Alert archive / Colorado / Red Flag Warnings in 2021

Red Flag Warning 18, NWS Denver/Boulder, CO

October 26, 2021Elbert County, Lincoln County, Washington County, Colorado

NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued this red flag warning at Oct 26, 2021, 3:12 AM MDT for Elbert County, Lincoln County, Washington County, Colorado. It took effect at Oct 26, 2021, 12:00 PM MDT. It was in force for 6 hr. 2 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Oct 26, 2021, 3:12 AM MDT (09:12 UTC)
In effect from
Oct 26, 2021, 12:00 PM MDT
Expired
Oct 26, 2021, 6:00 PM MDT
In force
6 hr
Issued by
NWS Denver/Boulder, CO

Counties Elbert County, CO, Lincoln County, CO, Washington County, CO

The radar

The Denver radar (KFTG), 90 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 09:13 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.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Oct 26, 1:59 PM MDTNON-TSTM WND GST 611 Ese Akron, COMESONET STATION EW7755 AKRON.
Oct 26, 3:11 PM MDTNON-TSTM WND GST 70Akron, COASOS STATION KAKO AKRON.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Denver, CO (KDNR), launched 00:00Z, 9.2 hours before the alert went out and 60 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, Denver, CO at 00:00Z on 2021-10-26Temperature 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, Denver, CO at 00:00Z on 2021-10-26The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 293 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
3168 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
55 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
293 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
362 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

019 
WWUS85 KBOU 260912
RFWBOU

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO
312 AM MDT Tue Oct 26 2021

COZ246-247-249-261715-
/O.NEW.KBOU.FW.W.0018.211026T1800Z-211027T0000Z/
North and Northeast Elbert County Below 6000 Feet/North Lincoln
County-
Southeast Elbert County Below 6000 Feet/South Lincoln County-
Washington County-
312 AM MDT Tue Oct 26 2021

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 6 PM MDT THIS
EVENING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR WASHINGTON,
LINCOLN, AND EASTERN ELBERT COUNTIES...

The National Weather Service in Denver has issued a Red Flag
Warning for wind and low relative humidity, which is in effect
from noon today to 6 PM MDT this evening.

* Affected Area...Fire Weather Zones 246, 247 and 249.

* Timing...Noon to 6pm today. 

* Winds...Southwest 25 to 30 mph with gusts up to 40 mph.

* Relative Humidity...As low as 15 percent.

* Impacts...Conditions will be conducive to the rapid spread of 
  new fires. Probability of ignition will increase. Avoid any 
  burning or outdoor activities that may cause sparks, and abide 
  by established fire restrictions.

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
905 
WWUS85 KBOU 261539
RFWBOU

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO
939 AM MDT Tue Oct 26 2021

COZ246-247-249-270000-
/O.CON.KBOU.FW.W.0018.211026T1800Z-211027T0000Z/
North and Northeast Elbert County Below 6000 Feet/North Lincoln
County-
Southeast Elbert County Below 6000 Feet/South Lincoln County-
Washington County-
939 AM MDT Tue Oct 26 2021

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM MDT THIS EVENING
FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR WASHINGTON, LINCOLN, AND
EASTERN ELBERT COUNTIES...

* Affected Area...Fire Weather Zones 246, 247 and 249.

* Timing...Noon to 6pm today.

* Winds...Southwest 25 to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph.

* Relative Humidity...As low as 15 percent.

* Impacts...Conditions will be conducive to the rapid spread of 
  new fires. Probability of ignition will increase. Avoid any 
  burning or outdoor activities that may cause sparks, and abide 
  by established fire restrictions.

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.

&&

$$
121 
WWUS85 KBOU 270002
RFWBOU

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO
602 PM MDT Tue Oct 26 2021

...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE FOR WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE 
HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES...246...247 AND 249...

COZ246-247-249-270115-
/O.EXP.KBOU.FW.W.0018.000000T0000Z-211027T0000Z/
North and Northeast Elbert County Below 6000 Feet/North Lincoln
County-
Southeast Elbert County Below 6000 Feet/South Lincoln County-
Washington County-
602 PM MDT Tue Oct 26 2021

...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 6 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR WIND
AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR WASHINGTON, LINCOLN, AND EASTERN
ELBERT COUNTIES...

Current observations show relative humidity percentages ranging
from 70-80 across fire weather zones 246, 247, and 249.
Additionally, light rain showers continue to impact the area. 
Although gusty winds will continue, the Red Flag Warning will be 
allowed to expire due to recovering humidity levels above warning 
criteria.

$$

The office that day

Everything else NWS Denver/Boulder, CO issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Oct 26, 3:06 AM MDTHigh Wind WatchBOUElbert, Lincoln, Logan, Phillips, Sedgwick, Washington and 1 more7 hr
Oct 26, 9:51 AM MDTHigh Wind WarningBOUElbert, Lincoln, Logan, Morgan, Phillips, Sedgwick and 2 more14 hr

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Colorado, 2021Every red flag warning in 2021

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.