Alert archive / Minnesota / Red Flag Warnings in 2019

Red Flag Warning 1, NWS Twin Cities, MN

April 25, 201910 counties in Minnesota

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this red flag warning at Apr 25, 2019, 3:04 AM CDT for 10 counties in Minnesota. It took effect at Apr 25, 2019, 2:00 PM CDT. 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
Apr 25, 2019, 3:04 AM CDT (08:04 UTC)
In effect from
Apr 25, 2019, 2:00 PM CDT
Expired
Apr 25, 2019, 8:00 PM CDT
In force
6 hr
Issued by
NWS Twin Cities, MN

Counties Chippewa County, MN, Douglas County, MN, Kandiyohi County, MN, Lac qui Parle County, MN, Pope County, MN, Stearns County, MN, Stevens County, MN, Swift County, MN, Todd County, MN, Yellow Medicine County, MN

The radar

The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 161 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 08:05 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, 8.1 hours before the alert went out and 159 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 2019-04-25Temperature 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 2019-04-25The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 93 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
2301 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
39 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
93 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
76 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

293 
WWUS83 KMPX 250804
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
304 AM CDT Thu Apr 25 2019

...Critical Fire Weather Conditions Today Across West Central
Minnesota...

.Skies will clear from northwest to southeast this morning, and
increasing sunshine will produce deep mixing this afternoon.
Dewpoint temepratures will fall and winds will pick up during the
afternoon. Relative humidity values are expected to drop below 25
percent by mid afternoon and could fall below 20 percent by late 
afternoon. Frequent wind gusts in excess of 25 mph are anticipated
by mid to late afternoon as a secondary trough drops through the 
area and the pressure gradient increases.

MNZ041-047-048-054>056-064-260100-
/O.NEW.KMPX.FW.W.0001.190425T2000Z-190426T0100Z/
Douglas-Stevens-Pope-Lac Qui Parle-Swift-Chippewa-Yellow Medicine-
304 AM CDT Thu Apr 25 2019

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 8 PM
CDT THIS EVENING FOR LOW HUMIDITIES AND GUSTY WINDS FOR WEST
CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

The National Weather Service in Twin Cities/Chanhassen has issued
a Red Flag Warning, which is in effect from 3 PM this afternoon
to 8 PM CDT this evening. 

* AFFECTED AREA...Near and west of a line from Granite Falls to
  Alexandria, including fire weather zones 041, 047, 048, 054, 
  055, 056, and 064.
 
* WIND...Northwest sustained wind near 20 mph, with gusts near 30
  mph.

* HUMIDITY...Near 20 percent.

* THUNDERSTORMS...None.

* 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
510 
WWUS83 KMPX 251859
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
159 PM CDT Thu Apr 25 2019

...Critical Fire Weather Conditions Today Across West Central
Minnesota...

.Deep mixing under sunny skies will continue this afternoon,
allowing relative humidity values between 15 and 20 percent. 
Northwest winds will remain sustained near 20 mph and frequent 
wind gusts in excess of 25 mph are likely through the early
evening.

MNZ042-049-057-260100-
/O.EXB.KMPX.FW.W.0001.190425T1900Z-190426T0100Z/
Todd-Stearns-Kandiyohi-
159 PM CDT Thu Apr 25 2019

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR LOW
HUMIDITIES AND GUSTY WINDS FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 042, 049, AND 
057...

The National Weather Service in Twin Cities/Chanhassen has issued
a Red Flag Warning, which is in effect until 8 PM CDT this
evening. 

* AFFECTED AREA... West central Minnesota

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

* HUMIDITY...Near 20 percent.

* THUNDERSTORMS...None.

* 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.

&&

$$

MNZ041-047-048-054>056-064-260100-
/O.EXT.KMPX.FW.W.0001.190425T1900Z-190426T0100Z/
Douglas-Stevens-Pope-Lac Qui Parle-Swift-Chippewa-Yellow Medicine-
159 PM CDT Thu Apr 25 2019

...RED FLAG WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR
LOW HUMIDITIES AND GUSTY WINDS FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 041, 047, 
048, 054, 055, 056, AND 064...

* AFFECTED AREA... West Central Minnesota

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

* HUMIDITY...Near 20 percent.

* THUNDERSTORMS...None.

* 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.

&&

$$
198 
WWUS83 KMPX 260119
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
819 PM CDT Thu Apr 25 2019

...Humidities increasing overnight with decreasing winds...

.Humidities will increase overnight and winds will calm down
slightly. Looking ahead to tomorrow, humidities will decrease
again, but winds will not be as strong as they were on Thursday. 

MNZ041-042-047>049-054>057-064-260230-
/O.EXP.KMPX.FW.W.0001.000000T0000Z-190426T0100Z/
Douglas-Todd-Stevens-Pope-Stearns-Lac Qui Parle-Swift-Chippewa-
Kandiyohi-Yellow Medicine-
819 PM CDT Thu Apr 25 2019

...RED FLAG WARNING HAS EXPIRED FOR LOW HUMIDITY AND STRONG WIND 
FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 041, 042, 047, 048, 049, 054, 055, 056, 
057, AND 064...

Humidities will increase overnight and winds will calm down
slightly. Looking ahead to tomorrow, humidities will decrease
again, but winds will not be as strong as they were on Thursday. 

$$

jrb

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Minnesota, 2019Every red flag warning in 2019

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.