Alert archive / Minnesota / Red Flag Warnings in 2020

Red Flag Warning 2, NWS Twin Cities, MN

May 2, 202031 counties in Minnesota

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this red flag warning at May 2, 2020, 4:04 AM CDT for 31 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, 4:04 AM CDT (09:04 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 Twin Cities, MN
All 31 counties

Anoka County, MN, Benton County, MN, Blue Earth County, MN, Brown County, MN, Carver County, MN, Chippewa 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, 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, Watonwan County, MN, Wright County, MN, Yellow Medicine County, MN

The radar

The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 79 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 09:08 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, 9.1 hours before the alert went out and 76 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 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, Minneapolis, MN at 00:00Z on 2020-05-02The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 257 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
2633 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
53 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
257 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
484 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

447 
WWUS83 KMPX 020904
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
404 AM CDT Sat May 2 2020

...Critical Fire Weather Conditions Expected This Afternoon...

.Dry and breezy conditions are expected today. Sustained northwest
winds of 20 to 25 mph with gusts near 30 mph are likely. Humidity
levels will range from 15 to 25 percent by the afternoon. The Red
Flag Warning covers most of central Minnesota.

MNZ041>045-047>052-055>059-021715-
/O.UPG.KMPX.FW.A.0003.200502T1700Z-200503T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KMPX.FW.W.0002.200502T1700Z-200503T0000Z/
Douglas-Todd-Morrison-Mille Lacs-Kanabec-Stevens-Pope-Stearns-
Benton-Sherburne-Isanti-Swift-Chippewa-Kandiyohi-Meeker-Wright-
404 AM CDT Sat May 2 2020

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 7 PM CDT THIS
EVENING FOR VERY LOW HUMIDITY AND BREEZY WINDS FOR MOST 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...Much of western and central Minnesota. 

* WIND...Northwest sustained 20 to 25 mph, with gusts near 30 mph.

* HUMIDITY...As low as 15 to 25 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.

&&

$$

MNZ054-060-061-064>069-073>076-082-083-021715-
/O.NEW.KMPX.FW.W.0002.200502T1700Z-200503T0000Z/
Lac Qui Parle-Hennepin-Anoka-Yellow Medicine-Renville-McLeod-
Sibley-Carver-Scott-Redwood-Brown-Nicollet-Le Sueur-Watonwan-
Blue Earth-
404 AM CDT Sat May 2 2020

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 7 PM CDT THIS
EVENING FOR VERY LOW HUMIDITY AND BREEZY WINDS FOR MOST 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. 

* AFFECTED AREA...Much of and south central and east central
  Minnesota. 

* WIND...Northwest sustained 20 to 25 mph, with gusts near 30 mph.

* HUMIDITY...As low as 15 to 25 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.

&&

$$

jrb
2 follow-up statements
899 
WWUS83 KMPX 021536
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
1036 AM CDT Sat May 2 2020

...Critical Fire Weather Conditions Expected This Afternoon...

.Dry and breezy conditions are expected today. Sustained
northwest winds of 20 to 25 mph with gusts near 30 mph are
likely. Humidity levels will range from 15 to 25 percent by the
afternoon. The Red Flag Warning covers most of central Minnesota.

MNZ041>045-047>052-054>061-064>069-073>076-082-083-030000-
/O.CON.KMPX.FW.W.0002.200502T1700Z-200503T0000Z/
Douglas-Todd-Morrison-Mille Lacs-Kanabec-Stevens-Pope-Stearns-
Benton-Sherburne-Isanti-Lac Qui Parle-Swift-Chippewa-Kandiyohi-
Meeker-Wright-Hennepin-Anoka-Yellow Medicine-Renville-McLeod-
Sibley-Carver-Scott-Redwood-Brown-Nicollet-Le Sueur-Watonwan-
Blue Earth-
1036 AM CDT Sat May 2 2020

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING
FOR VERY LOW HUMIDITY AND BREEZY WINDS FOR MOST OF CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

* AFFECTED AREA...Much of western and central Minnesota.

* WIND...Northwest sustained 20 to 25 mph, with gusts near30 
  mph.

* HUMIDITY...As low as 15 to 25 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.

&&

$$
BPH
446 
WWUS83 KMPX 021909
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
209 PM CDT Sat May 2 2020

...Critical Fire Weather Conditions Through 7 PM...

.Dry and breezy conditions are expected through 7 pm. Sustained 
northwest winds of 15 to 25 mph with gusts near 35 mph are likely
before sunset, with humidity levels ranging from 15 to 25 percent.

MNZ041>045-047>052-054>061-064>069-073>076-082-083-030000-
/O.CON.KMPX.FW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-200503T0000Z/
Douglas-Todd-Morrison-Mille Lacs-Kanabec-Stevens-Pope-Stearns-
Benton-Sherburne-Isanti-Lac Qui Parle-Swift-Chippewa-Kandiyohi-
Meeker-Wright-Hennepin-Anoka-Yellow Medicine-Renville-McLeod-
Sibley-Carver-Scott-Redwood-Brown-Nicollet-Le Sueur-Watonwan-
Blue Earth-
209 PM CDT Sat May 2 2020

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING
FOR VERY LOW HUMIDITY AND BREEZY WINDS FOR MOST OF CENTRAL
MINNESOTA...

* AFFECTED AREA...Much of western and central Minnesota.

* WIND...Northwest sustained 15 to 25 mph, with gusts near 35 
  mph.

* HUMIDITY...holding between 15 to 25 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.

&&

$$

Nearby

Red 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.