Alert archive / Massachusetts / Red Flag Warnings in 2015

Red Flag Warning 3, NWS Boston/Norton, MA

May 4, 20155 counties in Massachusetts

NWS Boston/Norton, MA issued this red flag warning at May 4, 2015, 3:56 AM EDT for 5 counties in Massachusetts. It took effect at May 4, 2015, 2:00 PM EDT. 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 4, 2015, 3:56 AM EDT (07:56 UTC)
In effect from
May 4, 2015, 2:00 PM EDT
Expired
May 4, 2015, 7:52 PM EDT
In force
6 hr
Issued by
NWS Boston/Norton, MA

Counties Franklin County, MA, Hampden County, MA, Hampshire County, MA, Middlesex County, MA, Worcester County, MA

The radar

The Boston radar (KBOX), 102 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 07:59 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

Albany, NY (KALY), launched 00:00Z, 7.9 hours before the alert went out and 135 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, Albany, NY at 00:00Z on 2015-05-04Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 39 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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, Albany, NY at 00:00Z on 2015-05-04The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 65 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
39 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-26 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
2830 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
29 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
65 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
78 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.

632 
WWUS81 KBOX 040756
RFWBOX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
356 AM EDT MON MAY 4 2015

...WARM AND DRY CONDITIONS WILL COMBINE WITH SOUTHWESTERLY BREEZES
THIS AFTERNOON...

CTZ002>004-MAZ005>007-013>021-RIZ001>005-040900-
/O.CAN.KBOX.FW.A.0002.150504T1800Z-150505T0000Z/
HARTFORD CT-TOLLAND CT-WINDHAM CT-CENTRAL MIDDLESEX MA-
WESTERN ESSEX MA-EASTERN ESSEX MA-WESTERN NORFOLK MA-
SOUTHEAST MIDDLESEX MA-SUFFOLK MA-EASTERN NORFOLK MA-
NORTHERN BRISTOL MA-WESTERN PLYMOUTH MA-EASTERN PLYMOUTH MA-
SOUTHERN BRISTOL MA-SOUTHERN PLYMOUTH MA-NORTHWEST PROVIDENCE RI-
SOUTHEAST PROVIDENCE RI-WESTERN KENT RI-EASTERN KENT RI-
BRISTOL RI-
356 AM EDT MON MAY 4 2015

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS CANCELLED FOR CONNECTICUT...RHODE ISLAND
AND EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TAUNTON HAS CANCELLED THE FIRE
WEATHER WATCH.

SPECIAL STATEMENTS WILL BE ISSUED REGARDING THE FIRE WEATHER
POTENTIAL TODAY...THEREFORE THE WATCH IS NO LONGER NECESSARY.

$$

MAZ002>004-008>012-026-041600-
/O.UPG.KBOX.FW.A.0002.150504T1800Z-150505T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KBOX.FW.W.0003.150504T1800Z-150505T0000Z/
WESTERN FRANKLIN MA-EASTERN FRANKLIN MA-NORTHERN WORCESTER MA-
WESTERN HAMPSHIRE MA-WESTERN HAMPDEN MA-EASTERN HAMPSHIRE MA-
EASTERN HAMPDEN MA-SOUTHERN WORCESTER MA-NORTHERN MIDDLESEX MA-
356 AM EDT MON MAY 4 2015

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 2 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 8 PM
EDT THIS EVENING FOR ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER POTENTIAL FOR WESTERN
AND CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS....

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TAUNTON HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING FOR RELATIVELY HUMIDITY VALUES AS LOW AS 20 PERCENT AND
WIND GUSTS APPROACHING 25 MILES PER HOUR...WHICH IS IN EFFECT
FROM 2 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING. THE FIRE
WEATHER WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* AFFECTED AREA...WESTERN AND CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS...PARTICULARLY
  AREAS OF HIGHER TERRAIN.

* WINDS...SOUTHWEST 10 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 25 MPH.

* TIMING...WINDS WILL BECOME MOST GUSTY BETWEEN 3 PM AND 7 PM 
  MONDAY.

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

* TEMPERATURES...HIGHS IN THE UPPER 70S TO LOWER 80S.

