Alert archive / Minnesota / Red Flag Warnings in 2014

Red Flag Warning 3, NWS Twin Cities, MN

April 21, 201413 counties in Minnesota

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this red flag warning at Apr 21, 2014, 2:54 AM CDT for 13 counties in Minnesota. It took effect at Apr 21, 2014, 1:00 PM CDT. 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
Apr 21, 2014, 2:54 AM CDT (07:54 UTC)
In effect from
Apr 21, 2014, 1:00 PM CDT
Expired
Apr 21, 2014, 7:00 PM CDT
In force
6 hr
Issued by
NWS Twin Cities, MN

Counties Blue Earth County, MN, Brown County, MN, Chippewa County, MN, Faribault County, MN, Lac qui Parle County, MN, Martin County, MN, Nicollet County, MN, Redwood County, MN, Renville County, MN, Stevens County, MN, Swift County, MN, Watonwan County, MN, Yellow Medicine County, MN

The radar

The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 123 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 07:58 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

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 00:00Z, 7.9 hours before the alert went out and 121 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, Minneapolis, MN at 00:00Z on 2014-04-21Temperature 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, Minneapolis, MN at 00:00Z on 2014-04-21The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -11 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
2278 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
37 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-11 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
103 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.

609 
WWUS83 KMPX 210754
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
254 AM CDT MON APR 21 2014

...RED FLAG WARNING FOR WEST CENTRAL THROUGH SOUTH CENTRAL
MINNESOTA THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING...

.A RED FLAG WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY
EVENING FOR LOCATIONS ALONG AND WEST OF A LINE FROM MORRIS TO
MANKATO TO BLUE EARTH. STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS WILL DEVELOP THIS
MORNING ACROSS WEST CENTRAL THROUGH SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA IN THE
WAKE OF A COLD FRONT. SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS THIS AFTERNOON AND
EARLY EVENING WILL BE FROM 20 TO 25 MPH ALONG WITH MINIMUM
RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES REACHING 25 PERCENT. THIS WILL RESULT IN
POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WILDFIRE CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON AND
EARLY EVENING.

MNZ047-054>056-064-065-073>075-082-083-091-092-211600-
/O.UPG.KMPX.FW.A.0001.140421T1800Z-140422T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KMPX.FW.W.0003.140421T1800Z-140422T0000Z/
STEVENS-LAC QUI PARLE-SWIFT-CHIPPEWA-YELLOW MEDICINE-RENVILLE-
REDWOOD-BROWN-NICOLLET-WATONWAN-BLUE EARTH-MARTIN-FARIBAULT-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MORRIS...MADISON...BENSON...
MONTEVIDEO...GRANITE FALLS...OLIVIA...REDWOOD FALLS...NEW ULM...
ST. PETER...ST. JAMES...MANKATO...FAIRMONT...BLUE EARTH
254 AM CDT MON APR 21 2014

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 7 PM
CDT THIS EVENING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR WEST
CENTRAL INTO SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN HAS ISSUED
A RED FLAG WARNING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...WHICH IS
IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING. THE
FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* AFFECTED AREA...WEST CENTRAL THROUGH SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA...
  ALONG AND WEST OF A LINE FROM MORRIS TO MANKATO TO BLUE EARTH.

* WINDS...NORTHWEST 20 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH.

* TIMING...THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 24 PERCENT.

* TEMPERATURES...IN THE MIDDLE TO UPPER 60S.

* IMPACTS...WILD FIRES COULD BECOME FAST MOVING IN A SHORT PERIOD
  OF TIME DUE TO THE STRONG WINDS... LOW HUMIDITY AND DRY FUELS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF
STRONG WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND WARM TEMPERATURES CAN
CONTRIBUTE TO EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR.

&&

$$
2 follow-up statements
607 
WWUS83 KMPX 211407
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
907 AM CDT MON APR 21 2014

...RED FLAG WARNING FOR WEST CENTRAL THROUGH SOUTH CENTRAL
MINNESOTA THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING...

