Alert archive / California / Red Flag Warnings in 2021

Red Flag Warning 2, NWS Hanford, CA

July 17, 20218 counties in California

NWS Hanford, CA issued this red flag warning at Jul 17, 2021, 11:01 AM PDT for 8 counties in California. It took effect at Jul 18, 2021, 11:00 AM PDT. It was in force for 16 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
Jul 17, 2021, 11:01 AM PDT (18:01 UTC)
In effect from
Jul 18, 2021, 11:00 AM PDT
Expired
Jul 19, 2021, 2:39 AM PDT
In force
16 hr
Issued by
NWS Hanford, CA

Counties Fresno County, CA, Kern County, CA, Kings County, CA, Madera County, CA, Mariposa County, CA, Merced County, CA, Tulare County, CA, Tuolumne County, CA

The radar

The San Joaquin Valley radar (KHNX), 54 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:04 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

Vandenberg AFB, CA (KVBG), launched 12:00Z, 6.0 hours before the alert went out and 242 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, Vandenberg AFB, CA at 12:00Z on 2021-07-17Temperature 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, Vandenberg AFB, CA at 12:00Z on 2021-07-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 30 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
2243 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
12 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
30 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
64 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

887 
WWUS86 KHNX 171801
RFWHNX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Hanford CA
1101 AM PDT Sat Jul 17 2021

.A northerly surge of monsoonal moisture Sunday through
Monday will provide a favorable environment for 
thunderstorm development in the foothills and mountains 
along with a high fire danger.


CAZ580-171915-
/O.CAN.KHNX.FW.A.0002.210718T1800Z-210720T0000Z/
San Joaquin Valley-
1101 AM PDT Sat Jul 17 2021

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS CANCELLED FOR DRY THUNDERSTORMS FOR FIRE
WEATHER ZONES 579, 580, 590, 591, 592, 593, 594, 595, 596, AND
597...

The National Weather Service in Hanford has cancelled the Fire
Weather Watch for the San Joaquin Valley. 

Isolated showers may be accompanied by thunder and lightning
Sunday through midday Monday. 



$$

CAZ579-590>597-180215-
/O.UPG.KHNX.FW.A.0002.210718T1800Z-210720T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KHNX.FW.W.0002.210718T1800Z-210720T0000Z/
West Side Hills-Central Sierra Foothills-
Southern Sierra Foothills-Central Sierra-North Kings River-
Sequoia Kings-Lake Isabella-Tehachapi Area-Fort Tejon-
1101 AM PDT Sat Jul 17 2021

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM SUNDAY TO 5 PM PDT
MONDAY FOR THUNDERSTORMS WITH DRY LIGHTNING...

The National Weather Service in Hanford has issued a Red Flag
Warning, which is in effect from 11 AM Sunday to 5 PM PDT Monday.
The Fire Weather Watch is no longer in effect. 

* AFFECTED AREA...West Side Hills, the foothills and higher
  elevations of the Sierra and the Kern County mountains. 

* WIND...Gusty and erratic winds are possible in the vicinity of 
  thunderstorms with gusts to around 40 mph. 

* THUNDERSTORMS...Scattered thunderstorms with little or no
  rainfall accompanied by cloud to ground lightning. 

* IMPACTS...The combination of parched fuels and dry lightning
  could easily ignite new fires within the warning area.
  Additionally, gusty and erratic winds that accompany some
  thunderstorms could cause rapid spread of new and existing
  fires. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions
are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of
extremely dry fuels, gusty erratic winds and lightning 
associated with thunderstorms can result in extreme fire 
behavior.

&&

$$
Durfee
5 follow-up statements
647 
WWUS86 KHNX 180204
RFWHNX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Hanford CA
704 PM PDT Sat Jul 17 2021

.A northerly surge of monsoonal moisture Sunday through Monday
will provide a favorable environment for thunderstorm development
in the foothills and mountains along with a high fire danger.

CAZ579-590>597-181100-
/O.CON.KHNX.FW.W.0002.210718T1800Z-210720T0000Z/
West Side Hills-Central Sierra Foothills-
Southern Sierra Foothills-Central Sierra-North Kings River-
Sequoia Kings-Lake Isabella-Tehachapi Area-Fort Tejon-
704 PM PDT Sat Jul 17 2021

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM SUNDAY TO 5 PM
PDT MONDAY FOR THUNDERSTORMS WITH DRY LIGHTNING...

* AFFECTED AREA...West Side Hills, the Sierra Nevada and
  foothills, and the Kern County mountains. 

* WIND...Gusty and erratic winds are possible in the vicinity 
  of thunderstorms with gusts to around 40 mph. 

* THUNDERSTORMS...Scattered thunderstorms with little or no 
  rainfall accompanied by cloud to ground lightning.

* IMPACTS...The combination of parched fuels and dry lightning 
  could easily ignite new fires within the warning area. 
  Additionally, gusty and erratic winds that accompany some 
  thunderstorms could cause rapid spread of new and existing 
  fires.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions
are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of
extremely dry fuels, gusty erratic winds and lightning associated
with thunderstorms can result in extreme fire behavior.

&&

$$
Bean
238 
WWUS86 KHNX 181036
RFWHNX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Hanford CA
336 AM PDT Sun Jul 18 2021

.A northerly surge of monsoonal moisture Sunday through Monday
will provide a favorable environment for thunderstorm development
in the foothills and mountains along with a high fire danger.

