Alert archive / California / Red Flag Warnings in 2015

Red Flag Warning 2, NWS Las Vegas, NV

April 3, 2015Inyo County, Tulare County, California

NWS Las Vegas, NV issued this red flag warning at Apr 3, 2015, 2:14 PM PDT for Inyo County, Tulare County, California. It took effect at Apr 4, 2015, 4:00 PM PDT. It was in force for 32 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 3, 2015, 2:14 PM PDT (21:14 UTC)
In effect from
Apr 4, 2015, 4:00 PM PDT
Expired
Apr 6, 2015, 12:00 AM PDT
In force
32 hr
Issued by
NWS Las Vegas, NV

Counties Inyo County, CA, Tulare County, CA

The radar

The San Joaquin Valley radar (KHNX), 137 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:17 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

Las Vegas, NV (KVEF), launched 12:00Z, 9.2 hours before the alert went out and 230 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, Las Vegas, NV at 12:00Z on 2015-04-03Temperature 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, Las Vegas, NV at 12:00Z on 2015-04-03The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -81 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 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
3545 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
48 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-81 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
16 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.

242 
WWUS85 KVEF 032114
RFWVEF

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
214 PM PDT FRI APR 3 2015

.GUSTY AND DRY CONDITIONS WILL CREATE CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR
RAPID FIRE GROWTH ACROSS THE SIERRA AND OWENS VALLEY LATE SATURDAY
THROUGH SUNDAY.

CAZ226-041100-
/O.NEW.KVEF.FW.W.0002.150404T2300Z-150406T0300Z/
OWENS VALLEY/SOUTHERN INYO FOREST-
214 PM PDT FRI APR 3 2015

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM SATURDAY TO 8 PM PDT
SUNDAY FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE
WEATHER ZONE 226...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LAS VEGAS HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...WHICH IS IN
EFFECT FROM 4 PM SATURDAY TO 8 PM PDT SUNDAY.

* AFFECTED AREA...IN CALIFORNIA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 226 OWENS 
  VALLEY/SOUTHERN INYO FOREST.

* TIMING...CRITICAL WIND AND DRY CONDITIONS WILL DEVELOP LATE
  SATURDAY AFTERNOON. THERE MAY BE A LULL IN WINDS SUNDAY MORNING BUT
  THEY WILL INCREASE AGAIN SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

* WIND...WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS GUSTING 40 TO 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE
  IN THE SIERRA...WITH GUSTS 25 TO 40 MPH IN THE OWENS VALLEY.

* HUMIDITY...8 TO 12 PERCENT SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING ALONG
  THE EASTERN SLOPES OF THE SIERRA. RECOVERY UP TO 20-30 PERCENT IS
  POSSIBLE EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. HUMIDITY WILL DROP TO 9-15 PERCENT
  AGAIN BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

* IMPACTS...THE COMBINATION OF GUSTY WINDS...LOW RELATIVE
  HUMIDITY...AND DRY FUELS COULD CREATE CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR
  EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR AND RAPID FIRE GROWTH.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE
EITHER OCCURRING OR IMMINENT. PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE FIRE
WEATHER OFFICIALS IN THE FIELD OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING.

&&

$$

WOLCOTT

HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/LASVEGAS
5 follow-up statements
120 
WWUS85 KVEF 041024
RFWVEF

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
324 AM PDT SAT APR 4 2015

.GUSTY AND DRY CONDITIONS WILL CREATE CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR
RAPID FIRE GROWTH ACROSS THE SIERRA AND OWENS VALLEY LATE
TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY.

CAZ226-050000-
/O.CON.KVEF.FW.W.0002.150404T2300Z-150406T0300Z/
OWENS VALLEY/SOUTHERN INYO FOREST-
324 AM PDT SAT APR 4 2015

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO
8 PM PDT SUNDAY FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR
FIRE WEATHER ZONE 226...

* AFFECTED AREA...IN CALIFORNIA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 226 OWENS 
  VALLEY/SOUTHERN INYO FOREST.

* TIMING...CRITICAL WIND AND DRY CONDITIONS WILL DEVELOP LATE THIS
  AFTERNOON. THERE MAY BE A LULL IN WINDS SUNDAY MORNING BUT THEY
  WILL INCREASE AGAIN SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

* WIND...WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS GUSTING 40 TO 50 MPH ARE 
  POSSIBLE IN THE SIERRA...WITH GUSTS 25 TO 40 MPH IN THE OWENS 
  VALLEY. 

* HUMIDITY...8 TO 12 PERCENT THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING ALONG THE
  EASTERN SLOPES OF THE SIERRA. RECOVERY UP TO 20 TO 30 PERCENT IS
  POSSIBLE EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. HUMIDITY WILL DROP TO 9 TO 15
  PERCENT AGAIN BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

* IMPACTS...THE COMBINATION OF GUSTY WINDS...LOW RELATIVE 
  HUMIDITY...AND DRY FUELS COULD CREATE CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR 
  EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR AND RAPID FIRE GROWTH. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE
EITHER OCCURRING OR IMMINENT. PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE FIRE
WEATHER OFFICIALS IN THE FIELD OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING.

&&

$$

HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/LASVEGAS
226 
WWUS85 KVEF 042259
RFWVEF

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
359 PM PDT SAT APR 4 2015

.GUSTY AND DRY CONDITIONS WILL CREATE CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR
RAPID FIRE GROWTH ACROSS THE SIERRA AND OWENS VALLEY THROUGH
SUNDAY.

