Alert archive / Minnesota / Red Flag Warnings in 2015

Red Flag Warning 8, NWS Twin Cities, MN

April 13, 201517 counties in Minnesota

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this red flag warning at Apr 13, 2015, 2:17 AM CDT for 17 counties in Minnesota. It took effect at Apr 13, 2015, 1:00 PM CDT. It was in force for 7 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, 2:17 AM CDT (07:17 UTC)
In effect from
Apr 13, 2015, 1:00 PM CDT
Expired
Apr 13, 2015, 8:00 PM CDT
In force
7 hr
Issued by
NWS Twin Cities, MN

Counties Benton County, MN, Chippewa County, MN, Douglas County, MN, Kanabec County, MN, Kandiyohi County, MN, Lac qui Parle County, MN, Meeker County, MN, Mille Lacs County, MN, Morrison County, MN, Pope County, MN, Redwood County, MN, Renville County, MN, Stearns County, MN, Stevens County, MN, Swift County, MN, Todd County, MN, Yellow Medicine County, MN

The radar

The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 126 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 07:20 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, 7.3 hours before the alert went out and 124 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 2015-04-13Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 26 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, Minneapolis, MN at 00:00Z on 2015-04-13The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 180 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
26 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-136 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1856 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
30 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
180 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
327 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

420 
WWUS83 KMPX 130717
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
217 AM CDT MON APR 13 2015

...RED FLAG WARNING FOR WEST CENTRAL AND PARTS OF CENTRAL AND
SOUTHWESTERN MINNESOTA UNTIL 8 PM CDT...

.STRONG WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS FROM 20 TO 30 MPH ARE EXPECTED BY
THE AFTERNOON ALONG WITH HUMIDITY LEVELS AS LOW AS 15 TO 20
PERCENT. THE STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES WILL COMBINE TO
YIELD CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE RED FLAG WARNING IS
NOW IN EFFECT FOR AREAS ALONG AND WEST OF A LINE FROM MORA...TO
ST CLOUD...TO REDWOOD FALLS.

MNZ041>045-047>050-054>058-064-065-073-131530-
/O.UPG.KMPX.FW.A.0007.150413T1800Z-150414T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KMPX.FW.W.0008.150413T1800Z-150414T0100Z/
DOUGLAS-TODD-MORRISON-MILLE LACS-KANABEC-STEVENS-POPE-STEARNS-
BENTON-LAC QUI PARLE-SWIFT-CHIPPEWA-KANDIYOHI-MEEKER-
YELLOW MEDICINE-RENVILLE-REDWOOD-
217 AM CDT MON APR 13 2015

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 8 PM
CDT THIS EVENING FOR LOW HUMIDITIES AND STRONG WEST TO NORTHWEST
WINDS... 

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN
HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS
AFTERNOON TO 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING. THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS NO
LONGER IN EFFECT.

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 041...042...043...044... 
  045...047...048...049...050...054...055...056...057...058... 
  064...065 AND 073. 

 * WIND...WEST NORTHWEST BETWEEN 20 AND 30 MPH.

 * HUMIDITY...15 TO 20 PERCENT.

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


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.

&&

$$
3 follow-up statements
710 
WWUS83 KMPX 131847
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
147 PM CDT MON APR 13 2015

...RED FLAG WARNING FOR WEST CENTRAL AND PARTS OF CENTRAL AND
SOUTHWESTERN MINNESOTA UNTIL 8 PM CDT...

.STRONG WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS FROM 20 TO 30 MPH WILL CONTINUE
THIS AFTERNOON ALONG WITH HUMIDITY LEVELS AS LOW AS 15 TO 20
PERCENT. THE STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES WILL COMBINE TO YIELD
CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN
EFFECT FOR AREAS ALONG AND WEST OF A LINE FROM MORA...TO ST
CLOUD...TO REDWOOD FALLS.

MNZ041>045-047>050-054>058-064-065-073-140100-
/O.CON.KMPX.FW.W.0008.000000T0000Z-150414T0100Z/
DOUGLAS-TODD-MORRISON-MILLE LACS-KANABEC-STEVENS-POPE-STEARNS-
BENTON-LAC QUI PARLE-SWIFT-CHIPPEWA-KANDIYOHI-MEEKER-
YELLOW MEDICINE-RENVILLE-REDWOOD-
147 PM CDT MON APR 13 2015

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING
FOR LOW HUMIDITIES AND STRONG WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS...

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 041...042...043...044... 
  045...047...048...049...050...054...055...056...057...058... 
  064...065 AND 073. 

 * WIND...WEST NORTHWEST BETWEEN 20 AND 30 MPH.

 * HUMIDITY...15 TO 20 PERCENT.

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

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.

