMBINATION OF GUSTY WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY
  AND DRY FUELS WILL CREATE CONDITIONS THAT ARE FAVORABLE FOR
  EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

&&

$$

HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/LASVEGAS
3 follow-up statements
827 
WWUS85 KVEF 092148
RFWVEF

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
248 PM PDT MON APR 9 2012

.AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE SLOWLY APPROACHING THE CALIFORNIA COAST
WILL BRING AN INCREASE IN SOUTH WINDS ACROSS INYO COUNTY
CALIFORNIA AND MUCH OF SOUTHERN NEVADA TUESDAY. VERY DRY
CONDITIONS ALREADY IN PLACE WILL CONTINUE THROUGH TUESDAY.
ANY NEW FIRE START COULD QUICKLY SPREAD WITH THESE CONDITIONS.

CAZ226-227-NVZ460-462-101300-
/O.EXB.KVEF.FW.W.0008.120410T1800Z-120411T0200Z/
OWENS VALLEY/SOUTHERN INYO FOREST-DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK-
ESMERALDA AND NYE COUNTY DESERTS/CNC DISPATCH-
NYE COUNTY DESERTS/LAS VEGAS DISPATCH-
248 PM PDT MON APR 9 2012

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 7 PM PDT TUESDAY FOR
STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES
226...227...460 AND 462...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LAS VEGAS HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...WHICH IS IN
EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 7 PM PDT TUESDAY.

* AFFECTED AREA...IN CALIFORNIA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 226 OWENS 
  VALLEY/SOUTHERN INYO FOREST AND FIRE WEATHER ZONE 227 DEATH 
  VALLEY NATIONAL PARK. IN NEVADA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 460 
  ESMERALDA AND NYE COUNTY DESERTS/CNC DISPATCH AND FIRE WEATHER 
  ZONE 462 NYE COUNTY DESERTS/LAS VEGAS DISPATCH.

* TIMING...SOUTH WINDS WILL INCREASE TUESDAY MORNING THEN PEAK
  DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS BEFORE DECREASING BELOW CRITICAL
  THRESHOLDS TUESDAY EVENING.

* WIND...SOUTH 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS BETWEEN 35 AND 45 MPH.

* HUMIDITY...5 TO 9 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...THE COMBINATION OF GUSTY WINDS...LOW RELATIVE 
  HUMIDITY AND DRY FUELS WILL CREATE CONDITIONS THAT ARE 
  FAVORABLE FOR EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE FIRE WEATHER OFFICIALS IN THE FIELD
OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING.

&&

$$

AZZ101-102-CAZ229-NVZ465-466-101300-
/O.EXT.KVEF.FW.W.0008.120410T1800Z-120411T0200Z/
LAKE MEAD NRA/COLORADO RIVER-AZ SIDE-
NORTHWEST DESERTS/NORTHWEST PLATEAU-LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY-
CLARK AND SW LINCOLN COUNTY DESERTS/LAS VEGAS DISPATCH-
LAKE MEAD NRA/COLORADO RIVER-NV SIDE-
248 PM PDT MON APR 9 2012 /248 PM MST MON APR 9 2012/

...RED FLAG WARNING NOW IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM PDT /11 AM MST/ TO
7 PM PDT /7 PM MST/ TUESDAY FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 101...102...229...465 AND 466...

THE RED FLAG WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM PDT /11 AM MST/
TO 7 PM PDT /7 PM MST/ TUESDAY. 

* AFFECTED AREA...IN ARIZONA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 101 LAKE MEAD 
  NRA/COLORADO RIVER-AZ SIDE AND FIRE WEATHER ZONE 102 NORTHWEST 
  DESERTS/NORTHWEST PLATEAU. IN CALIFORNIA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 
  229 LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY. IN NEVADA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 
  465 CLARK AND SW LINCOLN COUNTY DESERTS/LAS VEGAS DISPATCH AND 
  FIRE WEATHER ZONE 466 LAKE MEAD NRA/COLORADO RIVER-NV SIDE. 

* TIMING...POOR HUMIDITY RECOVERY TONIGHT WILL ALLOW VALUES TO
  QUICKLY FALL BELOW 15 PERCENT TUESDAY MORNING. WIND SPEEDS WILL
  INCREASE BY LATE MORNING THEN PEAK IN THE AFTERNOON HOURS BEFORE
  DECREASING BELOW CRITICAL THRESHOLDS TUESDAY EVENING.

* WIND...SOUTH 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS AROUND 35 MPH.

* HUMIDITY...MINIMUM VALUES BETWEEN 5 AND 10 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...THE COMBINATION OF GUSTY WINDS...LOW RELATIVE 
  HUMIDITY AND DRY FUELS WILL CREATE CONDITIONS THAT ARE 
  FAVORABLE FOR EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE FIRE WEATHER OFFICIALS IN THE FIELD
OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING.

