Alert archive / Kansas / Red Flag Warnings in 2017

Red Flag Warning 13, NWS Topeka, KS

December 11, 201723 counties in Kansas

NWS Topeka, KS issued this red flag warning at Dec 11, 2017, 2:56 AM CST for 23 counties in Kansas. It took effect at Dec 11, 2017, 10:00 AM CST. 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
Dec 11, 2017, 2:56 AM CST (08:56 UTC)
In effect from
Dec 11, 2017, 10:00 AM CST
Expired
Dec 11, 2017, 6:00 PM CST
In force
8 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 08:55 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

Topeka, KS (KFOE), launched 00:00Z, 8.9 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 2017-12-11Temperature 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 2017-12-11The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 162 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
3099 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
44 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
162 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
215 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

131 
WWUS83 KTOP 110856
RFWTOP

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Topeka KS
256 AM CST Mon Dec 11 2017

KSZ021>024-034>039-054-055-058-120000-
/O.UPG.KTOP.FW.A.0001.171211T1800Z-171212T0200Z/
/O.NEW.KTOP.FW.W.0002.171211T1600Z-171212T0000Z/
Clay-Riley-Pottawatomie-Jackson-Ottawa-Dickinson-Geary-Morris-
Wabaunsee-Shawnee-Lyon-Osage-Coffey-
256 AM CST Mon Dec 11 2017

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 6 PM CST
THIS EVENING FOR STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITIES FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 021, 022, 023, 024, 034, 035, 
036, 037, 038, 039, 054, 055, AND 058...

The National Weather Service in Topeka has issued a Red Flag
Warning, which is in effect from 10 AM this morning to 6 PM CST
this evening. The Fire Weather Watch is no longer in effect. 

* AFFECTED AREA...Fire weather zones 021, 022, 023, 024, 034, 035,
  036, 037, 038, 039, 054, 055, and 058. 

* WIND...winds will shift to the northwest and strengthen by the
  early afternoon. Sustained speeds are expected to be between 20
  and 25 MPH with gusts near 40 mph through the afternoon.

* HUMIDITY...Relative humidities will drop to between 20 and 25
  percent just ahead of the wind shift during the late morning.
  Relative humidities should gradually rise through the afternoon
  behind the wind shift.  

* IMPACTS...Fires could start quickly, spread furiously and burn
  intensely. All fires are potentially serious. 

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. All outdoor burning should be
avoided today. 

&&

$$

KSZ008>012-020-026-040-056-059-120000-
/O.NEW.KTOP.FW.W.0002.171211T1600Z-171212T0000Z/
Republic-Washington-Marshall-Nemaha-Brown-Cloud-Jefferson-Douglas-
Franklin-Anderson-
256 AM CST Mon Dec 11 2017

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 6 PM CST
THIS EVENING FOR STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITIES FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 008, 009, 010, 011, 012, 020, 
026, 040, 056, AND 059...

The National Weather Service in Topeka has issued a Red Flag
Warning, which is in effect from 10 AM this morning to 6 PM CST
this evening. 

* AFFECTED AREA...Fire weather zones 008, 009, 010, 011, 012, 
  020, 026, 040, 056, and 059. 

* WIND...winds will shift to the northwest and strengthen by the
  early afternoon. Sustained speeds are expected to be between 20
  and 25 MPH with gusts near 40 mph through the afternoon.

* HUMIDITY...Relative humidities will drop to between 20 and 25
  percent just ahead of the wind shift during the late morning.
  Relative humidities should gradually rise through the afternoon
  behind the wind shift.  

* IMPACTS...Fires could start quickly, spread furiously and burn
  intensely. All fires are potentially serious. 

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. All outdoor burning should be
avoided today. 

&&

$$

Wolters
2 follow-up statements
524 
WWUS83 KTOP 112055
RFWTOP

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Topeka KS
255 PM CST Mon Dec 11 2017

KSZ008>012-022>024-026-112200-
/O.CAN.KTOP.FW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-171212T0000Z/
Republic-Washington-Marshall-Nemaha-Brown-Riley-Pottawatomie-
Jackson-Jefferson-
255 PM CST Mon Dec 11 2017

...RED FLAG WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 021, 022,
023, 024, 034, 035, 036, 037, 038, 039, 054, 055, AND 058...

The National Weather Service in Topeka has cancelled the Red Flag
Warning. 

Clouds and increasing moisture have resulted in improving
conditions over far northeastern Kansas over the last few hours.
Blustery winds of 15 to 30 mph will continue through the
afternoon.

$$

KSZ020-021-034>040-054>056-058-059-120000-
/O.CON.KTOP.FW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-171212T0000Z/
Cloud-Clay-Ottawa-Dickinson-Geary-Morris-Wabaunsee-Shawnee-
Douglas-Lyon-Osage-Franklin-Coffey-Anderson-
255 PM CST Mon Dec 11 2017

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS EVENING
FOR STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES FOR FIRE
WEATHER ZONES 008, 009, 010, 011, 012, 020, 026, 040, 056, AND
059...

* AFFECTED AREA...Fire weather zones 008, 009, 010, 011, 012, 
  020, 026, 040, 056, and 059. 

* WIND...Sustained northwesterly winds of 20 to 25 MPH with gusts
  near 40 mph will continue through the afternoon. 

* HUMIDITY...Relative humidity values of 20 to 30 percent are
  expected early this afternoon, gradually rising as the afternoon
  and evening progress.

* IMPACTS...Fires could start quickly, spread furiously and 
  burn intensely. All fires are potentially serious. 

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. All outdoor burning should
be avoided today.

&&

$$

KDS
457 
WWUS83 KTOP 112355
RFWTOP

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Topeka KS
555 PM CST Mon Dec 11 2017

KSZ020-021-034>040-054>056-058-059-120100-
/O.EXP.KTOP.FW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-171212T0000Z/
Cloud-Clay-Ottawa-Dickinson-Geary-Morris-Wabaunsee-Shawnee-
Douglas-Lyon-Osage-Franklin-Coffey-Anderson-
555 PM CST Mon Dec 11 2017

...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 6 PM CST THIS EVENING FOR FIRE
WEATHER ZONES 020, 021, 034, 035, 036, 037, 038, 039, 040, 054, 
055, 056, 058, AND 059...

Breezy north to northwesterly winds continue this evening, and 
will slowly diminish into the early morning hours. With relative 
humidities rising, the red flag warning will be allowed to expire.

$$

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Kansas, 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.