Alert archive / Alaska / Red Flag Warnings in 2014

Red Flag Warning 8, NWS Fairbanks, AK

May 1, 2014

NWS Fairbanks, AK issued this red flag warning at May 1, 2014, 2:39 PM AKDT. It took effect at May 2, 2014, 2:00 PM AKDT. 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
May 1, 2014, 2:39 PM AKDT (22:39 UTC)
In effect from
May 2, 2014, 2:00 PM AKDT
Expired
May 2, 2014, 8:27 PM AKDT
In force
6 hr
Issued by
NWS Fairbanks, AK

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

282 
WWAK62 PAFG 012239
RFWWCZ

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
239 PM AKDT THU MAY 1 2014

...RED FLAG WARNING FOR LOW HUMIDITY FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING...

AKZ227-021600-
/O.NEW.PAFG.FW.W.0008.140502T2200Z-140503T0500Z/
UPPER KUSKOKWIM VALLEY-
239 PM AKDT THU MAY 1 2014

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 2 PM TO 9 PM AKDT FRIDAY FOR
LOW HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONE 227...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FAIRBANKS HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 2 PM TO 9 PM AKDT FRIDAY. 

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 227.

* WIND...NORTH 5 TO 10 MPH.

* HUMIDITY...15 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...ANY FIRES THAT DEVELOP WILL LIKELY SPREAD RAPIDLY. 
  OUTDOOR BURNING IS NOT RECOMMENDED.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE OCCURRING OR WILL
OCCUR WHICH COULD LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF LARGE AND DANGEROUS
FIRES. IT IS DIRECTED TOWARD FIRE AGENCIES...AND THROUGH THEM...
TO THE PUBLIC.

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

&&

$$
JL MAY 14
3 follow-up statements
051 
WWAK62 PAFG 021249
RFWWCZ

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
449 AM AKDT FRI MAY 2 2014

...RED FLAG WARNING FOR LOW HUMIDITY FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND
EVENING...

AKZ227-022100-
/O.CON.PAFG.FW.W.0008.140502T2200Z-140503T0500Z/
UPPER KUSKOKWIM VALLEY-
449 AM AKDT FRI MAY 2 2014

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 2 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO
9 PM AKDT THIS EVENING FOR LOW HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONE
227...

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 227.

* WIND...NORTH 5 TO 15 MPH. LOCALLY GUSTING TO 25 MPH.

* HUMIDITY...15 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...ANY FIRES THAT DEVELOP WILL LIKELY SPREAD RAPIDLY. 
  OUTDOOR BURNING IS NOT RECOMMENDED.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE OCCURRING OR WILL
OCCUR WHICH COULD LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF LARGE AND DANGEROUS
FIRES. IT IS DIRECTED TOWARD FIRE AGENCIES...AND THROUGH THEM...
TO THE PUBLIC.

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

&&

$$
325 
WWAK62 PAFG 022118
RFWWCZ

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
118 PM AKDT FRI MAY 2 2014

...RED FLAG WARNING FOR LOW HUMIDITY FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND
EVENING...

AKZ227-030430-
/O.CON.PAFG.FW.W.0008.140502T2200Z-140503T0500Z/
UPPER KUSKOKWIM VALLEY-
118 PM AKDT FRI MAY 2 2014

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM AKDT THIS
EVENING FOR STRONG WIND FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONE 227...

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 227.

* WIND...NORTH 5 TO 15 MPH. LOCALLY GUSTING TO 25 MPH.

* HUMIDITY...15 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...ANY FIRES THAT DEVELOP WILL LIKELY SPREAD RAPIDLY. 
  OUTDOOR BURNING IS NOT RECOMMENDED.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE OCCURRING OR WILL
OCCUR WHICH COULD LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF LARGE AND DANGEROUS
FIRES. IT IS DIRECTED TOWARD FIRE AGENCIES...AND THROUGH THEM...
TO THE PUBLIC.

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

&&

$$
371 
WWAK62 PAFG 030427
RFWWCZ

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
827 PM AKDT FRI MAY 2 2014


AKZ227-030530-
/O.CAN.PAFG.FW.W.0008.000000T0000Z-140503T0500Z/
UPPER KUSKOKWIM VALLEY-
827 PM AKDT FRI MAY 2 2014

...RED FLAG WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR STRONG WIND FOR FIRE
WEATHER ZONE 227...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FAIRBANKS HAS CANCELLED THE RED
FLAG WARNING. 

WINDS HAVE DIMINISHED AND ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BE AS STRONG ON SATURDAY.

$$

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this red flag warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Fairbanks, AK wrote its last area forecast discussion before this red flag warning went out at May 1, 2:09 PM AKDT, 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 1, 2:09 PM AKDT, 30 minutes before
NORTHERN ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
209 PM AKDT THU MAY 1 2014

.SYNOPSIS...
ALOFT...
A STRONG 575 DM HIGH AT 500 MB OVER INTERIOR ALASKA WILL PERSIST
THROUGH FRI THEN SLOWLY SLIDE SOUTHEAST AND WEAKEN OVER THE
WEEKEND. WILL SEE WEAK RIDGE OVER SE INTERIOR INTO NEXT WEEK. THIS
WILL CAUSE DRY AND MUCH WARMER THAN NORMAL CONDITIONS OVER MOST OF
NORTHERN ALASKA THROUGH FRI WITH WARM AND DRY CONDITIONS REMAINING
IN THE INTERIOR SAT AND THE SE INTERIOR SUN.

A LOW NEAR MAGADAN WILL MOVE TO THE CHUKOTSK PENINSULA SAT AND TO
NW ALASKA SUN. THIS WILL BRING COLDER TEMPERATURES AND SNOW TO
WESTERN ALASKA SAT AND TO NW ALASKA AND WESTERN INTERIOR SUN.

