Alert archive / Colorado / Red Flag Warnings in 2016

Red Flag Warning 5, NWS Denver/Boulder, CO

March 13, 2016Elbert County, Lincoln County, Washington County, Colorado

NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued this red flag warning at Mar 13, 2016, 9:41 AM MDT for Elbert County, Lincoln County, Washington County, Colorado. It took effect at Mar 13, 2016, 12:00 PM MDT. 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
Mar 13, 2016, 9:41 AM MDT (15:41 UTC)
In effect from
Mar 13, 2016, 12:00 PM MDT
Expired
Mar 13, 2016, 6:00 PM MDT
In force
6 hr
Issued by
NWS Denver/Boulder, CO

Counties Elbert County, CO, Lincoln County, CO, Washington County, CO

The radar

The Denver radar (KFTG), 90 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 15:43 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, 3.7 hours before the alert went out and 60 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 2016-03-13Temperature 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 2016-03-13The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 6 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
19 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
6 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-18 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

584 
WWUS85 KBOU 131541
RFWBOU

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER/BOULDER CO
941 AM MDT SUN MAR 13 2016

COZ246-247-249-132345-
/O.NEW.KBOU.FW.W.0005.160313T1800Z-160314T0000Z/
NORTH AND NORTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/NORTH LINCOLN
COUNTY-
SOUTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/SOUTH LINCOLN COUNTY-
WASHINGTON COUNTY-
941 AM MDT SUN MAR 13 2016

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 12 NOON MDT TO 6 PM MDT TODAY FOR
WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIREWEATHER ZONES 246...247 AND
249 IN NORTHEAST COLORADO...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DENVER HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT
FROM 12 NOON MDT TO 6 PM MDT TODAY. 

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 246...247 AND 249...
  LINCOLN...EASTERN ELBERT AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES IN NORTHEAST
  COLORADO.

* TIMING...FROM 12 NOON MDT TO 6 PM MDT TODAY.

* WINDS...NORTHWEST 15 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH AT TIMES.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 14 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS WILL COMBINE WITH DRY FUELS AND
  LOW HUMIDITY TO CREATE FAVORABLE CONDITIONS FOR RAPID RANGELAND
  FIRE GROWTH AND SPREAD. AGRICULTURAL BURNING IS STRONGLY
  DISCOURAGED IN THIS AREA TODAY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW OR WILL OCCUR SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF
STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES AND DRY FUELS
CAN CONTRIBUTE TO EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR. IF A FIRE IS STARTED OR
ONGOING THE POTENTIAL FOR IT TO RAPIDLY SPREAD IS HIGH.

&&

$$
BAKER
2 follow-up statements
649 
WWUS85 KBOU 132034
RFWBOU

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER/BOULDER CO
234 PM MDT SUN MAR 13 2016

COZ246-247-140445-
/O.NEW.KBOU.FW.A.0003.160314T1800Z-160315T0100Z/
/O.CON.KBOU.FW.W.0005.000000T0000Z-160314T0000Z/
NORTH AND NORTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/NORTH LINCOLN
COUNTY-
SOUTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/SOUTH LINCOLN COUNTY-
234 PM MDT SUN MAR 13 2016

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM MDT TODAY FOR
WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 246 AND 247
IN NORTHEAST COLORADO...

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
EARLY MONDAY EVENING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE
WEATHER ZONES 246 AND 247 IN EAST CENTRAL COLORADO...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DENVER HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG WARNING
FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...WHICH WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT
UNTIL LATE THIS AFTERNOON FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST COLORADO.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DENVER HAS ISSUED A FIRE WEATHER
WATCH FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...WHICH WILL BE IN EFFECT
FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST COLORADO MONDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY
MONDAY EVENING.

* AFFECTED AREA...THE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES
  246 AND 247 TODAY. THE WATCH WILL BE IN EFFECT FOR FIRE WEATHER
  ZONES 246 AND 247 TOMORROW.

