Alert archive / North Dakota / Red Flag Warnings in 2020

Red Flag Warning 2, NWS Grand Forks, ND

May 2, 202013 counties in North Dakota; 13 counties in Minnesota

NWS Grand Forks, ND issued this red flag warning at May 2, 2020, 4:00 AM CDT for 13 counties in North Dakota; 13 counties in Minnesota. It took effect at May 2, 2020, 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 2, 2020, 4:00 AM CDT (09:00 UTC)
In effect from
May 2, 2020, 12:00 PM CDT
Expired
May 2, 2020, 7:00 PM CDT
In force
7 hr
Issued by
NWS Grand Forks, ND
All 26 counties

Becker County, MN, Beltrami County, MN, Clay County, MN, Clearwater County, MN, Grant County, MN, Hubbard County, MN, Mahnomen County, MN, Norman County, MN, Otter Tail County, MN, Polk County, MN, Red Lake County, MN, Wadena County, MN, Wilkin County, MN, Barnes County, ND, Benson County, ND, Cass County, ND, Eddy County, ND, Grand Forks County, ND, Griggs County, ND, Nelson County, ND, Ramsey County, ND, Ransom County, ND, Richland County, ND, Sargent County, ND, Steele County, ND, Traill County, ND

The radar

The Fargo/Grand Forks radar (KMVX), 51 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 09:00 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

Aberdeen, SD (KABR), launched 00:00Z, 9.0 hours before the alert went out and 281 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, Aberdeen, SD at 00:00Z on 2020-05-02Temperature 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, Aberdeen, SD at 00:00Z on 2020-05-02The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -53 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
1779 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
42 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-53 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
53 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

470 
WWUS83 KFGF 020900
RFWFGF

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Grand Forks ND
400 AM CDT Sat May 2 2020

MNZ001>003-014>017-022>024-027>032-040-NDZ014-015-024-026>030-038-
039-049-052-053-030000-
/O.UPG.KFGF.FW.A.0002.200502T1700Z-200503T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KFGF.FW.W.0002.200502T1700Z-200503T0000Z/
West Polk-Norman-Clay-Red Lake-East Polk-North Clearwater-
South Beltrami-Mahnomen-South Clearwater-Hubbard-West Becker-
East Becker-Wilkin-West Otter Tail-East Otter Tail-Wadena-Grant-
Benson-Ramsey-Eddy-Nelson-Grand Forks-Griggs-Steele-Traill-Barnes-
Cass-Ransom-Sargent-Richland-
400 AM CDT Sat May 2 2020

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 7 PM CDT THIS
EVENING FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR MUCH OF
EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA...

The National Weather Service in Grand Forks has issued a Red Flag
Warning for gusty winds and low relative humidity, which is in 
effect from noon today to 7 PM CDT this evening. The Fire Weather 
Watch is no longer in effect.

* AFFECTED AREA...In Minnesota...Fire Weather Zones 001...002... 
  003...014...015...016...017...022...023...024...027...028...
  029... 030...031...032 and 040. In North Dakota...Fire Weather 
  Zones 014...015...024...026...027...028...029...030...038...
  039...049... 052 and 053.

* TIMING...

* WINDS...Northwest 20 to 25 mph with gusts up to 35 mph.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 19 percent.

* TEMPERATURES...In the middle 60s to the lower 70s.

* 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
611 
WWUS83 KFGF 022020
RFWFGF

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Grand Forks ND
320 PM CDT Sat May 2 2020

MNZ001>003-014>017-022>024-027>032-040-NDZ014-015-024-026>030-038-
039-049-052-053-030000-
/O.CON.KFGF.FW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-200503T0000Z/
West Polk-Norman-Clay-Red Lake-East Polk-North Clearwater-
South Beltrami-Mahnomen-South Clearwater-Hubbard-West Becker-
East Becker-Wilkin-West Otter Tail-East Otter Tail-Wadena-Grant-
Benson-Ramsey-Eddy-Nelson-Grand Forks-Griggs-Steele-Traill-Barnes-
Cass-Ransom-Sargent-Richland-
320 PM CDT Sat May 2 2020

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING
FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR MUCH OF EASTERN
NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA...

* AFFECTED AREA...In Minnesota...Fire Weather Zones 001...002... 
  003...014...015...016...017...022...023...024...027...028...
  029... 030...031...032 and 040. In North Dakota...Fire Weather 
  Zones 014...015...024...026...027...028...029...030...038...
  039...049... 052 and 053.

* WINDS...Northwest 20 to 25 mph with gusts 35 to 45 mph.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 19 percent.

* TEMPERATURES...In the lower 60s to lower 70s.

* 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.

&&

$$
751 
WWUS83 KFGF 030003
RFWFGF

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Grand Forks ND
703 PM CDT Sat May 2 2020

MNZ001>003-014>017-022>024-027>032-040-NDZ014-015-024-026>030-038-
039-049-052-053-030115-
/O.EXP.KFGF.FW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-200503T0000Z/
West Polk-Norman-Clay-Red Lake-East Polk-North Clearwater-
South Beltrami-Mahnomen-South Clearwater-Hubbard-West Becker-
East Becker-Wilkin-West Otter Tail-East Otter Tail-Wadena-Grant-
Benson-Ramsey-Eddy-Nelson-Grand Forks-Griggs-Steele-Traill-Barnes-
Cass-Ransom-Sargent-Richland-
703 PM CDT Sat May 2 2020

...RED FLAG WARNING HAS EXPIRED FOR GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITY FOR EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST THROUGH WEST
CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

Winds have decreased slightly and relative humidity values have 
begun to increase as daytime temperatures cool. Winds will
continue to diminish though the evening and overnight period. 

$$

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in North Dakota, 2020Red Flag Warnings in Minnesota, 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.