Alert archive / Colorado / Red Flag Warnings in 2018

Red Flag Warning 40, NWS Pueblo, CO

May 22, 20185 counties in Colorado

NWS Pueblo, CO issued this red flag warning at May 22, 2018, 3:00 PM MDT for 5 counties in Colorado. It took effect at May 23, 2018, 12:00 PM MDT. 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
May 22, 2018, 3:00 PM MDT (21:00 UTC)
In effect from
May 23, 2018, 12:00 PM MDT
Expired
May 23, 2018, 8:00 PM MDT
In force
8 hr
Issued by
NWS Pueblo, CO

Counties Alamosa County, CO, Conejos County, CO, Costilla County, CO, Rio Grande County, CO, Saguache County, CO

The radar

The Pueblo radar (KPUX), 190 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:03 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

Grand Junction, CO (KGJT), launched 12:00Z, 9.0 hours before the alert went out and 279 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, Grand Junction, CO at 12:00Z on 2018-05-22Temperature 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 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Grand Junction, CO at 12:00Z on 2018-05-22The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 59 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
2650 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
47 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
59 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
31 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

822 
WWUS85 KPUB 222100
RFWPUB

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Pueblo CO
300 PM MDT Tue May 22 2018

...A Red Flag Warning has been issued for Noon until 8 PM
Wednesday for gusty winds, low humidity levels and dry fuels for 
fire weather zone 224 which includes the San Luis Valley...

COZ224-231300-
/O.UPG.KPUB.FW.A.0031.180523T1800Z-180524T0200Z/
/O.NEW.KPUB.FW.W.0040.180523T1800Z-180524T0200Z/
San Luis Valley Including Alamosa/Del Norte/Fort Garland/Saguache-
300 PM MDT Tue May 22 2018

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 8 PM MDT WEDNESDAY FOR
GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONE 224...

The National Weather Service in Pueblo has issued a Red Flag
Warning for gusty winds and low relative humidity, which is in
effect from noon to 8 PM MDT Wednesday. The Fire Weather Watch is
no longer in effect.

* Affected Area...Fire Weather Zone 224.

* Winds...Southwest 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph.

* Relative Humidity...As low as 13 percent.

* Impacts...Conditions will be favorable for the rapid growth 
  and spread of fires.

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
938 
WWUS85 KPUB 230946
RFWPUB

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Pueblo CO
346 AM MDT Wed May 23 2018

...A Red Flag Warning remains in effect from noon until 8 PM 
today for gusty winds, low humidity and dry fuels for fire 
weather zone 224 which includes the San Luis Valley...

COZ224-240200-
/O.CON.KPUB.FW.W.0040.180523T1800Z-180524T0200Z/
San Luis Valley Including Alamosa/Del Norte/Fort Garland/Saguache-
346 AM MDT Wed May 23 2018

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 8 PM MDT
THIS EVENING FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE
WEATHER ZONE 224...

* Affected Area...Fire Weather Zone 224.

* Winds...Southwest 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph.

* Relative Humidity...As low as 13 percent.

* Impacts...Conditions will be favorable for the rapid ignition, growth
  and spread of fires.

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 dry fuels may contribute
to extreme fire behavior.

&&

$$
971 
WWUS85 KPUB 232100
RFWPUB

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Pueblo CO
300 PM MDT Wed May 23 2018

...A Red Flag Warning remains in effect until 8 PM today for 
gusty winds, low humidity and dry fuels for fire weather zone 224 
which includes the San Luis Valley...

COZ224-240200-
/O.CON.KPUB.FW.W.0040.000000T0000Z-180524T0200Z/
San Luis Valley Including Alamosa/Del Norte/Fort Garland/Saguache-
300 PM MDT Wed May 23 2018

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING
FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONE
224...

* Affected Area...Fire Weather Zone 224.

* Winds...Southwest 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 30 mph.

* Relative Humidity...As low as 13 percent.

* Impacts...Conditions will be favorable for the rapid ignition, 
  growth and spread of fires.

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 dry fuels may contribute
to extreme fire behavior.

&&

$$
818 
WWUS85 KPUB 240150
RFWPUB

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Pueblo CO
750 PM MDT Wed May 23 2018

...A Red Flag Warning for gusty winds, low humidity and dry fuels
for fire weather zone 224 which includes the San Luis Valley, will
expire at 8 PM MDT...


COZ224-240300-
/O.EXP.KPUB.FW.W.0040.000000T0000Z-180524T0200Z/
San Luis Valley Including Alamosa/Del Norte/Fort Garland/Saguache-
750 PM MDT Wed May 23 2018

...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR
GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONE 224...

Gusty southwest winds across the San Luis Valley have diminished. 
This, along with cooling temperatures and increasing humidity
levels, will allow for the Red Flag Warning to expire at 8 PM,
MDT. 

$$

The office that day

Everything else NWS Pueblo, CO issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 21, 6:22 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementPUB38 min
May 21, 7:00 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementPUB45 min
May 22, 10:42 AM MDTFire Weather WatchPUBAlamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Rio Grande, Saguache4 hr
May 22, 1:22 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementPUBHuerfano38 min
May 22, 2:01 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementPUBHuerfano44 min
May 22, 2:46 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementPUBPueblo44 min
May 22, 3:37 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementPUBCrowley38 min
May 22, 4:16 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementPUBCrowley44 min
May 22, 4:55 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPUBBent, Crowley, Kiowa, Otero35 min
May 22, 5:28 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementPUBKiowa47 min
May 22, 5:48 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPUBKiowa42 min

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Colorado, 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.