Alert archive / New Mexico / Red Flag Warnings in 2017

Red Flag Warning 13, NWS Albuquerque, NM

March 22, 2017Harding County, San Miguel County, Union County, New Mexico

NWS Albuquerque, NM issued this red flag warning at Mar 22, 2017, 3:39 PM MDT for Harding County, San Miguel County, Union County, New Mexico. It took effect at Mar 23, 2017, 1:00 PM MDT. It was in force for 6 hr. 4 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Mar 22, 2017, 3:39 PM MDT (21:39 UTC)
In effect from
Mar 23, 2017, 1:00 PM MDT
Expired
Mar 23, 2017, 7:00 PM MDT
In force
6 hr
Issued by
NWS Albuquerque, NM

Counties Harding County, NM, San Miguel County, NM, Union County, NM

The radar

The Cannon AFB radar (KFDX), 150 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:38 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.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Mar 23, 2:39 PM MDTHIGH SUST WINDS 556 Ne Las Vegas, NMKLVS ASOS.
Mar 23, 2:40 PM MDTHIGH SUST WINDS 446 Ne Las Vegas, NMKLVS ASOS.
Mar 23, 3:10 PM MDTHIGH SUST WINDS 432 Ene Clayton, NMKCAO ASOS.
Mar 23, 3:21 PM MDTNON-TSTM WND GST 68Des Moines, NMSCHOOLNET SITE RELAYED.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Amarillo Airport, TX (KAMA), launched 12:00Z, 9.7 hours before the alert went out and 225 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, Amarillo Airport, TX at 12:00Z on 2017-03-22Temperature 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, Amarillo Airport, TX at 12:00Z on 2017-03-22The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 265 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
922 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
38 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
265 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
312 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
-0.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

556 
WWUS85 KABQ 222139
RFWABQ

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Albuquerque NM
339 PM MDT Wed Mar 22 2017

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH 7 PM MDT TODAY FOR THE 
MIDDLE RIO GRANDE VALLEY...THE SANDIA...MANZANO...AND GALLINAS 
MOUNTAINS...AND THE WEST CENTRAL HIGHLANDS DUE TO STRONG WINDS... 
LOW HUMIDITY AND AN UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE...

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT BETWEEN NOON TO 7 PM MDT THURSDAY 
FOR THE EAST CENTRAL PLAINS...THE NORTHEAST PLAINS AND THE 
NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS DUE TO STRONG WINDS...LOW HUMIDITY AND AN
UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE...

.Gusty winds combined with low humidity and a very warm 
atmosphere will affect southwest and central portions of the
forecast area through the early evening hours today. The critical
conditions will move eastward on Thursday and affect the plains.
Strong to very strong wind gusts combined with unusually high 
mixing heights...well above normal temperatures and low humidity
will impact the east.  

NMZ103-104-108-230100-
/O.UPG.KABQ.FW.A.0013.170323T1900Z-170324T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KABQ.FW.W.0013.170323T1900Z-170324T0100Z/
Northeast Highlands-Northeast Plains-East Central Plains-
339 PM MDT Wed Mar 22 2017

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM TO 7 PM MDT THURSDAY...

The National Weather Service in Albuquerque has issued a Red Flag
Warning...which is in effect from 1 PM to 7 PM MDT Thursday. The
Fire Weather Watch is no longer in effect. 

* AREA AND TIMING...The East Central Plains, Northeast Plains, and
  Northeast Highlands Thursday afternoon through early evening.  

* 20 FOOT WINDS...Southwest 30 to 40 mph with gusts up to 65 mph.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...10 to 15 percent.

* IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly and
  will be hard to control. Long range spotting and extreme fire 
  behavior will be possible. Outdoor burning should not be done. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in the
field of this Red Flag Warning.

&&

$$

NMZ106-107-109-230100-
/O.CON.KABQ.FW.W.0012.000000T0000Z-170323T0100Z/
Middle Rio Grande Valley-Sandia...Manzano and Gallinas Mountains-
West Central Highlands-
339 PM MDT Wed Mar 22 2017

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM MDT THIS
EVENING...

* AREA AND TIMING...The West Central Highlands, Middle Rio 
  Grande Valley, and the Sandia, Manzano, and Gallinas Mountains 
  this afternoon and early evening. 

* 20 FOOT WINDS...Southwest 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 35 mph.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...6 to 12 percent.

* IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly. 
  Outdoor burning is not recommended. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in the
field of this Red Flag Warning.

&&

$$
50
3 follow-up statements
135 
WWUS85 KABQ 230101
RFWABQ

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Albuquerque NM
701 PM MDT Wed Mar 22 2017

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT BETWEEN 1 PM TO 7 PM MDT THURSDAY 
FOR THE EAST CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST PLAINS AND THE PLAINS PORTION
OF THE NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS DUE TO STRONG WINDS...LOW HUMIDITY AND
AN UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE...

.Gusty winds observed earlier will continue to lower this evening
thus diminishing the critical fire weather threat. The wind will 
significantly increase on Thursday with gusts up to 65 mph 
possible. The drier airmass will shift eastward and affect the 
eastern plains with humidity values expected to fall below 15 
percent. The atmosphere will also be very unstable across the 
eastern third or so due to unusually high mixing heights...well 
above normal temperatures and some sunshine. A cold frontal
passage will sweep across northern and central New Mexico from
west to east during the late morning to afternoon ours with wind
directions starting out southerly and becoming westerly by late
afternoon.  

NMZ106-107-109-230215-
/O.EXP.KABQ.FW.W.0012.000000T0000Z-170323T0100Z/
Middle Rio Grande Valley-Sandia...Manzano and Gallinas Mountains-
West Central Highlands-
701 PM MDT Wed Mar 22 2017

...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 7 PM MDT THIS EVENING...

