Alert archive / Colorado / Red Flag Warnings in 2016

Red Flag Warning 7, NWS Denver/Boulder, CO

March 14, 2016Elbert County, Lincoln County, Washington County, Colorado

NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued this red flag warning at Mar 14, 2016, 3:51 PM MDT for Elbert County, Lincoln County, Washington County, Colorado. It took effect at Mar 15, 2016, 12:00 PM MDT. 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
Mar 14, 2016, 3:51 PM MDT (21:51 UTC)
In effect from
Mar 15, 2016, 12:00 PM MDT
Expired
Mar 15, 2016, 7:00 PM MDT
In force
7 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 21:55 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, 9.9 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 2016-03-14Temperature 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 2016-03-14The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 46 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
2655 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
39 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
46 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.

237 
WWUS85 KBOU 142151
RFWBOU

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER/BOULDER CO
351 PM MDT MON MAR 14 2016

...DRY AND WINDY CONDITIONS CONTINUE TO INCREASE GRASSLAND FIRE
DANGER ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS THIS EVENING AND AGAIN ON 
TUESDAY...

COZ246-247-249-150600-
/O.NEW.KBOU.FW.W.0007.160315T1800Z-160316T0100Z/
/O.CON.KBOU.FW.W.0006.000000T0000Z-160315T0100Z/
NORTH AND NORTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/NORTH LINCOLN
COUNTY-
SOUTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/SOUTH LINCOLN COUNTY-
WASHINGTON COUNTY-
351 PM MDT MON MAR 14 2016

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM MDT THIS EVENING
FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR THE DENVER METRO AREA...
EASTERN DOUGLAS AND ELBERT COUNTIES...ADAMS...ARAPAHOE...AND
WASHINGTON COUNTIES...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 239...240...241...245...
AND 249...
...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 7 PM MDT TUESDAY FOR
WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR EASTERN ELBERT...LINCOLN AND
WASHINGTON COUNTIES...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 246...247 AND 249...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DENVER HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT
FROM NOON TO 7 PM MDT TUESDAY.

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 246...247 AND 249.

* TIMING...RED FLAG CONDITIONS WILL EASE AFTER SUNSET THIS
  EVENING...THEN REDEVELOP BY TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

* WINDS...NORTHWEST 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH THIS
  EVENING WILL DECREASE TO 15 TO 20 WITH GUSTS TO 30 MPH
  OVERNIGHT...THEN INCREASE TO 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 45
  MPH BY NOON ON TUESDAY.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 12 PERCENT...RECOVERING TO NEAR 55
  PERCENT OVERNIGHT...LOWERING TO 10 PERCENT TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

* 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 RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW OR WILL OCCUR SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF
STRONG 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.

&&

$$

COZ239>241-245-150100-
/O.CON.KBOU.FW.W.0006.000000T0000Z-160315T0100Z/
BOULDER AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES BELOW 6000 FEET/WEST BROOMFIELD
COUNTY-
NORTH DOUGLAS COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/DENVER/WEST ADAMS AND
ARAPAHOE COUNTIES/EAST BROOMFIELD COUNTY-
ELBERT/CENTRAL AND EAST DOUGLAS COUNTIES ABOVE 6000 FEET-
CENTRAL AND EAST ADAMS AND ARAPAHOE COUNTIES-
351 PM MDT MON MAR 14 2016

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM MDT THIS EVENING
FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR THE DENVER METRO AREA...
EASTERN DOUGLAS AND ELBERT COUNTIES...ADAMS...ARAPAHOE...AND
WASHINGTON COUNTIES...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 239...240...241...245...
AND 249...

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 239...240...241 AND 245.

* TIMING...RED FLAG CONDITIONS LATE THIS AFTERNOON WILL EASE AFTER
  SUNSET.

* WINDS...WEST 20 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...CURRENTLY AS LOW AS 15 PERCENT...WILL
  RECOVER TO NEAR 20 BY SUNSET.

* 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 RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW OR WILL OCCUR SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF
STRONG 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.

&&

$$
4 follow-up statements
880 
WWUS85 KBOU 150059
RFWBOU

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER/BOULDER CO
659 PM MDT MON MAR 14 2016

...DRY AND WINDY CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE THE GRASSLAND
FIRE DANGER ACROSS PARTS OF EASTERN COLORADO ON TUESDAY...

TEMPERATURES HAVE COOLED THIS EVENING...ALLOWING HUMIDITY VALUES
TO INCREASE. WINDS HAVE ALSO DIMINISHED SLIGHTLY. THE THREAT OF
DANGEROUS FIRE BEHAVIOR THIS EVENING HAS ENDED. MORE WIND AND WARM
TEMPERATURES ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON WILL PRODUCE ELEVATED FIRE
DANGER VALUES OVER PARTS OF EASTERN COLORADO...MAINLY THE EASTERN
PORTIONS OF THE PALMER DIVIDE AND WASHINGTON COUNTY. 