CAZ226-051200-
/O.EXT.KVEF.FW.W.0002.150404T2300Z-150406T0700Z/
OWENS VALLEY/SOUTHERN INYO FOREST-
359 PM PDT SAT APR 4 2015

...RED FLAG WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT PDT SUNDAY NIGHT
FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONE
226...

* AFFECTED AREA...IN CALIFORNIA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 226 OWENS 
  VALLEY/SOUTHERN INYO FOREST.

* TIMING...CRITICAL WIND AND DRY CONDITIONS WILL DEVELOP LATE SATURDAY
  AFTERNOON. THERE MAY BE A LULL IN WINDS SUNDAY MORNING BUT THEY
  WILL INCREASE AGAIN SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

* WIND...WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS GUSTING 40 TO 50 MPH ARE 
  POSSIBLE IN THE SIERRA...WITH GUSTS 25 TO 40 MPH IN THE OWENS 
  VALLEY. 

* HUMIDITY...8 TO 12 PERCENT SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING ALONG 
  THE EASTERN SLOPES OF THE SIERRA. RECOVERY UP TO 20 TO 30 
  PERCENT IS POSSIBLE EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. HUMIDITY WILL DROP 
  TO 9 TO 15 PERCENT AGAIN BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON. 

* IMPACTS...THE COMBINATION OF GUSTY WINDS...LOW RELATIVE 
  HUMIDITY...AND DRY FUELS COULD CREATE CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR 
  EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR AND RAPID FIRE GROWTH. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE
EITHER OCCURRING OR IMMINENT. PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE FIRE
WEATHER OFFICIALS IN THE FIELD OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING.

&&

$$

WOLCOTT

HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/LASVEGAS
785 
WWUS85 KVEF 051117
RFWVEF

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
417 AM PDT SUN APR 5 2015

.GUSTY AND DRY CONDITIONS WILL CREATE CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR
RAPID FIRE GROWTH ACROSS THE SIERRA AND OWENS VALLEY THROUGH
THIS EVENING.

CAZ226-060000-
/O.CON.KVEF.FW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-150406T0700Z/
OWENS VALLEY/SOUTHERN INYO FOREST-
417 AM PDT SUN APR 5 2015

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT PDT TONIGHT
FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONE
226...

* AFFECTED AREA...IN CALIFORNIA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 226 OWENS 
  VALLEY/SOUTHERN INYO FOREST.

* TIMING...CRITICAL WIND AND DRY CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE MUCH OF
  TODAY INTO THIS EVENING. 

* WIND...WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS GUSTING 40 TO 50 MPH ARE 
  POSSIBLE IN THE SIERRA...WITH GUSTS 25 TO 40 MPH IN THE OWENS 
  VALLEY. 

* HUMIDITY...8 TO 15 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...THE COMBINATION OF GUSTY WINDS...LOW RELATIVE 
  HUMIDITY...AND DRY FUELS COULD CREATE CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR 
  EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR AND RAPID FIRE GROWTH. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE
EITHER OCCURRING OR IMMINENT. PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE FIRE
WEATHER OFFICIALS IN THE FIELD OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING.

&&

$$

HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/LASVEGAS
385 
WWUS85 KVEF 052358
RFWVEF

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
458 PM PDT SUN APR 5 2015

.STRONG WINDS AND DRY CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE TO CREATE THE
POTENTIAL FOR RAPID FIRE GROWTH ACROSS THE SIERRA AND OWENS VALLEY
THROUGH LATE THIS EVENING.

CAZ226-060700-
/O.CON.KVEF.FW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-150406T0700Z/
OWENS VALLEY/SOUTHERN INYO FOREST-
458 PM PDT SUN APR 5 2015

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT PDT TONIGHT
FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONE
226...

* AFFECTED AREA...IN CALIFORNIA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 226 OWENS 
  VALLEY/SOUTHERN INYO FOREST.

* TIMING...STRONG WIND GUSTS WILL PERSIST UNTIL AROUND 5 AM MONDAY
  MORNING BUT RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES SHOULD RECOVER ABOVE 20
  PERCENT IN THE OWENS VALLEY BY MIDNIGHT.

* WIND...WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS GUSTING 40 TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED
  OVERNIGHT ON THE MID TO UPPER SLOPES OF THE SIERRA. GUSTS OF 25 TO
  40 MPH WILL PERSIST IN THE OWENS VALLEY THROUGH LATE THIS EVENING.

* HUMIDITY...8 TO 15 PERCENT THIS EVENING.

* IMPACTS...THE COMBINATION OF GUSTY WINDS...LOW RELATIVE 
  HUMIDITY...AND DRY FUELS COULD CREATE CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR 
  EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR AND RAPID FIRE GROWTH. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE
OCCURRING. PLEASE HEED ALL FIRE RESTRICTIONS.

&&

$$

HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/LASVEGAS
301 
WWUS85 KVEF 060639
RFWVEF

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
1139 PM PDT SUN APR 5 2015

CAZ226-060745-
/O.EXP.KVEF.FW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-150406T0700Z/
OWENS VALLEY/SOUTHERN INYO FOREST-
1139 PM PDT SUN APR 5 2015

...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT MIDNIGHT PDT TONIGHT FOR
STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONE
226...

WHILE BREEZY CONDITIONS CONTINUE...RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES AT LOCAL
OBSERVATION SITES HAVE TRENDED UPWARDS WITH NIGHTTIME COOLING AND
WIND SPEEDS HAVE DECREASED FROM EARLIER THIS EVENING. THEREFORE THE
RED FLAG WARNING WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE AT MIDNIGHT. 

$$

HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/LASVEGAS

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in California, 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.