Sporadic strong wind and low humidity observations will remain
across the lower and middle Rio Grande Valley as well as portions
of the Estancia Valley through 8 pm MDT. Otherwise the critical
fire weather conditions observed earlier will diminish as the
evening progresses. 

$$

NMZ103-104-108-231200-
/O.CON.KABQ.FW.W.0013.170323T1900Z-170324T0100Z/
Northeast Highlands-Northeast Plains-East Central Plains-
701 PM MDT Wed Mar 22 2017

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM TO 7 PM MDT
THURSDAY...

* AREA AND TIMING...The East Central Plains, Northeast Plains, and
  the plains portion of the Northeast Highlands much of Thursday afternoon
  through early evening.

* 20 FOOT WINDS...South to Southwest 30 to 40 mph with gusts 55 to
  to 65 mph. Turning westerly by late afternoon. 

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...9 to 15 percent.

* IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly 
  and will be hard to control. Long range spotting and extreme 
  fire behavior will be possible. Outdoor burning should not be 
  done. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in the
field of this Red Flag Warning.

&&

$$
50
258 
WWUS85 KABQ 231011
RFWABQ

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Albuquerque NM
411 AM MDT Thu Mar 23 2017

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING FOR MUCH
OF THE EASTERN PLAINS OF NEW MEXICO DUE TO STRONG WINDS...LOW 
HUMIDITY AND AN UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE...

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING
FOR MIDDLE RIO GRANDE VALLEY OF NEW MEXICO DUE TO STRONG WINDS AND
LOW HUMIDITY...

.The wind will significantly increase today with gusts up to 65 
mph possible. A drier airmass will also shift eastward and affect
the eastern plains with humidity values expected to fall below 15
percent. The atmosphere will also be very unstable. All these
elements will combine to create critical to extreme fire weather
conditions over much of eastern New Mexico today. 

Strong to severe winds will redevelop on Friday with the driest 
conditions focused in the middle Rio Grande valley of New Mexico 
where critical fire weather conditions will be possible.

NMZ103-104-108-240100-
/O.CON.KABQ.FW.W.0013.170323T1900Z-170324T0100Z/
Northeast Highlands-Northeast Plains-East Central Plains-
411 AM MDT Thu Mar 23 2017

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO
7 PM MDT THIS EVENING...

* AREA AND TIMING...Much of the eastern plains of New Mexico this
  afternoon through early evening.

* 20 FOOT WINDS...South to Southwest 30 to 40 mph with gusts 55 
  to to 65 mph. Turning westerly by late afternoon. 

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...9 to 15 percent.

* IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly 
  and will be hard to control. Long range spotting and extreme 
  fire behavior will be possible. Outdoor burning should not be 
  done. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in the
field of this Red Flag Warning.

&&

$$

NMZ106-240100-
/O.NEW.KABQ.FW.A.0014.170324T1900Z-170325T0100Z/
Middle Rio Grande Valley-
411 AM MDT Thu Mar 23 2017

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
FRIDAY EVENING...

The National Weather Service in Albuquerque has issued a Fire
Weather Watch...which is in effect from Friday afternoon through
Friday evening. 

* AREA AND TIMING...Middle Rio Grande Valley, including
  Albuquerque Friday afternoon and early evening.

* 20 FOOT WINDS...Northwest at 20 to 30 mph with occasional gusts
  to 45 mph.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...10 to 15 percent. 

* IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly.
  Outdoor burning is not recommended.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in the
field of this Fire Weather Watch.

&&

$$
528 
WWUS85 KABQ 240116
RFWABQ

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Albuquerque NM
716 PM MDT Thu Mar 23 2017

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EARLY 
EVENING FOR MIDDLE RIO GRANDE VALLEY OF NEW MEXICO DUE TO STRONG 
WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY...

.The significant fire weather conditions observed earlier are
starting to wind down across the plains. Localized strong wind and
low humidity alignment will remain across the northeast plains
during the next hour...otherwise...humidity values have rapidly
risen. Another round of strong wind...low humidity and abundant
sunshine will affect portions of the lower and middle Rio Grande
Valley Friday afternoon. 

NMZ103-104-108-240230-
/O.EXP.KABQ.FW.W.0013.000000T0000Z-170324T0100Z/
Northeast Highlands-Northeast Plains-East Central Plains-
716 PM MDT Thu Mar 23 2017

...RED FLAG WARNING HAS EXPIRED...

Localized critical fire weather conditions will continue through 8
pm MDT across the far northeast plains. Otherwise...humidity
values have risen sharply the past couple of hours. 

$$

NMZ106-241200-
/O.CON.KABQ.FW.A.0014.170324T1900Z-170325T0100Z/
Middle Rio Grande Valley-
716 PM MDT Thu Mar 23 2017

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY AFTERNOON
THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING...

* AREA AND TIMING...Middle Rio Grande Valley, including 
  Albuquerque Friday afternoon and early evening. 

* 20 FOOT WINDS...Northwest at 20 to 30 mph with occasional 
  gusts to 45 mph. 

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...10 to 15 percent.

* IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly. 
  Outdoor burning is not recommended. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in the
field of this Fire Weather Watch.

&&

$$
50

The office that day

Everything else NWS Albuquerque, NM issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 22, 3:40 AM MDTRed Flag WarningABQBernalillo, Catron, Sandoval, Socorro, Valencia15 hr
Mar 22, 3:32 PM MDTHigh Wind WatchABQ12 hr

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in New Mexico, 2017Every red flag warning in 2017

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.