Alert archive / Colorado / Red Flag Warnings in 2015

Red Flag Warning 9, NWS Denver/Boulder, CO

April 13, 201511 counties in Colorado

NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued this red flag warning at Apr 13, 2015, 2:45 PM MDT for 11 counties in Colorado. It took effect at Apr 14, 2015, 11:00 AM MDT. It was in force for 9 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 13, 2015, 2:45 PM MDT (20:45 UTC)
In effect from
Apr 14, 2015, 11:00 AM MDT
Expired
Apr 14, 2015, 8:00 PM MDT
In force
9 hr
Issued by
NWS Denver/Boulder, CO

Counties Adams County, CO, Arapahoe County, CO, Douglas County, CO, Elbert County, CO, Lincoln County, CO, Logan County, CO, Morgan County, CO, Phillips County, CO, Sedgwick County, CO, Washington County, CO, Weld County, CO

The radar

The Denver radar (KFTG), 78 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:48 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

Denver, CO (KDEN), launched 12:00Z, 8.8 hours before the alert went out and 41 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, Denver, CO at 12:00Z on 2015-04-13Temperature 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, Denver, CO at 12:00Z on 2015-04-13The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -14 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
2340 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
25 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-14 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
76 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.

774 
WWUS85 KBOU 132045
RFWBOU

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER/BOULDER CO
245 PM MDT MON APR 13 2015

...RED FLAG WARNING FROM 11 AM MDT TUESDAY MORNING TO 8 PM MDT
TUESDAY EVENING ACROSS THE PALMER DIVIDE REGION AND NORTHEAST
PLAINS OF COLORADO...

.STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP LATE TUESDAY
MORNING AFTERNOON AS A LOW PRESSURE AREA STRENGTHENS OVER
WYOMING. TEMPERATURES ARE ALSO EXPECTED TO CLIMB INTO THE LOWER
TO MID 70S AND RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL DROP TO THE LOWER TEENS
UNDER MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES. 

THE COMBINATION OF WARM TEMPERATURES...WINDY CONDITIONS AND LOW
RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL CAUSE ELEVATED FIRE DANGER CONDITIONS.
EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR IS EXPECTED IN DRY AND CURED VEGETATION
DURING THE WARMEST AND WINDIEST PART OF THE DAY.

COZ241-245>247-140445-
/O.UPG.KBOU.FW.A.0005.150414T1700Z-150415T0200Z/
/O.NEW.KBOU.FW.W.0009.150414T1700Z-150415T0200Z/
ELBERT/CENTRAL AND EAST DOUGLAS COUNTIES ABOVE 6000 FEET-
CENTRAL AND EAST ADAMS AND ARAPAHOE COUNTIES-
NORTH AND NORTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/NORTH LINCOLN
COUNTY-
SOUTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/SOUTH LINCOLN COUNTY-
245 PM MDT MON APR 13 2015

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 8 PM MDT TUESDAY FOR
WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR THE PALMER DIVIDE REGION AND
EASTERN ADAMS AND EASTERN ARAPAHOE COUNTIES...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DENVER HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT
FROM 11 AM TO 8 PM MDT TUESDAY. THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS NO
LONGER IN EFFECT.

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 241...245...246 AND 247.

* TIMING...11 AM MDT UNTIL 8 PM MDT.

* WINDS...SOUTH 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 12 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR WILL BE LIKELY IN DRY
  VEGETATION BECAUSE OF THE WARM TEMPERATURES...LOW HUMIDITIES AND
  GUSTY SOUTH WINDS.

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.

&&

$$

COZ242-244-248>251-140445-
/O.NEW.KBOU.FW.W.0009.150414T1700Z-150415T0200Z/
NORTHEAST WELD COUNTY-MORGAN COUNTY-LOGAN COUNTY-
WASHINGTON COUNTY-SEDGWICK COUNTY-PHILLIPS COUNTY-
245 PM MDT MON APR 13 2015

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 8 PM MDT TUESDAY FOR
WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR THE NORTHEAST PLAINS OF
COLORADO...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DENVER HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT
FROM 11 AM TO 8 PM MDT TUESDAY.

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 242...244...248...249... 
  250 AND 251.

* TIMING...11 AM MDT UNTIL 8 PM MDT.

* WINDS...SOUTH 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 15 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR WILL BE LIKELY IN DRY
  VEGETATION BECAUSE OF THE WARM TEMPERATURES...LOW HUMIDITIES AND
  GUSTY SOUTH WINDS.

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.

