Alert archive / Minnesota / Red Flag Warnings in 2018

Red Flag Warning 3, NWS Twin Cities, MN

May 4, 201833 counties in Minnesota

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this red flag warning at May 4, 2018, 3:50 AM CDT for 33 counties in Minnesota. It took effect at May 4, 2018, 12:00 PM CDT. It was in force for 7 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 4, 2018, 3:50 AM CDT (08:50 UTC)
In effect from
May 4, 2018, 12:00 PM CDT
Expired
May 4, 2018, 7:00 PM CDT
In force
7 hr
Issued by
NWS Twin Cities, MN
All 33 counties

Anoka County, MN, Benton County, MN, Brown County, MN, Carver County, MN, Chippewa County, MN, Chisago County, MN, Dakota County, MN, Douglas County, MN, Hennepin County, MN, Isanti County, MN, Kanabec County, MN, Kandiyohi County, MN, Lac qui Parle County, MN, Le Sueur County, MN, McLeod County, MN, Meeker County, MN, Mille Lacs County, MN, Morrison County, MN, Nicollet County, MN, Pope County, MN, Ramsey County, MN, Redwood County, MN, Renville County, MN, Scott County, MN, Sherburne County, MN, Sibley County, MN, Stearns County, MN, Stevens County, MN, Swift County, MN, Todd County, MN, Washington County, MN, Wright County, MN, Yellow Medicine County, MN

The radar

The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 69 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 08:52 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, 8.8 hours before the alert went out and 67 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 2018-05-04Temperature 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, Minneapolis, MN at 00:00Z on 2018-05-04The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -30 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 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
2293 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
36 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-30 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
18 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

122 
WWUS83 KMPX 040850
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
350 AM CDT Fri May 4 2018

...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS TODAY ACROSS MUCH OF CENTRAL 
MINNESOTA...

.Dangerous fire weather conditions are expected this afternoon 
over much of central Minnesota . Northwest winds of 15 to 25 mph 
with gusts near 30 mph are expected as humidity levels drop to 
around 20 percent. The Red Flag Warning is in effect for locations
along and north of a line from New Ulm, to Le Center, and
Hastings.

MNZ041>045-047>070-073>076-041700-
/O.UPG.KMPX.FW.A.0004.180504T1800Z-180505T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KMPX.FW.W.0003.180504T1700Z-180505T0000Z/
Douglas-Todd-Morrison-Mille Lacs-Kanabec-Stevens-Pope-Stearns-
Benton-Sherburne-Isanti-Chisago-Lac Qui Parle-Swift-Chippewa-
Kandiyohi-Meeker-Wright-Hennepin-Anoka-Ramsey-Washington-
Yellow Medicine-Renville-McLeod-Sibley-Carver-Scott-Dakota-
Redwood-Brown-Nicollet-Le Sueur-
350 AM CDT Fri May 4 2018

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 7 PM CDT THIS
EVENING FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL
MINNESOTA...

The National Weather Service in Twin Cities/Chanhassen has issued
a Red Flag Warning, which is in effect from noon today to 7 PM
CDT this evening. The Fire Weather Watch is no longer in effect. 

* AFFECTED AREA...Locations along and north of a line from New
  Ulm, to Le Center, and Hastings.

* WIND...Northwest sustained near 20 mph, with gusts near 30 mph.

* HUMIDITY...Near 20 percent.

* 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.

&&

$$
2 follow-up statements
192 
WWUS83 KMPX 041639
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
1139 AM CDT Fri May 4 2018

...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS TODAY ACROSS MUCH OF CENTRAL
MINNESOTA...

.Dangerous fire weather conditions are expected this afternoon
over much of central Minnesota. Northwest winds of 15 to 25 mph 
with gusts near 30 mph are expected as humidity levels drop to 
around 20 percent. The Red Flag Warning is in effect for locations
along and north of a line from New Ulm, to Le Center, and 
Hastings.

MNZ041>045-047>070-073>076-050000-
/O.CON.KMPX.FW.W.0003.180504T1700Z-180505T0000Z/
Douglas-Todd-Morrison-Mille Lacs-Kanabec-Stevens-Pope-Stearns-
Benton-Sherburne-Isanti-Chisago-Lac Qui Parle-Swift-Chippewa-
Kandiyohi-Meeker-Wright-Hennepin-Anoka-Ramsey-Washington-
Yellow Medicine-Renville-McLeod-Sibley-Carver-Scott-Dakota-
Redwood-Brown-Nicollet-Le Sueur-
1139 AM CDT Fri May 4 2018

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING
FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL
MINNESOTA...

* AFFECTED AREA...Locations along and north of a line from New 
  Ulm, to Le Center, and Hastings. 

* WIND...Northwest sustained near 20 mph, with gusts near 30 
  mph.

* HUMIDITY...Near 20 percent.

* 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.

&&

$$

Borghoff
995 
WWUS83 KMPX 042347
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
647 PM CDT Fri May 4 2018

...Red Flag Warning will expire at 7 PM CDT this evening...

.Winds have decrease and the humidity will increase overnight
which will bring an end to the dangerous fire weather conditions. 

MNZ041>045-047>070-073>076-050100-
/O.EXP.KMPX.FW.W.0003.000000T0000Z-180505T0000Z/
Douglas-Todd-Morrison-Mille Lacs-Kanabec-Stevens-Pope-Stearns-
Benton-Sherburne-Isanti-Chisago-Lac Qui Parle-Swift-Chippewa-
Kandiyohi-Meeker-Wright-Hennepin-Anoka-Ramsey-Washington-
Yellow Medicine-Renville-McLeod-Sibley-Carver-Scott-Dakota-
Redwood-Brown-Nicollet-Le Sueur-
647 PM CDT Fri May 4 2018

...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR
STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

Winds have decrease and the humidity will increase overnight
which will bring an end to the dangerous fire weather conditions. 

$$

jrb

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Minnesota, 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.