&&

$$
517 
WWUS83 KMPX 132018
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
318 PM CDT MON APR 13 2015

...RED FLAG WARNING FOR WEST CENTRAL AND PARTS OF CENTRAL AND
SOUTHWESTERN MINNESOTA UNTIL 8 PM CDT AND A FIRE WEATHER WATCH
TUESDAY AFTERNOON FOR WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

.STRONG WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS FROM 20 TO 30 MPH WILL CONTINUE
INTO THIS EVENING...ALONG WITH HUMIDITY LEVELS AS LOW AS 15 TO 20
PERCENT. THE STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES WILL COMBINE TO YIELD
CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN
EFFECT FOR AREAS ALONG AND WEST OF A LINE FROM MORA... TO
ST CLOUD...TO REDWOOD FALLS. THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH TUESDAY
AFTERNOON COVERS THE AREA ALONG AND WEST OF A LINE FROM MORRIS
TO REDWOOD FALLS.

MNZ047-054>056-064-073-140400-
/O.NEW.KMPX.FW.A.0008.150414T1800Z-150415T0000Z/
/O.CON.KMPX.FW.W.0008.000000T0000Z-150414T0100Z/
STEVENS-LAC QUI PARLE-SWIFT-CHIPPEWA-YELLOW MEDICINE-REDWOOD-
318 PM CDT MON APR 13 2015

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING
FOR LOW HUMIDITY AND STRONG WIND...
...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
TUESDAY EVENING FOR LOW HUMIDITY AND STRONG WIND...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN HAS ISSUED
A FIRE WEATHER WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON
THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING. 

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 047...054...055...056... 
  064 AND 073. 

 * WIND...WEST NORTHWEST BETWEEN 20 AND 30 MPH TODAY. SOUTH WIND
   20 TO 25 MPH ON TUESDAY.

 * HUMIDITY...15 TO 20 PERCENT BOTH TODAY AND TUESDAY.

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

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.

A FIRE WEATHER WATCH MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE FORECAST TO OCCUR. LISTEN FOR LATER FORECASTS AND POSSIBLE
RED FLAG WARNINGS.

&&

$$

MNZ041>045-048>050-057-058-065-140100-
/O.CON.KMPX.FW.W.0008.000000T0000Z-150414T0100Z/
DOUGLAS-TODD-MORRISON-MILLE LACS-KANABEC-POPE-STEARNS-BENTON-
KANDIYOHI-MEEKER-RENVILLE-
318 PM CDT MON APR 13 2015

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING
FOR LOW HUMIDITY AND STRONG WIND...

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 041...042...043...044... 
  045...048...049...050...057...058 AND 065. 

 * WIND...WEST NORTHWEST BETWEEN 20 AND 30 MPH.

 * HUMIDITY...15 TO 20 PERCENT.

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

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.

&&

$$
462 
WWUS83 KMPX 140104
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
804 PM CDT MON APR 13 2015

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH TUESDAY AFTERNOON FOR WEST CENTRAL
MINNESOTA...

.ANOTHER DAY OF GUSTY WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY WILL LEAD TO
CRITICAL FIRE CONDITIONS TUESDAY AFTERNOON. THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH
TUESDAY COVERS THE AREA ALONG AND WEST OF A LINE FROM MORRIS TO
REDWOOD FALLS.

MNZ047-054>056-064-073-140915-
/O.EXP.KMPX.FW.W.0008.000000T0000Z-150414T0100Z/
/O.CON.KMPX.FW.A.0008.150414T1800Z-150415T0000Z/
STEVENS-LAC QUI PARLE-SWIFT-CHIPPEWA-YELLOW MEDICINE-REDWOOD-
804 PM CDT MON APR 13 2015

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON
THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING FOR LOW HUMIDITY AND STRONG WIND...

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 047...054...055...056... 
  064 AND 073. 

 * WIND...SOUTH 20 TO 25 MPH.

 * HUMIDITY...15 TO 20 PERCENT.

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

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FIRE WEATHER WATCH MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE FORECAST TO OCCUR. LISTEN FOR LATER FORECASTS AND POSSIBLE
RED FLAG WARNINGS.

&&

$$

MNZ041>045-048>050-057-058-065-140215-
/O.EXP.KMPX.FW.W.0008.000000T0000Z-150414T0100Z/
DOUGLAS-TODD-MORRISON-MILLE LACS-KANABEC-POPE-STEARNS-BENTON-
KANDIYOHI-MEEKER-RENVILLE-
804 PM CDT MON APR 13 2015

...RED FLAG WARNING HAS EXPIRED FOR LOW HUMIDITY AND STRONG
WIND...

$$

BORGHOFF

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 12, 7:34 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXAnoka, Isanti26 min
Apr 12, 8:01 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXIsanti29 min
Apr 12, 8:15 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXNicollet30 min
Apr 13, 3:18 PM CDTFire Weather WatchMPXChippewa, Lac qui Parle, Redwood, Stevens, Swift, Yellow Medicine11 hr

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Minnesota, 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.