Alert archive / Minnesota / Red Flag Warnings in 2021

Red Flag Warning 3, NWS Grand Forks, ND

April 2, 202118 counties in Minnesota; 13 counties in North Dakota

NWS Grand Forks, ND issued this red flag warning at Apr 2, 2021, 3:35 AM CDT for 18 counties in Minnesota; 13 counties in North Dakota. It took effect at Apr 2, 2021, 12:09 PM CDT. It was in force for 8 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
Apr 2, 2021, 3:35 AM CDT (08:35 UTC)
In effect from
Apr 2, 2021, 12:09 PM CDT
Expired
Apr 2, 2021, 8:00 PM CDT
In force
8 hr
Issued by
NWS Grand Forks, ND
All 31 counties

Becker County, MN, Beltrami County, MN, Clay County, MN, Clearwater County, MN, Grant County, MN, Hubbard County, MN, Kittson County, MN, Lake of the Woods County, MN, Mahnomen County, MN, Marshall County, MN, Norman County, MN, Otter Tail County, MN, Pennington County, MN, Polk County, MN, Red Lake County, MN, Roseau County, MN, Wadena County, MN, Wilkin County, MN, Barnes County, ND, Benson County, ND, Cavalier County, ND, Eddy County, ND, Grand Forks County, ND, Griggs County, ND, Nelson County, ND, Pembina County, ND, Ramsey County, ND, Steele County, ND, Towner County, ND, Traill County, ND, Walsh County, ND

The radar

The Fargo/Grand Forks radar (KMVX), 41 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 08:38 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

International Fa, MN (KINL), launched 00:00Z, 8.6 hours before the alert went out and 280 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, International Fa, MN at 00:00Z on 2021-04-02Temperature 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, International Fa, MN at 00:00Z on 2021-04-02The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 66 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
2558 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
38 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
66 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
135 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

933 
WWUS83 KFGF 020835
RFWFGF

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Grand Forks ND
335 AM CDT Fri Apr 2 2021

NDZ006-007-014-015-024-026-028-029-038-054-030100-
/O.NEW.KFGF.FW.W.0003.210402T1800Z-210403T0100Z/
Towner-Cavalier-Benson-Ramsey-Eddy-Nelson-Griggs-Steele-Barnes-
Western Walsh-
335 AM CDT Fri Apr 2 2021

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 8 PM
CDT THIS EVENING FOR LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND STRONG WINDS FOR 
AREAS WEST OF THE RED RIVER VALLEY...

* AFFECTED AREA...In North Dakota...Fire Weather Zones 006...
  007...014...015...024...026...028...029...038 and 054.

* WINDS...West to northwest 15 to 20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 18 percent.

* IMPACTS...Any fires that ignite will spread rapidly and become
  difficult to control.

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
386 
WWUS83 KFGF 021709
RFWFGF

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Grand Forks ND
1209 PM CDT Fri Apr 2 2021

MNZ001>009-013>017-022>024-027>032-040-NDZ008-016-027-030-030100-
/O.EXB.KFGF.FW.W.0003.210402T1709Z-210403T0100Z/
West Polk-Norman-Clay-Kittson-Roseau-Lake Of The Woods-
West Marshall-East Marshall-North Beltrami-Pennington-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-Pembina-
Eastern Walsh-Grand Forks-Traill-
1209 PM CDT Fri Apr 2 2021

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR LOW
RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND STRONG WINDS FOR MUCH OF WEST CENTRAL AND 
NORTHWEST MINNESOTA...

The National Weather Service in Grand Forks has issued a Red Flag
Warning due to low RH values and gusty winds, which is in effect 
until 8 PM CDT this evening.

* AFFECTED AREA...In Minnesota...Fire Weather Zones 001...002... 
  003...004...005...006...007...008...009...013...014...015...
  016... 017...022...023...024...027...028...029...030...031...
  032 and 040. In North Dakota...Fire Weather Zones 008...016...
  027 and 030.

* TIMING...

* WINDS...Southwest 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 35 mph.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 24 percent.

* TEMPERATURES...In the mid 50s.

* IMPACTS...Any fires that ignite will spread rapidly and become 
  difficult to control.

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.

&&

$$

NDZ006-007-014-015-024-026-028-029-038-054-030100-
/O.EXT.KFGF.FW.W.0003.210402T1709Z-210403T0100Z/
Towner-Cavalier-Benson-Ramsey-Eddy-Nelson-Griggs-Steele-Barnes-
Western Walsh-
1209 PM CDT Fri Apr 2 2021

...RED FLAG WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR
LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND STRONG WINDS FOR MUCH OF EASTERN NORTH
DAKOTA...

* AFFECTED AREA...In North Dakota...Fire Weather Zones 006... 
  007...014...015...024...026...028...029...038 and 054.

* WINDS...West 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 18 percent.

* IMPACTS...Any fires that ignite will spread rapidly and become 
  difficult to control.

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.

&&

$$
044 
WWUS83 KFGF 030056
RFWFGF

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Grand Forks ND
756 PM CDT Fri Apr 2 2021

MNZ001>009-013>017-022>024-027>032-040-NDZ006>008-014>016-024-
026>030-038-054-030200-
/O.EXP.KFGF.FW.W.0003.000000T0000Z-210403T0100Z/
West Polk-Norman-Clay-Kittson-Roseau-Lake Of The Woods-
West Marshall-East Marshall-North Beltrami-Pennington-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-Towner-Cavalier-
Pembina-Benson-Ramsey-Eastern Walsh-Eddy-Nelson-Grand Forks-
Griggs-Steele-Traill-Barnes-Western Walsh-
756 PM CDT Fri Apr 2 2021

...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR
EASTERN ND, NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL MN...

Winds are quickly decreasing across the region, and the Red Flag
Warning will be allowed to expire.

$$

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Minnesota, 2021Red Flag Warnings in North Dakota, 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.