.A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY
EVENING FOR LOCATIONS ALONG AND WEST OF A LINE FROM MORRIS TO
MANKATO TO BLUE EARTH. STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS WILL OCCUR THIS
AFTERNOON ACROSS WEST CENTRAL THROUGH SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA
IN THE WAKE OF A COLD FRONT. SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS THIS AFTERNOON
AND EARLY THIS EVENING WILL BE FROM 20 TO 25 MPH ALONG WITH
MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES REACHING 25 PERCENT. THIS WILL
RESULT IN POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WILDFIRE CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON
AND EARLY EVENING.

MNZ047-054>056-064-065-073>075-082-083-091-092-212215-
/O.CON.KMPX.FW.W.0003.140421T1800Z-140422T0000Z/
STEVENS-LAC QUI PARLE-SWIFT-CHIPPEWA-YELLOW MEDICINE-RENVILLE-
REDWOOD-BROWN-NICOLLET-WATONWAN-BLUE EARTH-MARTIN-FARIBAULT-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MORRIS...MADISON...BENSON...
MONTEVIDEO...GRANITE FALLS...OLIVIA...REDWOOD FALLS...NEW ULM...
ST. PETER...ST. JAMES...MANKATO...FAIRMONT...BLUE EARTH
907 AM CDT MON APR 21 2014

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO
7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR WEST
CENTRAL INTO SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

* AFFECTED AREA...WEST CENTRAL THROUGH SOUTH CENTRAL
  MINNESOTA...ALONG AND WEST OF A LINE FROM MORRIS TO MANKATO TO
  BLUE EARTH. 

* WINDS...NORTHWEST 20 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH.

* TIMING...THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 24 PERCENT.

* TEMPERATURES...IN THE MIDDLE TO UPPER 60S.

* IMPACTS...WILD FIRES COULD BECOME FAST MOVING IN A SHORT 
  PERIOD OF TIME DUE TO THE STRONG WINDS... LOW HUMIDITY AND DRY 
  FUELS. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF
STRONG WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND WARM TEMPERATURES CAN
CONTRIBUTE TO EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR.

&&

$$

RAH
925 
WWUS83 KMPX 212003
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
303 PM CDT MON APR 21 2014

...A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS
EVENING FOR PORTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL THROUGH SOUTH CENTRAL
MINNESOTA...

.A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT INTO EARLY THIS EVENING FOR
LOCATIONS ALONG AND WEST OF A LINE FROM MORRIS TO MANKATO TO BLUE
EARTH. STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS FROM 20 TO 25 MPH WILL OCCUR INTO
EARLY THIS EVENING WITH MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES REACHING
25 PERCENT. THIS WILL RESULT IN POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WILDFIRE
CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING.

MNZ047-054>056-064-065-073>075-082-083-091-092-220000-
/O.CON.KMPX.FW.W.0003.000000T0000Z-140422T0000Z/
STEVENS-LAC QUI PARLE-SWIFT-CHIPPEWA-YELLOW MEDICINE-RENVILLE-
REDWOOD-BROWN-NICOLLET-WATONWAN-BLUE EARTH-MARTIN-FARIBAULT-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MORRIS...MADISON...BENSON...
MONTEVIDEO...GRANITE FALLS...OLIVIA...REDWOOD FALLS...NEW ULM...
ST. PETER...ST. JAMES...MANKATO...FAIRMONT...BLUE EARTH
303 PM CDT MON APR 21 2014

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING
FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR WEST CENTRAL INTO SOUTH
CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

* AFFECTED AREA...WEST CENTRAL THROUGH SOUTH CENTRAL
  MINNESOTA...ALONG AND WEST OF A LINE FROM MORRIS TO MANKATO TO
  BLUE EARTH.

* WINDS...NORTHWEST 20 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH.

* TIMING...THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 25 PERCENT.

* TEMPERATURES...IN THE LOWER 60S.

* IMPACTS...WILD FIRES COULD BECOME FAST MOVING IN A SHORT 
  PERIOD OF TIME DUE TO THE STRONG WINDS... LOW HUMIDITY AND DRY 
  FUELS. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF
STRONG WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND WARM TEMPERATURES CAN
CONTRIBUTE TO EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR.

&&

$$

The office that day

Everything else NWS Twin Cities, MN issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 21, 2:30 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXMeeker45 min
Apr 21, 2:58 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXRice47 min
Apr 21, 5:01 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXBrown44 min

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Minnesota, 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.