* IMPACTS...DRY WEATHER AND GUSTY WINDS WILL RESULT IN CRITICAL 
  FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY.  ANY FIRES THAT START
MAY SPREAD RAPIDLY AND BECOME DIFFICULT TO EXTINGUISH.

&&

$$

FOR THE LATEST UPDATES...PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBPAGE AT
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/BOSTON

YOU CAN FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK AT
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/NWSBOSTON

YOU CAN FOLLOW US ON TWITTER AT
@NWSBOSTON
2 follow-up statements
493 
WWUS81 KBOX 041553
RFWBOX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
1153 AM EDT MON MAY 4 2015

...WARM AND DRY CONDITIONS WILL COMBINE WITH SOUTHWESTERLY
BREEZES THIS AFTERNOON...

MAZ002>004-008>012-026-050000-
/O.CON.KBOX.FW.W.0003.150504T1800Z-150505T0000Z/
WESTERN FRANKLIN MA-EASTERN FRANKLIN MA-NORTHERN WORCESTER MA-
WESTERN HAMPSHIRE MA-WESTERN HAMPDEN MA-EASTERN HAMPSHIRE MA-
EASTERN HAMPDEN MA-SOUTHERN WORCESTER MA-NORTHERN MIDDLESEX MA-
1153 AM EDT MON MAY 4 2015

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING
FOR ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER POTENTIAL FOR WESTERN AND CENTRAL
MASSACHUSETTS...

* AFFECTED AREA...FRANKLIN...HAMPSHIRE...HAMPDEN...WORCESTER AND
  NORTHERN MIDDLESEX COUNTIES.

* WINDS...SOUTHWEST 10 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 25 MPH.

* TIMING...WINDS WILL BECOME MOST GUSTY BETWEEN 3 PM AND 7 PM TODAY.

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

* TEMPERATURES...HIGHS IN THE UPPER 70S TO LOWER 80S.

* IMPACTS...DRY WEATHER AND GUSTY WINDS WILL RESULT IN CRITICAL 
  FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY.  ANY FIRES THAT START
MAY SPREAD RAPIDLY AND BECOME DIFFICULT TO EXTINGUISH.

&&

$$

FOR THE LATEST UPDATES...PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBPAGE AT
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/BOSTON

YOU CAN FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK AT
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/NWSBOSTON

YOU CAN FOLLOW US ON TWITTER AT
@NWSBOSTON
446 
WWUS81 KBOX 042352
RFWBOX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
752 PM EDT MON MAY 4 2015

MAZ002>004-008>012-026-050100-
/O.CAN.KBOX.FW.W.0003.000000T0000Z-150505T0000Z/
WESTERN FRANKLIN MA-EASTERN FRANKLIN MA-NORTHERN WORCESTER MA-
WESTERN HAMPSHIRE MA-WESTERN HAMPDEN MA-EASTERN HAMPSHIRE MA-
EASTERN HAMPDEN MA-SOUTHERN WORCESTER MA-NORTHERN MIDDLESEX MA-
752 PM EDT MON MAY 4 2015

...RED FLAG WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR WESTERN AND CENTRAL
MASSACHUSETTS...

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

ALTHOUGH A FEW LOCATIONS STILL HAD WIND GUSTS AROUND 25 MPH WITH
RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES UNDER 30 PERCENT...CONDITIONS WILL BE
IMPROVING OVER THE NEXT HOUR OR TWO. THIS A RESULT OF DIMINISHING
WIND GUSTS WITH THE LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING. RELATIVE HUMIDITY
VALUES WILL GRADUALLY INCREASE AS TEMPERATURES FALL.

$$

FRANK

FOR THE LATEST UPDATES...PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBPAGE AT
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/BOSTON

YOU CAN FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK AT
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/NWSBOSTON

YOU CAN FOLLOW US ON TWITTER AT
@NWSBOSTON

The office that day

Everything else NWS Boston/Norton, MA issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 4, 3:52 PM EDTSmall Craft AdvisoryBOX18 hr
May 4, 6:51 PM EDTSmall Craft AdvisoryBOX2 hr

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Massachusetts, 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.