&&

$$
5 follow-up statements
786 
WWUS85 KBOU 140414
RFWBOU

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER/BOULDER CO
1014 PM MDT MON APR 13 2015

...RED FLAG WARNING FROM 11 AM MDT TUESDAY MORNING TO 8 PM MDT
TUESDAY EVENING ACROSS THE PALMER DIVIDE REGION AND NORTHEAST
PLAINS OF COLORADO...

.THE COMBINATION OF WARMER THAN AVERAGE TEMPERATURES...GUSTY
SOUTHERLY WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND DRY FUELS WILL 
PRODUCE CRITICAL WILDLAND FIRE DANGER CONDITIONS ON THE PLAINS OF
NORTHEAST COLORADO LATE TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH EARLY TUESDAY
EVENING.

COZ241-242-244>251-141215-
/O.CON.KBOU.FW.W.0009.150414T1700Z-150415T0200Z/
ELBERT/CENTRAL AND EAST DOUGLAS COUNTIES ABOVE 6000 FEET-
NORTHEAST WELD COUNTY-MORGAN COUNTY-
CENTRAL AND EAST ADAMS AND ARAPAHOE COUNTIES-
NORTH AND NORTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/NORTH LINCOLN
COUNTY-
SOUTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/SOUTH LINCOLN COUNTY-
LOGAN COUNTY-WASHINGTON COUNTY-SEDGWICK COUNTY-PHILLIPS COUNTY-
1014 PM MDT MON APR 13 2015

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 8 PM MDT
TUESDAY FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR THE
NORTHEAST PLAINS OF COLORADO...

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 241...242...244...245... 
  246...247...248...249...250 AND 251.

* TIMING...11 AM MDT UNTIL 8 PM MDT.

* WINDS...SOUTH 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 12 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR WILL BE LIKELY IN DRY VEGETATION
  BECAUSE OF THE VERY WARM TEMPERATURES...LOW HUMIDITIES AND
  GUSTY SOUTHERLY WINDS.

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.

&&

$$
BAKER
720 
WWUS85 KBOU 140441 AAA
RFWBOU

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER/BOULDER CO
1041 PM MDT MON APR 13 2015

...RED FLAG WARNING FROM 11 AM MDT TUESDAY MORNING TO 8 PM MDT
TUESDAY EVENING ACROSS THE PALMER DIVIDE REGION AND NORTHEAST
PLAINS OF COLORADO...

.THE COMBINATION OF WARMER THAN AVERAGE TEMPERATURES...GUSTY
SOUTHERLY WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND DRY FUELS WILL
PRODUCE CRITICAL RANGELAND FIRE DANGER CONDITIONS ON THE PLAINS
OF NORTHEAST COLORADO LATE TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH EARLY TUESDAY
EVENING.

COZ241-242-244>251-141245-
/O.CON.KBOU.FW.W.0009.150414T1700Z-150415T0200Z/
ELBERT/CENTRAL AND EAST DOUGLAS COUNTIES ABOVE 6000 FEET-
NORTHEAST WELD COUNTY-MORGAN COUNTY-
CENTRAL AND EAST ADAMS AND ARAPAHOE COUNTIES-
NORTH AND NORTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/NORTH LINCOLN
COUNTY-
SOUTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/SOUTH LINCOLN COUNTY-
LOGAN COUNTY-WASHINGTON COUNTY-SEDGWICK COUNTY-PHILLIPS COUNTY-
1041 PM MDT MON APR 13 2015

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 8 PM MDT
TUESDAY FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR THE
NORTHEAST PLAINS OF COLORADO...

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 241...242...244...245... 
  246...247...248...249...250 AND 251.

* TIMING...11 AM MDT UNTIL 8 PM MDT.

* WINDS...SOUTH 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 12 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR WILL BE LIKELY IN DRY 
  VEGETATION BECAUSE OF THE VERY WARM TEMPERATURES...LOW 
  HUMIDITIES AND GUSTY SOUTHERLY WINDS. 

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.

&&

$$
BAKER
136 
WWUS85 KBOU 141154
RFWBOU

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER/BOULDER CO
554 AM MDT TUE APR 14 2015

...RED FLAG WARNING FROM 11 AM MDT TUESDAY MORNING TO 8 PM MDT
TUESDAY EVENING ACROSS THE PALMER DIVIDE REGION AND NORTHEAST
PLAINS OF COLORADO...

.THE COMBINATION OF TEMPERATURES IN THE LOWER TO MID 70S...GUSTY
SOUTH WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND DRY FUELS WILL PRODUCE
CRITICAL RANGELAND FIRE DANGER ON THE PLAINS OF NORTHEAST
COLORADO FROM LATE THIS MORNING THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING.

