Alert archive / Minnesota / Red Flag Warnings in 2017

Red Flag Warning 1, NWS Twin Cities, MN

April 16, 201716 counties in Minnesota

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this red flag warning at Apr 16, 2017, 2:52 AM CDT for 16 counties in Minnesota. It took effect at Apr 16, 2017, 12:00 PM CDT. It was in force for 8 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
Apr 16, 2017, 2:52 AM CDT (07:52 UTC)
In effect from
Apr 16, 2017, 12:00 PM CDT
Expired
Apr 16, 2017, 8:00 PM CDT
In force
8 hr
Issued by
NWS Twin Cities, MN

Counties Benton County, MN, Brown County, MN, Chippewa County, MN, Douglas County, MN, Kandiyohi County, MN, Lac qui Parle County, MN, Meeker County, MN, Morrison County, MN, Pope County, MN, Redwood County, MN, Renville County, MN, Stearns County, MN, Stevens County, MN, Swift County, MN, Todd County, MN, Yellow Medicine County, MN

The radar

The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 133 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 07:55 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

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 00:00Z, 7.9 hours before the alert went out and 130 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, Minneapolis, MN at 00:00Z on 2017-04-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 174 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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, Minneapolis, MN at 00:00Z on 2017-04-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 60 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
174 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-49 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
938 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
53 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
60 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
81 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.1
Supercell composite
1.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

666 
WWUS83 KMPX 160752
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
252 AM CDT Sun Apr 16 2017

...RED FLAG WARNING SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING FOR 
WESTERN MINNESOTA...

.A Red Flag Warning has been issued for Noon today to 8 PM CDT
this evening across western Minnesota. West winds of 15 to 20 mph
with gusts to around 30 mph are expected as humidity levels drop 
to less than 25 percent in the afternoon.

MNZ041>043-047>050-054>058-064-065-073-074-161600-
/O.UPG.KMPX.FW.A.0001.170416T1700Z-170417T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KMPX.FW.W.0001.170416T1700Z-170417T0100Z/
Douglas-Todd-Morrison-Stevens-Pope-Stearns-Benton-Lac Qui Parle-
Swift-Chippewa-Kandiyohi-Meeker-Yellow Medicine-Renville-Redwood-
Brown-
252 AM CDT Sun Apr 16 2017

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 8 PM CDT THIS
EVENING FOR LOW HUMIDITY AND STRONG WINDS FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 
041, 042, 043, 047, 048, 049, 050, 054, 055, 056, 057, 058, 064, 
065, 073, AND 074...

The National Weather Service in Twin Cities/Chanhassen has issued
a Red Flag Warning, which is in effect from noon today to 8 PM
CDT this evening. The Fire Weather Watch is no longer in effect. 


* AFFECTED AREA...Fire weather zones 041, 042, 043, 047, 048, 
  049, 050, 054, 055, 056, 057, 058, 064, 065, 073, and 074. 

* WIND...west 15 to 20 mph with gusts around 30 mph.

* HUMIDITY...less than 25 percent and perhaps as low as 20 
  percent across west central Minnesota.

* 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 extreme fire behavior.

&&

$$
3 follow-up statements
469 
WWUS83 KMPX 161701
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
1201 PM CDT Sun Apr 16 2017

...RED FLAG WARNING THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING FOR WESTERN 
MINNESOTA...

.A Red Flag Warning has been issued for Noon today to 8 PM CDT
this evening across western Minnesota. West winds of 15 to 20 mph
with gusts to around 30 mph are expected as humidity levels drop
to less than 25 percent in the afternoon.

MNZ041>043-047>050-054>058-064-065-073-074-170100-
/O.CON.KMPX.FW.W.0001.000000T0000Z-170417T0100Z/
Douglas-Todd-Morrison-Stevens-Pope-Stearns-Benton-Lac Qui Parle-
Swift-Chippewa-Kandiyohi-Meeker-Yellow Medicine-Renville-Redwood-
Brown-
1201 PM CDT Sun Apr 16 2017

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING
FOR LOW HUMIDITY AND STRONG WINDS...

* AFFECTED AREA...Locations along and west of a Little Falls,
  Litchfield, and New Ulm line.

* WIND...west 15 to 20 mph with gusts around 30 mph.

* HUMIDITY...less than 25 percent and perhaps as low as 20 
  percent across west central Minnesota.

* 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 extreme fire behavior.

&&

$$
339 
WWUS83 KMPX 161946
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
246 PM CDT Sun Apr 16 2017

...RED FLAG WARNING THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING FOR WESTERN
MINNESOTA...

.A Red Flag Warning remains in effect until 8 PM CDT this evening
across western Minnesota. West winds of 15 to 20 mph with gusts 
to around 30 mph are expected as humidity levels drop to less than
25 percent in the afternoon.

MNZ041>043-047>050-054>058-064-065-073-074-170100-
/O.CON.KMPX.FW.W.0001.000000T0000Z-170417T0100Z/
Douglas-Todd-Morrison-Stevens-Pope-Stearns-Benton-Lac Qui Parle-
Swift-Chippewa-Kandiyohi-Meeker-Yellow Medicine-Renville-Redwood-
Brown-
246 PM CDT Sun Apr 16 2017

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING
FOR LOW HUMIDITY AND STRONG WINDS...

* AFFECTED AREA...Locations along and west of a Little Falls, 
  Litchfield, and New Ulm line. 

* WIND...west 15 to 20 mph with gusts around 30 mph.

* HUMIDITY...less than 25 percent and perhaps as low as 20 
  percent across west central Minnesota.

* 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 extreme fire behavior.

&&

$$
379 
WWUS83 KMPX 170100
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
800 PM CDT Sun Apr 16 2017

...Red Flag Warning Expired at 8 PM CDT...

.The strong winds have decreased and humidities have risen.

MNZ041>043-047>050-054>058-064-065-073-074-170200-
/O.EXP.KMPX.FW.W.0001.000000T0000Z-170417T0100Z/
Douglas-Todd-Morrison-Stevens-Pope-Stearns-Benton-Lac Qui Parle-
Swift-Chippewa-Kandiyohi-Meeker-Yellow Medicine-Renville-Redwood-
Brown-
800 PM CDT Sun Apr 16 2017

...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR FIRE
WEATHER ZONES 041, 042, 043, 047, 048, 049, 050, 054, 055, 056, 
057, 058, 064, 065, 073, AND 074...

The strong winds have decreased, and humidity will continue to 
rise overnight. Looking ahead, Monday will be dry as well, but 
winds will be light.

$$

jrb

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Minnesota, 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.