SURFACE...
A 1004 MB LOW 200 NM NORTHWEST OF WRANGEL ISLAND WILL MOVE NORTH.
A WARM FRONT FROM THIS LOW TO DEMARCATION POINT WILL MOVE NORTH.
A COOL FRONT FROM THIS LOW STRETCHING SOUTH ALONG THE 170W
LONGITUDE LINE WILL ROTATE CLOCKWISE TO A 100 NM N OF BARROW TO
POINT HOPE TO GAMBELL BY 4AM FRI...AND PERSIST THERE UNTIL 4AM
SAT. S WINDS 20-30KT ALONG THE FRONT WILL DECREASE TONIGHT AS THE
LOW MOVES N AND THE GRADIENT WEAKENS. EXPECT A BAND OF RAIN ALONG
THE FRONT TO BECOME MORE SCATTERED SHOWERS SAT AS THE FRONT
WEAKENS.

A WEAK THERMAL TROUGH WILL DEVELOP TONIGHT FROM MCGRATH TO DELTA
JUNCTION AND STRENGTHEN FRI...THEN MOVE TO DELTA TO EAGLE ON SAT
AND PERSIST THERE INTO SUN. NE WINDS 10-15 MPH WITH A FEW GUSTS
TO 25 MPH WILL DEVELOP NORTH OF THE TROUGH FRI. WILL SEE DRIEST
CONDITIONS ALONG THIS TROUGH FRI AND SAT. INCREASING MOISTURE ON
SUN WILL ALLOW ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS SUN ALONG THE TROUGH.

A SECOND LOW DEVELOPING NEAR MAGADAN WILL MOVE TO THE CHUKCHI SEA
AS A 1018 MB LOW BY 4AM SAT AND TO 150 NM NW OF BARROW AS A 1013
MB LOW BY 4PM SAT...THEN MOVE NORTHEAST. A COLD FRONT WITH THIS
FEATURE WILL MOVE TO MERGE WITH THE FIRST COOL FRONT BY 4AM
SAT...THEN TO POINT LAY TO NOME BY 4PM SAT...AND TO PRUDHOE BAY TO
MCGRATH BY 4PM SUN. EXPECT MIXED RAIN AND SNOW JUST AHEAD OF THE
FRONT CHANGING TO SNOW ALONG AND WEST OF THE FRONT. MAY SEE
SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW ALONG THE WEST COAST WITH THIS. WILL ALSO
SEE A DRAMATIC DROP TO BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES WEST OF THIS
FRONT.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
MODELS INITIALIZE WELL AND SHOW SIMILAR SOLUTIONS THROUGH 4PM
FRI. AFTER THAT TIME THE GFS MOVES THE LOW ALONG THE WEST COAST TO
THE NORTHEAST FASTER THAN THE NAM AND MUCH FASTER THAN THE ECMF.
FAVOR THE FASTER GFS SOLUTION SINCE IT IS SUPPORTED BY A FAST
MOVING JET STREAK.

IN THE MEDIUM RANGE MODELS DIVERGE ON TIMING AND STRENGTH OF LOW
NORTH OF ARCTIC COAST MON AND ON STRENGTH OF RIDGE OVER INTERIOR
ALASKA NEXT WEEK.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...
A WEAK THERMAL TROUGH WILL DEVELOP TONIGHT FROM MCGRATH TO DELTA
JUNCTION AND STRENGTHEN FRI...THEN MOVE TO DELTA TO EAGLE ON SAT
AND PERSIST THERE INTO SUN. NE WINDS 10-15 MPH WITH A FEW GUSTS
TO 25 MPH WILL DEVELOP NORTH OF THE TROUGH FRI. WILL SEE DRIEST
CONDITIONS ALONG THIS TROUGH FRI AND SAT WITH RH 15-25%.
INCREASING MOISTURE ON SUN WILL ALLOW ISOLATED TO SCATTERED
SHOWERS SUN ALONG THE TROUGH.

&&

.HYDROLOGY...
FREEZING LEVELS OF 5000-7000 FT OVER THE INTERIOR...WILL RISE TO
9000 FT FRI AND REMAIN HIGH INTO SAT. THIS WILL CAUSE HIGH LEVEL
SNOW TO MELT AND CAUSE WATER TO START FLOWING INTO INTERIOR RIVERS
THIS WEEKEND RAISING WATER LEVELS THERE.

OVER THE ARCTIC COASTS FREEZING LEVELS TO 5000 FT WILL PERSIST
INTO SAT CAUSING SNOW MELT TO START THERE.

OVER THE WEST COAST FREEZING LEVELS OF 3000-5000 WILL PERSIST
THROUGH FRI CAUSING HIGH LEVEL SNOW TO CONTINUE MELTING.

RIVER ICE IS REPORTED TO BE SLOWLY WEAKENING IN PLACE ON MOST
RIVERS RIGHT NOW AND WITH LOW RIVER LEVELS NO PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN
REPORTED.

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
RED FLAG WARNING FOR AKZ221-AKZ222-AKZ223-AKZ225-AKZ227.

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR PKZ210.

BRISK WIND ADVISORY FOR PKZ220-PKZ225-PKZ230.
&&

JB MAY 14

The office that day

Everything else NWS Fairbanks, AK issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 1, 2:57 AM AKDTBrisk Wind AdvisoryAFG36 hr
May 1, 3:06 AM AKDTBrisk Wind AdvisoryAFG35 hr
May 1, 3:28 AM AKDTHigh Wind WarningAFG11 hr
May 1, 2:36 PM AKDTRed Flag WarningAFG30 hr
May 1, 2:41 PM AKDTSmall Craft AdvisoryAFG24 hr

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Alaska, 2014Every red flag warning in 2014

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text.