COZ241-242-244>251-142000-
/O.CON.KBOU.FW.W.0009.150414T1700Z-150415T0200Z/
ELBERT/CENTRAL AND EAST DOUGLAS COUNTIES ABOVE 6000 FEET-
NORTHEAST WELD COUNTY-MORGAN COUNTY-
CENTRAL AND EAST ADAMS AND ARAPAHOE COUNTIES-
NORTH AND NORTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/NORTH LINCOLN
COUNTY-
SOUTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/SOUTH LINCOLN COUNTY-
LOGAN COUNTY-WASHINGTON COUNTY-SEDGWICK COUNTY-PHILLIPS COUNTY-
554 AM MDT TUE APR 14 2015

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO
8 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY
FOR THE NORTHEAST PLAINS OF COLORADO...

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 241...242...244...245... 
  246...247...248...249...250 AND 251.

* TIMING...11 AM MDT UNTIL 8 PM MDT.

* WINDS...SOUTH 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 10 TO 15 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR WILL BE LIKELY IN DRY 
  VEGETATION BECAUSE OF THE VERY WARM TEMPERATURES...LOW 
  HUMIDITIES AND GUSTY SOUTHERLY WINDS. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

&&

$$
646 
WWUS85 KBOU 141745
RFWBOU

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER/BOULDER CO
1145 AM MDT TUE APR 14 2015

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING
ACROSS THE PALMER DIVIDE REGION AND NORTHEAST PLAINS OF
COLORADO...

.THE COMBINATION OF TEMPERATURES IN THE LOWER TO MID 70S...GUSTY
SOUTH WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND DRY FUELS WILL PRODUCE
CRITICAL RANGELAND FIRE DANGER ON THE PLAINS OF NORTHEAST
COLORADO THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING.

COZ241-242-244>251-150200-
/O.CON.KBOU.FW.W.0009.000000T0000Z-150415T0200Z/
ELBERT/CENTRAL AND EAST DOUGLAS COUNTIES ABOVE 6000 FEET-
NORTHEAST WELD COUNTY-MORGAN COUNTY-
CENTRAL AND EAST ADAMS AND ARAPAHOE COUNTIES-
NORTH AND NORTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/NORTH LINCOLN
COUNTY-
SOUTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/SOUTH LINCOLN COUNTY-
LOGAN COUNTY-WASHINGTON COUNTY-SEDGWICK COUNTY-PHILLIPS COUNTY-
1145 AM MDT TUE APR 14 2015

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING
FOR STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR THE PALMER
DIVIDE AND NORTHEAST PLAINS...

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 241...242...244...245... 
  246...247...248...249...250 AND 251.

* TIMING...CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST THROUGH 8 PM MDT.

* WINDS...SOUTH 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 10 TO 15 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR WILL BE LIKELY IN DRY 
  VEGETATION BECAUSE OF THE VERY WARM TEMPERATURES...LOW 
  HUMIDITIES AND GUSTY SOUTHERLY WINDS. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

&&

$$
190 
WWUS85 KBOU 150159
RFWBOU

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER/BOULDER CO
759 PM MDT TUE APR 14 2015


COZ241-242-244>251-150300-
/O.EXP.KBOU.FW.W.0009.000000T0000Z-150415T0200Z/
ELBERT/CENTRAL AND EAST DOUGLAS COUNTIES ABOVE 6000 FEET-
NORTHEAST WELD COUNTY-MORGAN COUNTY-
CENTRAL AND EAST ADAMS AND ARAPAHOE COUNTIES-
NORTH AND NORTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/NORTH LINCOLN
COUNTY-
SOUTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/SOUTH LINCOLN COUNTY-
LOGAN COUNTY-WASHINGTON COUNTY-SEDGWICK COUNTY-PHILLIPS COUNTY-
759 PM MDT TUE APR 14 2015

...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR
STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR THE PALMER
DIVIDE AND NORTHEAST PLAINS...

RELATIVE HUMIDITIES ACROSS NORTHEAST COLORADO CONTINUE TO RISE
AND IN MOST AREAS HAVE ALREADY RISEN ABOVE 20 PERCENT AS OF 8 PM
MDT. HOWEVER SOUTHEAST WINDS REMAIN GUSTY AT 20 TO 30 MPH. THESE
STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO DIMINISH AS THE EVENING
GOES ON. THEREFORE THE RED FLAG WARNING WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE
AT 8 PM MDT.

$$
BAKER

The office that day

Everything else NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 13, 5:25 AM MDTFire Weather WatchBOUAdams, Arapahoe, Douglas, Elbert, Lincoln9 hr

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Colorado, 2015Every red flag warning in 2015

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.