Alert archive / Iowa / Red Flag Warnings in 2020

Red Flag Warning 2, NWS Des Moines, IA

March 7, 202011 counties in Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this red flag warning at Mar 7, 2020, 3:02 AM CST for 11 counties in Iowa. It took effect at Mar 7, 2020, 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
Mar 7, 2020, 3:02 AM CST (09:02 UTC)
In effect from
Mar 7, 2020, 12:00 PM CST
Expired
Mar 7, 2020, 6:00 PM CST
In force
6 hr
Issued by
NWS Des Moines, IA

Counties Adair County, IA, Adams County, IA, Audubon County, IA, Cass County, IA, Clarke County, IA, Decatur County, IA, Guthrie County, IA, Madison County, IA, Ringgold County, IA, Taylor County, IA, Union County, IA

The radar

The Des Moines radar (KDMX), 85 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 09:04 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

Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 00:00Z, 9.0 hours before the alert went out and 167 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, Omaha, NE at 00:00Z on 2020-03-07Temperature 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, Omaha, NE at 00:00Z on 2020-03-07The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 182 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
3035 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
41 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
182 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
314 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

887 
WWUS83 KDMX 070902
RFWDMX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Des Moines IA
302 AM CST Sat Mar 7 2020

...Critical Threat For Grassland Fires Today Southwest ...

IAZ070>072-081>083-092>094-071715-
/O.UPG.KDMX.FW.A.0002.200307T1800Z-200308T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KDMX.FW.W.0002.200307T1800Z-200308T0000Z/
Cass-Adair-Madison-Adams-Union-Clarke-Taylor-Ringgold-Decatur-
302 AM CST Sat Mar 7 2020

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 6 PM CST THIS
EVENING FOR EXTREME FIRE CONDITIONS....

The National Weather Service in Des Moines has issued a Red Flag
Warning FOR EXTREME FIRE CONDITIONS, which is in effect from noon
today to 6 PM CST this evening. The Fire Weather Watch is no
longer in effect.

* AFFECTED AREA...Fire weather zones 070, 071, 072, 081, 082, 083,
  092, 093, and 094. This is generally south of Interstate 80 and
  along and west of Interstate 35 in southwest Iowa. 

* Relative Humidity...Around 25 percent this afternoon.

* WIND...Sustained winds 20 to 25 MPH with gusts up to 35 MPH at 
  times.

* HUMIDITY...Lowest values forecast are 25 to 35 percent.

* HIGHEST THREAT...Southern and southwestern Iowa.

* IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will spread rapidly. Outdoor
  burning should be avoided.

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
547 
WWUS83 KDMX 071558
RFWDMX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Des Moines IA
958 AM CST Sat Mar 7 2020

...Critical Threat for Grassland Fires Central and Southwest Iowa
Today...

IAZ057-058-080000-
/O.EXA.KDMX.FW.W.0002.200307T1800Z-200308T0000Z/
Audubon-Guthrie-
958 AM CST Sat Mar 7 2020

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS EVENING FOR
EXTREME FIRE CONDITIONS....

The National Weather Service in Des Moines has issued a Red Flag
Warning, which is in effect until 6 PM CST this evening. 

* AFFECTED AREA...Fire weather zones 070, 071, 072, 081, 082, 
  083, 092, 093, and 094. This is generally south of Interstate 
  80 and along and west of Interstate 35 in southwest Iowa. 

* Relative Humidity...Around 25 percent this afternoon.

* WIND...Sustained winds 20 to 25 MPH with gusts up to 35 MPH 
  at times. 

* HUMIDITY...Lowest values forecast are 25 to 35 percent.

* HIGHEST THREAT...Southern and southwestern Iowa.

* IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will spread rapidly. Outdoor 
  burning should be avoided.

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.

&&

$$

IAZ070>072-081>083-092>094-080000-
/O.CON.KDMX.FW.W.0002.200307T1800Z-200308T0000Z/
Cass-Adair-Madison-Adams-Union-Clarke-Taylor-Ringgold-Decatur-
958 AM CST Sat Mar 7 2020

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS EVENING
FOR EXTREME FIRE CONDITIONS....

* AFFECTED AREA...Fire weather zones 070, 071, 072, 081, 082, 
  083, 092, 093, and 094. This is generally south of Interstate 
  80 and along and west of Interstate 35 in southwest Iowa. 

* Relative Humidity...Around 25 percent this afternoon.

* WIND...Sustained winds 20 to 25 MPH with gusts up to 35 MPH 
  at times. 

* HUMIDITY...Lowest values forecast are 25 to 35 percent.

* HIGHEST THREAT...Southern and southwestern Iowa.

* IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will spread rapidly. Outdoor 
  burning should be avoided.

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.

&&

$$

REV
619 
WWUS83 KDMX 072030
RFWDMX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Des Moines IA
230 PM CST Sat Mar 7 2020

...Critical Threat for Grassland Fires Central and Southwest Iowa
Today...

IAZ057-058-070>072-081>083-092>094-080000-
/O.CON.KDMX.FW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-200308T0000Z/
Audubon-Guthrie-Cass-Adair-Madison-Adams-Union-Clarke-Taylor-
Ringgold-Decatur-
230 PM CST Sat Mar 7 2020

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS EVENING
FOR EXTREME FIRE CONDITIONS....

* AFFECTED AREA...Fire weather zones 070, 071, 072, 081, 082, 
  083, 092, 093, and 094. This is generally south of Interstate 
  80 and along and west of Interstate 35 in southwest Iowa. 

* Relative Humidity...Around 25 percent this afternoon.

* WIND...Sustained winds 20 to 25 MPH with gusts up to 35 MPH 
  at times.

* HUMIDITY...Lowest values forecast are 25 to 35 percent.

* HIGHEST THREAT...Southern and southwestern Iowa.

* IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will spread rapidly. Outdoor 
  burning should be avoided.

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.

&&

$$

REV
376 
WWUS83 KDMX 080004
RFWDMX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Des Moines IA
604 PM CST Sat Mar 7 2020

IAZ057-058-070>072-081>083-092>094-080115-
/O.EXP.KDMX.FW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-200308T0000Z/
Audubon-Guthrie-Cass-Adair-Madison-Adams-Union-Clarke-Taylor-
Ringgold-Decatur-
604 PM CST Sat Mar 7 2020

...RED FLAG WARNING HAS EXPIRED FOR EXTREME FIRE CONDITIONS....

The Red Flag Warning previously in effect for portions of 
southwest and south central Iowa will be allowed to expire at 6pm.
Fire weather conditions will still remain somewhat elevated into 
the evening, but to a lesser extent and below Red Flag criteria as
winds diminish.

$$

Small

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Iowa, 2020Every red flag warning in 2020

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.