COZ246-247-249-150900-
/O.CAN.KBOU.FW.W.0006.000000T0000Z-160315T0100Z/
/O.CON.KBOU.FW.W.0007.160315T1800Z-160316T0100Z/
NORTH AND NORTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/NORTH LINCOLN
COUNTY-
SOUTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/SOUTH LINCOLN COUNTY-
WASHINGTON COUNTY-
659 PM MDT MON MAR 14 2016

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 7 PM MDT
TUESDAY FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR EASTERN
ELBERT...LINCOLON AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES... 
...RED FLAG WARNING IS CANCELLED THIS EVENING FOR WIND AND LOW
RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR EASTERN ELBERT...LINCOLN AND WASHINGTON
COUNTIES...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DENVER HAS CANCELLED THE RED FLAG
WARNING FOR THIS EVENING. ANOTHER RED FLAG WARNING WILL BE IN
EFFECT FOR TUESDAY AFTERNOON. 

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 246...247 AND 249.

* TIMING...RED FLAG CONDITIONS WILL EASE AFTER SUNSET THIS 
  EVENING...THEN REDEVELOP BY TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

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

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS LOW AS 12 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 RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW OR WILL OCCUR SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF
STRONG 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.

&&

$$

COZ239>241-245-150200-
/O.CAN.KBOU.FW.W.0006.000000T0000Z-160315T0100Z/
BOULDER AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES BELOW 6000 FEET/WEST BROOMFIELD
COUNTY-
NORTH DOUGLAS COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/DENVER/WEST ADAMS AND
ARAPAHOE COUNTIES/EAST BROOMFIELD COUNTY-
ELBERT/CENTRAL AND EAST DOUGLAS COUNTIES ABOVE 6000 FEET-
CENTRAL AND EAST ADAMS AND ARAPAHOE COUNTIES-
659 PM MDT MON MAR 14 2016

...RED FLAG WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITY FOR EAST CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST COLORADO...

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

COOLER TEMPERATURES AND RISING HUMIDITIES WILL ALLOW FIRE DANGER
TO DECREASE OVERNIGHT.

$$
078 
WWUS85 KBOU 150908
RFWBOU

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER/BOULDER CO
308 AM MDT TUE MAR 15 2016

...DRY AND WINDY CONDITIONS WILL ELEVATE THE GRASSLAND FIRE
DANGER ACROSS PARTS OF EASTERN COLORADO TODAY...

COZ246-247-249-152200-
/O.CON.KBOU.FW.W.0007.160315T1800Z-160316T0100Z/
NORTH AND NORTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/NORTH LINCOLN
COUNTY-
SOUTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/SOUTH LINCOLN COUNTY-
WASHINGTON COUNTY-
308 AM MDT TUE MAR 15 2016

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 7 PM MDT
THIS EVENING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR EASTERN
ELBERT...LINCOLN AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES...

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 246...247 AND 249.

* TIMING...RED FLAG CONDITIONS WILL DEVELOP EARLY THIS AFTERNOON.

* WINDS...WEST TO NORTHWEST 25 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...12 TO 17 PERCENT.

* IMPACTS...GUSTY 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 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 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.

&&

$$
311 
WWUS85 KBOU 152109
RFWBOU

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER/BOULDER CO
309 PM MDT TUE MAR 15 2016

...DRY AND WINDY CONDITIONS ELEVATING THE GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER
ACROSS PARTS OF EASTERN COLORADO THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING...

COZ246-247-249-160100-
/O.CON.KBOU.FW.W.0007.000000T0000Z-160316T0100Z/
NORTH AND NORTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/NORTH LINCOLN
COUNTY-
SOUTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/SOUTH LINCOLN COUNTY-
WASHINGTON COUNTY-
309 PM MDT TUE MAR 15 2016

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM MDT THIS EVENING
FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR EASTERN ELBERT...LINCOLN
AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES...

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 246...247 AND 249.

* TIMING...RED FLAG CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE THIS AFTERNOON...WITH
  RELIEF NEAR SUNSET.

* WINDS...WEST TO NORTHWEST 25 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH
  WILL DECREASE TO 10 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 20 MPH AFTER 7 PM.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...12 TO 17 PERCENT....RECOVERING INTO THE 20
  PERCENT RANGE AFTER 7 PM.

* IMPACTS...GUSTY 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
  FOR THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING.

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 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.

&&

$$
946 
WWUS85 KBOU 160052
RFWBOU

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER/BOULDER CO
652 PM MDT TUE MAR 15 2016

...THE RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 7PM...

COZ246-247-249-160200-
/O.EXP.KBOU.FW.W.0007.000000T0000Z-160316T0100Z/
NORTH AND NORTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/NORTH LINCOLN
COUNTY-
SOUTHEAST ELBERT COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/SOUTH LINCOLN COUNTY-
WASHINGTON COUNTY-
652 PM MDT TUE MAR 15 2016

...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 7 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR WIND
AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR WASHINGTON...LINCOLN...AND ELBERT
COUNTIES. 

WINDS ARE STEADILY DECREASING ACROSS EASTERN COLORADO...AND
HUMIDITIES ARE SLOWLY CLIMBING. AS A RESULT THE RED FLAG WARNING
WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE AT 7PM. 

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 14, 2:32 AM MDTRed Flag WarningBOUAdams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas and 4 more16 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.