Alert archive / Montana / Red Flag Warnings in 2017
Red Flag Warning 2, NWS Great Falls, MT
NWS Great Falls, MT issued this red flag warning at Jul 4, 2017, 9:41 PM MDT for 13 counties in Montana. It took effect at Jul 5, 2017, 12:00 PM MDT. It was in force for 9 hr. 10 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
- Jul 4, 2017, 9:41 PM MDT (03:41 UTC)
- In effect from
- Jul 5, 2017, 12:00 PM MDT
- Expired
- Jul 5, 2017, 9:00 PM MDT
- In force
- 9 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Great Falls, MT
Counties Blaine County, MT, Broadwater County, MT, Cascade County, MT, Chouteau County, MT, Fergus County, MT, Gallatin County, MT, Hill County, MT, Jefferson County, MT, Judith Basin County, MT, Lewis and Clark County, MT, Meagher County, MT, Phillips County, MT, Powell County, MT
The radar
The Great Falls radar (KTFX), 59 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 03:39 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
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 5, 4:56 PM MDT | TSTM WND GST 58 | 1 Ne Belgrade, MT | PEAK WIND GUST AT THE BOZEMAN AIRPORT (KBZN). |
| Jul 5, 5:00 PM MDT | NON-TSTM WND GST 65 | 11 Nne Bozeman, MT | MESONET STATION BBMID, BRIDGER BOWL - LIFT MIDWAY. |
| Jul 5, 5:11 PM MDT | TSTM WND DMG | 7 Nw Bozeman, MT | KBZK REPORTED AN IRRIGATION WHEEL LINE BLEW INTO TRAFFIC AND CAUSED VEHICLE DAMAGE ON VALLEY CENTER WEST OF BOZEMAN. TIME ESTIMATED. |
| Jul 5, 5:11 PM MDT | TSTM WND DMG | 7 S Bozeman, MT | KBZK REPORTED TREE AND PROPERTY DAMAGE IN THE FOUR CORNERS AREA SOUTH OF BOZEMAN FROM THUNDERSTORM WINDS. NW ENERGY REPORTED POWER OUTAGES. POSSIBLY CAUSED BY STRONG COLD POOL THAT DEVELOPED IN THE WAKE OF EARLIER THUNDERSTORMS. TIME ESTIMATED. |
| Jul 5, 5:36 PM MDT | TSTM WND DMG | Basin, MT | KTVM RELAYED REPORT OF A TREE DOWN IN THE BASIN AREA. THE TREE LANDED ON A TRUCK AND DAMAGED A CARPORT. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR. |
| Jul 5, 7:00 PM MDT | TSTM WND DMG | Townsend, MT | OUTFLOW WIND FROM THUNDERSTORM CAUSED BRANCHES TO BE KNOCKED OFF TREES NEAR THE TOWN OF TOWNSEND...WHICH FELL ON NEARBY POWER LINES AND KNOCKED SOME LINES DOWN. NO HAIL REPORTED...BUT THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT RAIN SHOWER. |
| Jul 5, 7:03 PM MDT | NON-TSTM WND GST 49 | 3 Wnw Townsend, MT | MESONET STATION GINM8, GINGER RAWS. |
| Jul 5, 7:24 PM MDT | TSTM WND GST 52 | 2 Wnw East Helena, MT | PEAK WIND GUST AT THE HELENA AIRPORT (KHLN). |
| Jul 5, 7:36 PM MDT | TSTM WND GST 56 | 2 Nnw Helena, MT | |
| Jul 5, 8:33 PM MDT | TSTM WND GST 53 | 2 Sw Lewistown, MT | PEAK WIND GUST AT THE LEWISTOWN AIRPORT. |
Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.
The nearest sounding before it
Great_falls, MT (KTFX), launched 00:00Z, 3.7 hours before the alert went out and 32 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 3932 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 48 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 101 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 209 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted.
