Alert archive / Texas / Red Flag Warnings in 2017

Red Flag Warning 32, NWS Midland/Odessa, TX

May 18, 20179 counties in Texas

NWS Midland/Odessa, TX issued this red flag warning at May 18, 2017, 3:30 AM CDT for 9 counties in Texas. It took effect at May 18, 2017, 10:00 AM CDT. 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
May 18, 2017, 3:30 AM CDT (08:30 UTC)
In effect from
May 18, 2017, 10:00 AM CDT
Expired
May 18, 2017, 9:00 PM CDT
In force
11 hr
Issued by
NWS Midland/Odessa, TX

Counties Andrews County, TX, Dawson County, TX, Ector County, TX, Gaines County, TX, Loving County, TX, Martin County, TX, Midland County, TX, Ward County, TX, Winkler County, TX

The radar

The Midland/Odessa radar (KMAF), 44 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 08:36 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

Midland Regional, TX (KMAF), launched 00:00Z, 8.5 hours before the alert went out and 43 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, Midland Regional, TX at 00:00Z on 2017-05-18Temperature 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, Midland Regional, TX at 00:00Z on 2017-05-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 90 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
4290 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
24 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
90 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
162 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

988 
WWUS84 KMAF 180830
RFWMAF

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Midland/Odessa TX
330 AM CDT Thu May 18 2017

...RED FLAG WARNING TODAY FOR WARM, WINDY AND DRY CONDITIONS ALONG
AND WEST OF A LAMESA TO MIDLAND TO ALPINE LINE...

.Westerly flow aloft will increase a little over yesterday, and
along with high temperatures above normal and gusty southwesterly
winds, create critical fire weather conditions along and west of 
a Lamesa to Midland to Alpine line. 

NMZ114-115-TXZ045-046-050-051-057>062-067-074-258-190200-
/O.UPG.KMAF.FW.A.0023.170518T1500Z-170519T0200Z/
/O.NEW.KMAF.FW.W.0032.170518T1500Z-170519T0200Z/
Guadalupe Mountains-Southeast Plains-Gaines-Dawson-Andrews-Martin-
Van Horn and Highway 54 Corridor-
Reeves County and Upper Trans Pecos-Loving-Winkler-Ector-Midland-
Ward-Davis/Apache Mountains Area-
330 AM CDT Thu May 18 2017 /230 AM MDT Thu May 18 2017/

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM TO 9 PM CDT FOR LOCATIONS
ALONG AND WEST OF A LAMESA TO MIDLAND TO ALPINE LINE...

* WIND...Mountains..Southwest 30 to 45 mph.
         Plains...Southwest 20 to 25 mph.

* TEMPERATURES...Around 5 degrees above normal.

* HUMIDITY...5 to 15 percent.

* FUELS...Critically dry.

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

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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 can contribute
to dangerous fire behavior.

&&

$$
1 follow-up statement
121 
WWUS84 KMAF 181918
RFWMAF

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Midland/Odessa TX
218 PM CDT Thu May 18 2017

...RED FLAG WARNING TODAY FOR WARM, WINDY, DRY CONDITIONS AND VERY
HIGH FIRE DANGER ALONG AND WEST OF A LAMESA TO MIDLAND TO ALPINE 
LINE...

...A FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS FOR 
WARM, WINDY, DRY CONDITIONS AND VERY HIGH FIRE DANGER ALONG AND 
WEST OF A LAMESA TO MIDLAND TO ALPINE LINE...

.Westerly flow has increased and with high temperatures above 
normal along with gusty southwesterly winds have resulted in 
critical fire weather conditions today. Critical fire weather is 
expected for the Guadalupe Mountains on Friday.

NMZ114-TXZ258-190200-
/O.NEW.KMAF.FW.A.0024.170519T1600Z-170520T0100Z/
/O.CON.KMAF.FW.W.0032.000000T0000Z-170519T0200Z/
Guadalupe Mountains-
118 PM MDT Thu May 18 2017

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING
FOR LOCATIONS ALONG AND WEST OF A LAMESA TO MIDLAND TO ALPINE
LINE...

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH
FRIDAY EVENING FOR WINDY AND DRY CONDITIONS ALONG WITH VERY HIGH 
FIRE DANGER...

The National Weather Service in Midland/Odessa has issued a Fire
Weather Watch, which is in effect from Friday morning through
Friday evening. 

* WIND...Southwest 30 to 45 mph. 

* TEMPERATURES...near normal to 5 degrees above normal.

* HUMIDITY...5 to 15 percent.

* FUELS...Critically dry.

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

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Do not throw cigarettes onto the ground. Avoid activities that 
may produce outdoor flames or sparks. 

&&

$$

NMZ115-TXZ045-046-050-051-057>062-067-074-190200-
/O.CON.KMAF.FW.W.0032.000000T0000Z-170519T0200Z/
Southeast Plains-Gaines-Dawson-Andrews-Martin-
Van Horn and Highway 54 Corridor-
Reeves County and Upper Trans Pecos-Loving-Winkler-Ector-Midland-
Ward-Davis/Apache Mountains Area-
218 PM CDT Thu May 18 2017 /118 PM MDT Thu May 18 2017/

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CDT /8 PM MDT/
THIS EVENING FOR LOCATIONS ALONG AND WEST OF A LAMESA TO MIDLAND
TO ALPINE LINE...

* WIND...Southwest 20 to 25 mph. 

* TEMPERATURES...Around 5 degrees above normal.

* HUMIDITY...5 to 10 percent.

* FUELS...Critically dry.

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

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Do not throw cigarettes onto the ground. Avoid activities that 
may produce outdoor flames or sparks. 

&&

$$

The office that day

Everything else NWS Midland/Odessa, TX issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 18, 3:42 AM CDTHigh Wind WarningMAF17 hr
May 18, 2:18 PM CDTFire Weather WatchMAF14 hr

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Texas, 2017Red 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.