Alert archive / Kansas / Red Flag Warnings in 2018

Red Flag Warning 4, NWS Wichita, KS

February 18, 201816 counties in Kansas

NWS Wichita, KS issued this red flag warning at Feb 18, 2018, 3:26 AM CST for 16 counties in Kansas. It took effect at Feb 18, 2018, 12:00 PM CST. It was in force for 6 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
Feb 18, 2018, 3:26 AM CST (09:26 UTC)
In effect from
Feb 18, 2018, 12:00 PM CST
Expired
Feb 18, 2018, 6:00 PM CST
In force
6 hr
Issued by
NWS Wichita, KS

Counties Barton County, KS, Butler County, KS, Chase County, KS, Ellsworth County, KS, Greenwood County, KS, Harvey County, KS, Kingman County, KS, Lincoln County, KS, Marion County, KS, McPherson County, KS, Reno County, KS, Rice County, KS, Russell County, KS, Saline County, KS, Sedgwick County, KS, Woodson County, KS

The radar

The Wichita radar (KICT), 68 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 09:28 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, 9.4 hours before the alert went out and 187 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 2018-02-18Temperature 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, Topeka, KS at 00:00Z on 2018-02-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -11 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
2661 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
80 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-11 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
19 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

677 
WWUS83 KICT 180926
RFWICT

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Wichita KS
326 AM CST Sun Feb 18 2018

KSZ032-033-047-048-050-190000-
/O.UPG.KICT.FW.A.0003.180218T1800Z-180219T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KICT.FW.W.0004.180218T1800Z-180219T0000Z/
Russell-Lincoln-Barton-Ellsworth-Rice-
326 AM CST Sun Feb 18 2018

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 6 PM CST THIS
EVENING FOR EXTREME GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES
032...033...047...048 AND 050...

The National Weather Service in Wichita has issued a Red Flag
Warning for extreme grassland fire danger, which is in effect
from noon today to 6 PM CST this evening. The Fire Weather Watch
is no longer in effect.

* Extreme Grassland Fire Danger...Is forecast.

* Winds...South 25 to 30 mph with gusts up to 45 mph.

* Relative Humidity...As low as 28 percent.

* Impacts...Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly 
  and become very difficult to control. 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.

Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in the
field of this fire weather product.

&&

$$

KSZ049-051>053-067-068-070-071-190000-
/O.NEW.KICT.FW.W.0004.180218T1800Z-180219T0000Z/
Saline-McPherson-Marion-Chase-Reno-Harvey-Greenwood-Woodson-
326 AM CST Sun Feb 18 2018

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 6 PM CST THIS
EVENING FOR EXTREME GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES
049...051...052...053...067...068...070 AND 071...

The National Weather Service in Wichita has issued a Red Flag
Warning for extreme grassland fire danger, which is in effect
from noon today to 6 PM CST this evening.

* Extreme Grassland Fire Danger...Is forecast.

* Winds...South 25 to 30 mph with gusts up to 45 mph.

* Relative Humidity...As low as 37 percent.

* Impacts...Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly 
  and become very difficult to control. 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.

Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in the
field of this fire weather product.

&&

$$

Howerton
2 follow-up statements
740 
WWUS83 KICT 181744
RFWICT

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Wichita KS
1144 AM CST Sun Feb 18 2018

KSZ069-082-083-190000-
/O.EXA.KICT.FW.W.0004.180218T1800Z-180219T0000Z/
Butler-Kingman-Sedgwick-
1144 AM CST Sun Feb 18 2018

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS EVENING FOR
EXTREME GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 069...
082 AND 083...

The National Weather Service in Wichita has issued a Red Flag
Warning for extreme grassland fire danger, which is in effect
until 6 PM CST this evening.

* Extreme Grassland Fire Danger...Is forecast.

* Winds...South 25 to 30 mph with gusts up to 45 mph.

* Relative Humidity...As low as 39 percent.

* Impacts...Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly 
  and become very difficult to control. 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.

Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in the
field of this fire weather product.

&&

$$

KSZ032-033-047>053-067-068-070-071-190000-
/O.CON.KICT.FW.W.0004.180218T1800Z-180219T0000Z/
Russell-Lincoln-Barton-Ellsworth-Saline-Rice-McPherson-Marion-
Chase-Reno-Harvey-Greenwood-Woodson-
1144 AM CST Sun Feb 18 2018

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS EVENING
FOR EXTREME GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 032...
033...047...048...049...050...051...052...053...067...068...
070 AND 071...

* Extreme Grassland Fire Danger...Is forecast.

* Winds...South 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 45 mph.

* Relative Humidity...As low as 30 percent.

* Impacts...Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly 
  and become very difficult to control. 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.

Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in the
field of this fire weather product.

&&

$$

Lawson
565 
WWUS83 KICT 190004
RFWICT

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Wichita KS
604 PM CST Sun Feb 18 2018

KSZ032-033-047>053-067>071-082-083-190115-
/O.EXP.KICT.FW.W.0004.000000T0000Z-180219T0000Z/
Russell-Lincoln-Barton-Ellsworth-Saline-Rice-McPherson-Marion-
Chase-Reno-Harvey-Butler-Greenwood-Woodson-Kingman-Sedgwick-
604 PM CST Sun Feb 18 2018

...RED FLAG WARNING HAS EXPIRED FOR EXTREME GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER
FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 032...033...047...048...049...050...051...
052...053...067...068...069...070...071...082 AND 083...

Strong gusty winds out of the south will continue for the evening
hours, which will keep the grassland fire danger in the very high
category for the evening hours. The south winds will continue at
15 to 25 mph with some gusts to 30 mph. 

$$

Ketcham

The office that day

Everything else NWS Wichita, KS issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 18, 3:27 AM CSTWind AdvisoryICTBarton, Butler, Chase, Cowley, Ellsworth, Greenwood and 12 more15 hr

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Kansas, 2018Every red flag warning in 2018

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.