&&

$$

HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/LASVEGAS
640 
WWUS85 KVEF 101251
RFWVEF

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
551 AM PDT TUE APR 10 2012

.AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE SLOWLY APPROACHING THE CALIFORNIA COAST
WILL BRING AN INCREASE IN SOUTH WINDS ACROSS INYO COUNTY
CALIFORNIA AND MUCH OF SOUTHERN NEVADA AND NORTHWEST ARIZONA TODAY.
VERY DRY CONDITIONS REMAIN IN PLACE. ANY NEW FIRE START COULD
QUICKLY SPREAD WITH THESE CONDITIONS.

AZZ101-102-CAZ226-227-229-NVZ460-462-465-466-110200-
/O.CON.KVEF.FW.W.0008.120410T1800Z-120411T0200Z/
LAKE MEAD NRA/COLORADO RIVER-AZ SIDE-
NORTHWEST DESERTS/NORTHWEST PLATEAU-
OWENS VALLEY/SOUTHERN INYO FOREST-DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK-
LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY-
ESMERALDA AND NYE COUNTY DESERTS/CNC DISPATCH-
NYE COUNTY DESERTS/LAS VEGAS DISPATCH-
CLARK AND SW LINCOLN COUNTY DESERTS/LAS VEGAS DISPATCH-
LAKE MEAD NRA/COLORADO RIVER-NV SIDE-
551 AM PDT TUE APR 10 2012 /551 AM MST TUE APR 10 2012/

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM PDT /11 AM MST/
THIS MORNING TO 7 PM PDT /7 PM MST/ THIS EVENING FOR STRONG WINDS
AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 101...102...
226...227...229...460...462...465 AND 466...

A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM PDT /11 AM MST/
THIS MORNING TO 7 PM PDT /7 PM MST/ THIS EVENING. 

* AFFECTED AREA...IN CALIFORNIA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 226 OWENS 
  VALLEY/SOUTHERN INYO FOREST AND FIRE WEATHER ZONE 227 DEATH 
  VALLEY NATIONAL PARK. IN NEVADA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 460 
  ESMERALDA AND NYE COUNTY DESERTS/CNC DISPATCH AND FIRE WEATHER 
  ZONE 462 NYE COUNTY DESERTS/LAS VEGAS DISPATCH. 

* TIMING...SOUTH WINDS WILL STEADILY INCREASE THIS MORNING THEN
  PEAK DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS BEFORE DECREASING BELOW CRITICAL
  THRESHOLDS THIS EVENING.

* WIND...SOUTH 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS BETWEEN 35 AND 45 MPH.

* HUMIDITY...5 TO 9 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...THE COMBINATION OF GUSTY WINDS...LOW RELATIVE 
  HUMIDITY AND DRY FUELS WILL CREATE CONDITIONS THAT ARE 
  FAVORABLE FOR EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE FIRE WEATHER OFFICIALS IN THE FIELD
OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING.

&&

$$

HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/LASVEGAS
860 
WWUS85 KVEF 110140
RFWVEF

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
640 PM PDT TUE APR 10 2012

AZZ101-102-CAZ226-227-229-NVZ460-462-465-466-110245-
/O.EXP.KVEF.FW.W.0008.000000T0000Z-120411T0200Z/
LAKE MEAD NRA/COLORADO RIVER-AZ SIDE-
NORTHWEST DESERTS/NORTHWEST PLATEAU-
OWENS VALLEY/SOUTHERN INYO FOREST-DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK-
LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY-
ESMERALDA AND NYE COUNTY DESERTS/CNC DISPATCH-
NYE COUNTY DESERTS/LAS VEGAS DISPATCH-
CLARK AND SW LINCOLN COUNTY DESERTS/LAS VEGAS DISPATCH-
LAKE MEAD NRA/COLORADO RIVER-NV SIDE-
640 PM PDT TUE APR 10 2012 /640 PM MST TUE APR 10 2012/

...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 7 PM PDT /7 PM MST/ THIS
EVENING FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE
WEATHER ZONES 101...102...226...227...229...460...462...465 AND
466...

THE RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 7 PM PDT /7 PM MST/ THIS
EVENING. 

ALTHOUGH RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES ARE GENERALLY STILL BELOW THE
CRITICAL 15 PERCENT LEVEL EARLY THIS EVENING...THEY ARE RECOVERING
FROM THE AFTERNOON MINIMUM VALUES. THIS ALONG WITH THE EXPECTANT
DECREASE IN WINDS THIS EVENING WILL BRING AN END TO THE CURRENT RED
FLAG CONDITIONS AND WILL ALLOW THE RED FLAG WARNING TO EXPIRE AS
OF 7 PM PDT / MST.

$$

HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/LASVEGAS

The office that day

Everything else NWS Las Vegas, NV issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 9, 3:02 PM PDTWind AdvisoryVEFInyo28 hr

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Nevada, 2012Red Flag Warnings in California, 2012Red Flag Warnings in Arizona, 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.