CAZ579-590>597-181900-
/O.CON.KHNX.FW.W.0002.210718T1800Z-210720T0000Z/
West Side Hills-Central Sierra Foothills-
Southern Sierra Foothills-Central Sierra-North Kings River-
Sequoia Kings-Lake Isabella-Tehachapi Area-Fort Tejon-
336 AM PDT Sun Jul 18 2021

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO
5 PM PDT MONDAY FOR THUNDERSTORMS WITH DRY LIGHTNING...

* AFFECTED AREA...West Side Hills, the Sierra Nevada and 
  foothills, and the Kern County mountains. 

* WIND...Gusty and erratic winds are possible in the vicinity 
  of thunderstorms with gusts to around 40 mph.

* THUNDERSTORMS...Scattered thunderstorms with little or no 
  rainfall accompanied by cloud to ground lightning.

* IMPACTS...The combination of parched fuels and dry lightning 
  could easily ignite new fires within the warning area. 
  Additionally, gusty and erratic winds that accompany some 
  thunderstorms could cause rapid spread of new and existing 
  fires.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions
are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of
extremely dry fuels, gusty erratic winds and lightning associated
with thunderstorms can result in extreme fire behavior.

&&

$$
873 
WWUS86 KHNX 181749
RFWHNX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Hanford CA
1049 AM PDT Sun Jul 18 2021

.A northerly surge of monsoonal moisture through Monday afternoon 
will provide a favorable environment for thunderstorm development
in the foothills and mountains along with a high fire danger.

CAZ579-590>597-190200-
/O.CON.KHNX.FW.W.0002.210718T1800Z-210720T0000Z/
West Side Hills-Central Sierra Foothills-
Southern Sierra Foothills-Central Sierra-North Kings River-
Sequoia Kings-Lake Isabella-Tehachapi Area-Fort Tejon-
1049 AM PDT Sun Jul 18 2021

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM PDT MONDAY FOR
THUNDERSTORMS WITH DRY LIGHTNING FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 579, 590,
591, 592, 593, 594, 595, 596, AND 597...

* AFFECTED AREA...West Side Hills, the Sierra Nevada and 
  foothills, and the Kern County mountains. 

* WIND...Gusty and erratic winds are possible in the vicinity 
  of thunderstorms with gusts to around 40 mph.

* THUNDERSTORMS...Scattered thunderstorms with little or no 
  rainfall accompanied by cloud to ground lightning.

* IMPACTS...The combination of parched fuels and dry lightning 
  could easily ignite new fires within the warning area. 
  Additionally, gusty and erratic winds that accompany some 
  thunderstorms could cause rapid spread of new and existing 
  fires.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions
are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of
extremely dry fuels, gusty erratic winds and lightning associated
with thunderstorms can result in extreme fire behavior.

&&

$$

DS
306 
WWUS86 KHNX 190137
RFWHNX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Hanford CA
637 PM PDT Sun Jul 18 2021

.A northerly surge of monsoonal moisture through Monday afternoon
will provide a favorable environment for thunderstorm development
in the foothills and mountains along with a high fire danger.

CAZ579-590>597-191000-
/O.CON.KHNX.FW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-210720T0000Z/
West Side Hills-Central Sierra Foothills-
Southern Sierra Foothills-Central Sierra-North Kings River-
Sequoia Kings-Lake Isabella-Tehachapi Area-Fort Tejon-
637 PM PDT Sun Jul 18 2021

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM PDT MONDAY FOR
THUNDERSTORMS WITH DRY LIGHTNING FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 579, 590,
591, 592, 593, 594, 595, 596, AND 597...

* AFFECTED AREA...West Side Hills, the Sierra Nevada and 
  foothills, and the Kern County mountains. 

* WIND...Gusty and erratic winds are possible in the vicinity 
  of thunderstorms with gusts to around 40 mph.

* THUNDERSTORMS...Scattered thunderstorms with little or no 
  rainfall accompanied by cloud to ground lightning.

* IMPACTS...The combination of parched fuels and dry lightning 
  could easily ignite new fires within the warning area. 
  Additionally, gusty and erratic winds that accompany some 
  thunderstorms could cause rapid spread of new and existing 
  fires.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions
are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of
extremely dry fuels, gusty erratic winds and lightning associated
with thunderstorms can result in extreme fire behavior.

&&

$$

Bean
670 
WWUS86 KHNX 190939
RFWHNX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Hanford CA
239 AM PDT Mon Jul 19 2021

CAZ579-590>597-191045-
/O.CAN.KHNX.FW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-210720T0000Z/
West Side Hills-Central Sierra Foothills-
Southern Sierra Foothills-Central Sierra-North Kings River-
Sequoia Kings-Lake Isabella-Tehachapi Area-Fort Tejon-
239 AM PDT Mon Jul 19 2021

...RED FLAG WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR THUNDERSTORMS WITH DRY
LIGHTNING FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 579, 590, 591, 592, 593, 594,
595, 596, AND 597...

The National Weather Service in Hanford has cancelled the Red
Flag Warning. Wetting rains will be associated with thunderstorms
in the Sierra Nevada, adjacent foothills, and Kern County 
mountains today. 

$$
BS

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in California, 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.