Alert archive / Kansas / Red Flag Warnings in 2016

Red Flag Warning 1, NWS Topeka, KS

February 18, 201623 counties in Kansas

NWS Topeka, KS issued this red flag warning at Feb 18, 2016, 3:42 AM CST for 23 counties in Kansas. It took effect at Feb 18, 2016, 11:00 AM CST. It was in force for 11 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
Feb 18, 2016, 3:42 AM CST (09:42 UTC)
In effect from
Feb 18, 2016, 11:00 AM CST
Expired
Feb 18, 2016, 10:14 PM CST
In force
11 hr
Issued by
NWS Topeka, KS
All 23 counties

Anderson County, KS, Brown County, KS, Clay County, KS, Cloud County, KS, Coffey County, KS, Dickinson County, KS, Douglas County, KS, Franklin County, KS, Geary County, KS, Jackson County, KS, Jefferson County, KS, Lyon County, KS, Marshall County, KS, Morris County, KS, Nemaha County, KS, Osage County, KS, Ottawa County, KS, Pottawatomie County, KS, Republic County, KS, Riley County, KS, Shawnee County, KS, Wabaunsee County, KS, Washington County, KS

The radar

The Topeka radar (KTWX), 16 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 09:44 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

Topeka, KS (KFOE), launched 00:00Z, 9.7 hours before the alert went out and 61 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, Topeka, KS at 00:00Z on 2016-02-18Temperature 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, Topeka, KS at 00:00Z on 2016-02-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 198 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
2141 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
66 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
198 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
268 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

798 
WWUS83 KTOP 180942
RFWTOP

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
342 AM CST THU FEB 18 2016

KSZ008>012-020>024-026-034>040-054>056-058-059-182200-
/O.NEW.KTOP.FW.W.0001.160218T1700Z-160219T0100Z/
/O.EXT.KTOP.FW.A.0001.160219T0100Z-160220T0000Z/
REPUBLIC-WASHINGTON-MARSHALL-NEMAHA-BROWN-CLOUD-CLAY-RILEY-
POTTAWATOMIE-JACKSON-JEFFERSON-OTTAWA-DICKINSON-GEARY-MORRIS-
WABAUNSEE-SHAWNEE-DOUGLAS-LYON-OSAGE-FRANKLIN-COFFEY-ANDERSON-
342 AM CST THU FEB 18 2016

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 7 PM CST
THIS EVENING FOR GUSTY WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES...AND
CRITICAL FUELS FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 008...
009...010...011...012...020...021...022...023...024...026...034...
035...036...037...038...039...040...054...055...056...058 AND
059... 

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH NOW IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING
THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON FOR GUSTY WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY
VALUES...AND CRITICAL FUELS FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES
008...009...010...011...012...020...021...022...023...024...026...
034...035...036...037...038...039...040...054...055...056... 058
AND 059...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TOPEKA HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 7 PM CST
THIS EVENING. 

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 008...009...010...011... 
  012...020...021...022...023...024...026...034...035...036... 
  037...038...039...040...054...055...056...058 AND 059. 

* WIND...SOUTHERLY WINDS THIS AFTERNOON INCREASE BETWEEN 25 AND 35
  MPH SUSTAINED...WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH DURING THE LATE MORNING
  AND AFTERNOON HOURS. FOR THIS EVENING AND FRIDAY... WINDS SHIFT
  TO THE WEST BETWEEN 15 AND 25 MPH...WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 30 MPH
  WHICH SHOULD GRADUALLY DIMINISH BY THE AFTERNOON.

* HUMIDITY...MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES THIS AFTERNOON FALL
  FROM THE UPPER TEENS OVER FAR NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS...TO THE
  LOWER AND MIDDLE 30 PERCENT RANGE ELSEWHERE. OVERALL LOWER
  VALUES ARE EXPECTED ON FRIDAY WITH MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITY
  VALUES IN THE TEENS TO MID 20 PERCENT RANGE.

* 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.

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 MAY
LEAD TO EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR.