019 WWUS85 KTFX 050341 RFWTFX URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Great Falls MT 941 PM MDT Tue Jul 4 2017 ...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS DEVELOP ON WEDNESDAY... .UNSEASONABLY WARM TEMPERATURES AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL COMBINE WITH GUSTY WINDS IN THE WAKE OF A COLD FRONT TO PRODUCE CRITICAL FIRE CONDITIONS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. MTZ113-115-051800- /O.NEW.KTFX.FW.W.0002.170705T1800Z-170706T0300Z/ Hill and Blaine Counties-Chouteau and Fergus Counties- 941 PM MDT Tue Jul 4 2017 ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 9 PM MDT WEDNESDAY FOR LOW HUMIDITIES AND GUSTY WINDS FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 113 AND 115... The National Weather Service in Great Falls has issued a Red Flag Warning, which is in effect from noon to 9 PM MDT Wednesday. * IMPACTS: Low humidities and gusty winds will create erratic fire behavior and new fire starts. * AFFECTED AREA: In North Central Montana, Fire Weather Zones 113 and 115. * COUNTIES AFFECTED: In Central Montana, Fergus. In North Central Montana, Blaine, eastern Chouteau, Hill, and Phillips. * WIND: Northwest 10 to 15 mph with gusts up to 25 mph. * HUMIDITY: As low as 12 percent. * TEMPERATURES: Low to mid 90s. 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. Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in these areas of this Red Flag Warning. && $$ http://weather.gov/greatfalls MARTIN
3 follow-up statements
174 WWUS85 KTFX 050935 RFWTFX URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Great Falls MT 335 AM MDT Wed Jul 5 2017 MTZ116-118-052200- /O.EXA.KTFX.FW.W.0002.170705T1800Z-170706T0300Z/ Lincoln Ranger District of the Helena National Forest- Helena and Townsend Ranger Districts of the Helena National Forest- 335 AM MDT Wed Jul 5 2017 ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING... The National Weather Service in Great Falls has issued a Red Flag Warning, which is in effect from noon today to 9 PM MDT this evening. * IMPACTS: Low relative humidity, hot temperatures, and thunderstorms with little rainfall and gusty/erratic outflow winds will create erratic fire behavior and new fire starts. * AFFECTED AREA: In Southwest Montana, Fire Weather Zones 116 and 118. * COUNTIES AFFECTED: In Central Montana, Lewis and Clark, Meagher, and Powell. In Southwest Montana, Broadwater, Gallatin, and Jefferson. * WIND: Northwest 5 to 10 mph with gusts up to 20 mph. * HUMIDITY: As low as 13 percent. * TEMPERATURES: Ranging from the mid 80's at higher elevations to the mid 90's at lower elevations. * THUNDERSTORMS: Scattered thunderstorms this afternoon and evening could produce strong/erratic wind gusts and frequent lightning. Some storms will produce little rainfall. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior. Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in these areas of this Red Flag Warning. && $$ MTZ117-052200- /O.EXA.KTFX.FW.W.0002.170705T1800Z-170706T0300Z/ Central and Eastern Lewis and Clark National Forest Areas- 335 AM MDT Wed Jul 5 2017 ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING... The National Weather Service in Great Falls has issued a Red Flag Warning, which is in effect from noon today to 9 PM MDT this evening. * IMPACTS: Low relative humidity, hot temperatures, and thunderstorms with little rainfall and gusty/erratic outflow winds will create erratic fire behavior and new fire starts. * AFFECTED AREA: In North Central Montana, southern portions of Fire Weather Zone 117. This warning does not include the Great Falls and Stanford areas. * COUNTIES AFFECTED: In Central Montana, Fergus, Judith Basin, Meagher. In South Central Montana, Golden Valley, Park, Sweet Grass, and Wheatland. * WIND: Northwest 5 to 10 mph. * HUMIDITY: As low as 13 percent. * TEMPERATURES: Ranging from the mid 80's at higher elevations to the mid 90's at lower elevations. * THUNDERSTORMS: Scattered thunderstorms this afternoon and evening could produce strong/erratic wind gusts and frequent lightning. Some storms will produce little rainfall. 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. Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in these areas of this Red Flag Warning. && $$ MTZ113-115-052200- /O.CON.KTFX.FW.W.0002.170705T1800Z-170706T0300Z/ Hill and Blaine Counties-Chouteau and Fergus Counties- 335 AM MDT Wed Jul 5 2017 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING... * IMPACTS: Low humidities, hot temperatures, a wind shift, and gusty winds will create erratic fire behavior and new fire starts. * AFFECTED AREA: In North Central Montana, Fire Weather Zones 113 and 115. * COUNTIES AFFECTED: In Central Montana, Fergus. In North Central Montana, Blaine, Chouteau, Hill, Phillips. * WIND: Northwest 10 to 15 mph, with gusts up to 25 mph, shifting to the northeast this evening. * HUMIDITY: As low as 10 percent. * TEMPERATURES: Ranging from the upper 80's in the mountains to the mid 90's on the plains. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior. Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in these areas of this Red Flag Warning. && $$ http://weather.gov/greatfalls
