Alert archive / Iowa / Red Flag Warnings in 2021

Red Flag Warning 1, NWS Des Moines, IA

March 7, 202110 counties in Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this red flag warning at Mar 7, 2021, 2:27 AM CST for 10 counties in Iowa. It took effect at Mar 7, 2021, 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, 2021, 2:27 AM CST (08:27 UTC)
In effect from
Mar 7, 2021, 12:00 PM CST
Expired
Mar 7, 2021, 6:00 PM CST
In force
6 hr
Issued by
NWS Des Moines, IA

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

The radar

The Des Moines radar (KDMX), 91 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 08:28 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, 8.5 hours before the alert went out and 183 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 2021-03-07Temperature 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 2021-03-07The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 20 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
2369 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
33 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
20 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
146 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

890 
WWUS83 KDMX 070827
RFWDMX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Des Moines IA
227 AM CST Sun Mar 7 2021

...Extreme Fire Weather Conditions over Southwest Iowa this 
Afternoon...

.The combination of warm temperatures, gusty southwest winds, low
humidity, and dry grasses will produce extreme fire weather 
conditions over southwest Iowa this afternoon.

IAZ070>072-081>083-092>095-071630-
/O.NEW.KDMX.FW.W.0001.210307T1800Z-210308T0000Z/
Cass-Adair-Madison-Adams-Union-Clarke-Taylor-Ringgold-Decatur-
Wayne-
227 AM CST Sun Mar 7 2021

...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.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 25 percent.

* IMPACTS...Any fires that start this afternoon may spread rapidly
  and become uncontrollable.

* TIMING...This afternoon and early evening

* WIND...Southwest wind 20 to 25 mph, with peak gusts 30 to 40 mph.

* FUEL...Grasslands and any lingering crops debris remain dry and
  able to burn easily.

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.

&&

$$

Small
2 follow-up statements
848 
WWUS83 KDMX 072036
RFWDMX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Des Moines IA
236 PM CST Sun Mar 7 2021

...Extreme Fire Weather Conditions Southwest Iowa through 6 PM...

.The combination of warm temperatures, gusty southwest winds, low
humidity and dry grasses will produce extreme fire weather conditions
over southwest Iowa through 6 PM.

IAZ070>072-081>083-092>095-080000-
/O.CON.KDMX.FW.W.0001.000000T0000Z-210308T0000Z/
Cass-Adair-Madison-Adams-Union-Clarke-Taylor-Ringgold-Decatur-
Wayne-
236 PM CST Sun Mar 7 2021

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

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 25 percent.

* IMPACTS...Any fires that start this afternoon may spread
  rapidly and become uncontrollable. 

* TIMING...Through early evening

* WIND...Southwest wind 20 to 25 mph with peak gusts 30 to 40 
  mph.

* FUEL...Grasslands and any lingering crops debris remain dry 
  and able to burn easily. 

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
114 
WWUS83 KDMX 080000
RFWDMX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Des Moines IA
600 PM CST Sun Mar 7 2021

...Red Flag Warning Expires at 6 PM...

.Winds gradually relax this evening along with improving relative
humidity, thus extreme fire danger is no longer a concern.  

IAZ070>072-081>083-092>095-080100-
/O.EXP.KDMX.FW.W.0001.000000T0000Z-210308T0000Z/
Cass-Adair-Madison-Adams-Union-Clarke-Taylor-Ringgold-Decatur-
Wayne-
600 PM CST Sun Mar 7 2021

...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 6 PM CST THIS EVENING FOR FIRE
WEATHER ZONES 070, 071, 072, 081, 082, 083, 092, 093, 094, AND 
095...

$$

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Iowa, 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.