&&

$$
2 follow-up statements
065 
WWUS83 KTOP 182126
RFWTOP

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
326 PM CST THU FEB 18 2016

KSZ008>012-020>024-026-034>040-054>056-058-059-190530-
/O.EXT.KTOP.FW.W.0001.000000T0000Z-160219T0600Z/
/O.EXT.KTOP.FW.A.0001.160219T1600Z-160219T2300Z/
REPUBLIC-WASHINGTON-MARSHALL-NEMAHA-BROWN-CLOUD-CLAY-RILEY-
POTTAWATOMIE-JACKSON-JEFFERSON-OTTAWA-DICKINSON-GEARY-MORRIS-
WABAUNSEE-SHAWNEE-DOUGLAS-LYON-OSAGE-FRANKLIN-COFFEY-ANDERSON-
326 PM CST THU FEB 18 2016

...RED FLAG WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT FOR
GUSTY WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES...AND CRITICAL FUELS FOR
FIRE WEATHER ZONES 008...009...010...011...012...020...021...
022...023...024...026...034...035...036...037...038...039...
040...054...055...056...058 AND 059...
 
...FIRE WEATHER WATCH NOW IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH
FRIDAY AFTERNOON FOR GUSTY WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES...AND
CRITICAL FUELS FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 008...009...010...011...
012...020...021...022...023...024...026...034...035...036...
037...038...039...040...054...055...056... 058 AND 059...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TOPEKA HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 7 PM CST
THIS EVENING.

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES 008...009...010...011... 
  012...020...021...022...023...024...026...034...035...036... 
  037...038...039...040...054...055...056...058 AND 059. 

* WIND...SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS 20 TO 35 MPH SUSTAINED...WITH
  GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON HOURS. WIND SPEEDS
  DIMINISH TO 15 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH THROUGH THE
  EVENING. LATE TONIGHT...WINDS SHIFT TO THE WEST BETWEEN 15 AND
  25 MPH...WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 30 MPH...GENERALLY DIMINISHING
  THROUGH THE DAY.

* HUMIDITY...MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES THIS AFTERNOON IN
  THE MIDDLE 20 PERCENT RANGE IN NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS...TO THE
  LOWER AND MIDDLE 30 PERCENT RANGE ELSEWHERE. LOWER VALUES ARE
  EXPECTED ON FRIDAY WITH MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES IN THE
  TEENS TO MID 20 PERCENT RANGE.

* 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.

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 MAY
LEAD TO EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR.

&&

$$
631 
WWUS83 KTOP 190414
RFWTOP

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
1014 PM CST THU FEB 18 2016

KSZ008>012-020>024-026-034>040-054>056-058-059-191215-
/O.CAN.KTOP.FW.W.0001.000000T0000Z-160219T0600Z/
/O.CON.KTOP.FW.A.0001.160219T1600Z-160219T2300Z/
REPUBLIC-WASHINGTON-MARSHALL-NEMAHA-BROWN-CLOUD-CLAY-RILEY-
POTTAWATOMIE-JACKSON-JEFFERSON-OTTAWA-DICKINSON-GEARY-MORRIS-
WABAUNSEE-SHAWNEE-DOUGLAS-LYON-OSAGE-FRANKLIN-COFFEY-ANDERSON-
1014 PM CST THU FEB 18 2016

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM CST FRIDAY
THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON FOR GUSTY WINDS...LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITIES...AND CRITICAL FUELS FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES
008...009...010...011...012...020...021...022...023...024...
026...034...035...036...037...038...039...040...054...055...056...
058 AND 059... 

...RED FLAG WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES
008...009...010...011...012...020...021...022...
023...024...026...034...035...036...037...038...039...040...054...
055...056...058 AND 059...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TOPEKA HAS CANCELLED THE RED FLAG
WARNING ACROSS THE AREA AS RELATIVE HUMIDITY HAS INCREASED ACROSS
THE AREA. A FIRE WEATHER WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM CST
FRIDAY THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON.

* AFFECTED AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONES
  008...009...010...011...012...020...021...022...023...024...
  026...034...035...036...037...038...039...040...054...055...056...
  058 AND 059...

* WIND...WINDS SHIFT TO THE WEST BETWEEN 15 AND 25 MPH...WITH
  GUSTS TO AROUND 35 MPH LATE TONIGHT. THE WINDS WILL BE
  DIMINISHING THROUGH THE DAY ON FRIDAY.

* HUMIDITY...MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES IN THE TEENS TO MID
  20 PERCENT RANGE.

* 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.

&&

$$

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Kansas, 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.