419 WWUS85 KTFX 052035 RFWTFX URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Great Falls MT 235 PM MDT Wed Jul 5 2017 MTZ113-115-060300- /O.CON.KTFX.FW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-170706T0300Z/ Hill and Blaine Counties-Chouteau and Fergus Counties- 235 PM MDT Wed Jul 5 2017 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING... * IMPACTS: Low humidities, hot temperatures, a wind shift, and gusty winds will create erratic fire behavior and new fire starts. * AFFECTED AREA: In North Central Montana, Fire Weather Zones 113 and 115. * COUNTIES AFFECTED: In Central Montana, Fergus. In North Central Montana, Blaine, Chouteau, Hill, Phillips. * WIND: Northwest 10 to 15 mph, with gusts up to 25 mph, shifting to the northeast this evening. * HUMIDITY: As low as 10 percent. * TEMPERATURES: Ranging from the upper 80's in the mountains to the mid 90's on the plains. 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. Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in these areas of this Red Flag Warning. && $$ MTZ116-118-060300- /O.CON.KTFX.FW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-170706T0300Z/ Lincoln Ranger District of the Helena National Forest- Helena and Townsend Ranger Districts of the Helena National Forest- 235 PM MDT Wed Jul 5 2017 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING... * IMPACTS: Low relative humidity, hot temperatures, and thunderstorms with little rainfall and gusty/erratic outflow winds will create erratic fire behavior and new fire starts. * AFFECTED AREA: In Southwest Montana, Fire Weather Zones 116 and 118. * COUNTIES AFFECTED: In Central Montana, Lewis and Clark, Meagher, and Powell. In Southwest Montana, Broadwater, Gallatin, Jefferson. * WIND: West 5 to 10 mph with gusts up to 20 mph. * HUMIDITY: As low as 14 percent. * TEMPERATURES: Ranging from the mid 80's at higher elevations to the mid 90's at lower elevations. * THUNDERSTORMS: Scattered thunderstorms this evening could produce strong/erratic wind gusts and frequent lightning. Some storms will produce little rainfall. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior. Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in these areas of this Red Flag Warning. && $$ MTZ117-060300- /O.CON.KTFX.FW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-170706T0300Z/ Central and Eastern Lewis and Clark National Forest Areas- 235 PM MDT Wed Jul 5 2017 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING... * IMPACTS: Low Humidities...Hot Temperatures...and Increasing Thunderstorm Activity will create erratic fire behavior and new fire starts. * AFFECTED AREA: In North Central Montana, southern portions of Fire Weather Zone 117. This warning does not include the Great Falls and Stanford areas. * COUNTIES AFFECTED: In Central Montana, Fergus, Judith Basin, Meagher. In South Central Montana, Golden Valley, Park, Sweet Grass Wheatland. * WIND: North 5 to 10 mph. * HUMIDITY: As low as 13 percent. * TEMPERATURES: In the lower 80s. * THUNDERSTORMS: Scattered thunderstorms this evening could produce strong/erratic wind gusts and frequent lightning. Some storms will produce little rainfall. 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. Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in these areas of this Red Flag Warning. && $$ http://weather.gov/greatfalls
423 WWUS85 KTFX 060326 RFWTFX URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Great Falls MT 926 PM MDT Wed Jul 5 2017 MTZ113-115>118-060430- /O.EXP.KTFX.FW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-170706T0300Z/ Hill and Blaine Counties-Chouteau and Fergus Counties- Lincoln Ranger District of the Helena National Forest- Central and Eastern Lewis and Clark National Forest Areas- Helena and Townsend Ranger Districts of the Helena National Forest- 926 PM MDT Wed Jul 5 2017 ...RED FLAG WARNING HAS EXPIRED... As relative humidity rises above 20 percent across the area, gusty winds have decreased over the plains of North Central Montana, and the scattered thunderstorms with gusty winds have decreased over Southwest and Central Montana. Therefore, the Red Flag Warning has been allowed to expire. $$ http://weather.gov/greatfalls
The office that day
Everything else NWS Great Falls, MT issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 5, 2:10 PM MDT | Special Weather Statement | TFX | Madison | 50 min |
| Jul 5, 2:57 PM MDT | Special Weather Statement | TFX | Gallatin, Madison | 48 min |
| Jul 5, 4:13 PM MDT | Special Weather Statement | TFX | Beaverhead, Gallatin, Jefferson, Madison | 62 min |
| Jul 5, 5:20 PM MDT | Special Weather Statement | TFX | Jefferson | 55 min |
| Jul 5, 5:54 PM MDT | Special Weather Statement | TFX | 36 min | |
| Jul 5, 5:58 PM MDT | Special Weather Statement | TFX | Broadwater | 47 min |
Nearby
Red Flag Warnings in Montana, 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.