* TIMING...WARNING IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM MDT TODAY. THE WATCH
  WILL BE IN EFFECT FROM 12 NOON MDT TO 7 PM MDT MONDAY.

* WINDS...NORTHWEST 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO AROUND 35 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 14 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS WILL COMBINE WITH DRY FUELS 
  AND LOW HUMIDITY TO CREATE FAVORABLE CONDITIONS FOR RAPID 
  RANGELAND FIRE GROWTH AND SPREAD. AGRICULTURAL BURNING IS 
  STRONGLY DISCOURAGED IN THIS AREA TODAY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW OR WILL OCCUR SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF
STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES AND DRY FUELS
CAN CONTRIBUTE TO EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR. IF A FIRE IS STARTED OR
ONGOING THE POTENTIAL FOR IT TO RAPIDLY SPREAD IS HIGH.

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

&&

$$

COZ249-140000-
/O.CON.KBOU.FW.W.0005.000000T0000Z-160314T0000Z/
WASHINGTON COUNTY-
234 PM MDT SUN MAR 13 2016

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM MDT TODAY FOR
WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONE 249 IN
NORTHEAST COLORADO...

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 249.

* TIMING...UNTIL 6 PM MDT TODAY.

* WINDS...NORTHWEST 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 13 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS WILL COMBINE WITH DRY FUELS 
  AND LOW HUMIDITY TO CREATE FAVORABLE CONDITIONS FOR RAPID 
  RANGELAND FIRE GROWTH AND SPREAD. AGRICULTURAL BURNING IS 
  STRONGLY DISCOURAGED IN THIS AREA TODAY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW OR WILL OCCUR SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF
STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES AND DRY FUELS
CAN CONTRIBUTE TO EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR. IF A FIRE IS STARTED OR
ONGOING THE POTENTIAL FOR IT TO RAPIDLY SPREAD IS HIGH.

&&

$$
BAKER
887 
WWUS85 KBOU 140004
RFWBOU

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER/BOULDER CO
604 PM MDT SUN MAR 13 2016


COZ246-247-140815-
/O.EXP.KBOU.FW.W.0005.000000T0000Z-160314T0000Z/
/O.CON.KBOU.FW.A.0003.160314T1800Z-160315T0100Z/
NORTH AND NORTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/NORTH LINCOLN
COUNTY-
SOUTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/SOUTH LINCOLN COUNTY-
604 PM MDT SUN MAR 13 2016

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY AFTERNOON
THROUGH MONDAY EVENING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR
FIRE WEATHER ZONES 246 AND 247 IN EAST CENTRAL COLORADO...
...RED FLAG WARNING HAS EXPIRED FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 246 AND 247 IN NORTHEAST
COLORADO...

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

* TIMING...FIRE DANGER WILL INCREASE BY EARLY AFTERNOON ON MONDAY.

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

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

* IMPACTS...GUSTY WEST WINDS WILL COMBINE WITH DRY FUELS AND LOW
  HUMIDITY TO CREATE FAVORABLE CONDITIONS FOR RAPID RANGELAND FIRE
  GROWTH AND SPREAD. AGRICULTURAL BURNING IS STRONGLY DISCOURAGED
  ON MONDAY.

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.

&&

$$

COZ249-140115-
/O.EXP.KBOU.FW.W.0005.000000T0000Z-160314T0000Z/
WASHINGTON COUNTY-
604 PM MDT SUN MAR 13 2016

...RED FLAG WARNING HAS EXPIRED FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONE 249 IN NORTHEAST COLORADO...

WINDS HAVE DECREASED SO THE WARNING HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO EXPIRE.

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 13, 2:34 PM MDTFire Weather WatchBOUElbert, Lincoln12 hr
Mar 13, 3:14 PM MDTWinter Storm WarningBOUBoulder, Grand, Jackson, Larimer39 hr
Mar 13, 3:14 PM MDTWinter Weather AdvisoryBOUBoulder, Clear Creek, Gilpin, Grand, Jefferson, Park and 1 more39 hr

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Colorado, 2016Every red flag warning in 2016

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.