Alert archive / New Mexico / Red Flag Warnings in 2021

Red Flag Warning 23, NWS Midland/Odessa, TX

December 15, 20215 counties in New Mexico; Culberson County, Gaines County, Texas

NWS Midland/Odessa, TX issued this red flag warning at Dec 15, 2021, 1:31 AM MST for 5 counties in New Mexico; Culberson County, Gaines County, Texas. It took effect at Dec 15, 2021, 10:00 AM MST. It was in force for 7 hr. 5 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
Dec 15, 2021, 1:31 AM MST (08:31 UTC)
In effect from
Dec 15, 2021, 10:00 AM MST
Expired
Dec 15, 2021, 5:00 PM MST
In force
7 hr
Issued by
NWS Midland/Odessa, TX

Counties Chaves County, NM, Eddy County, NM, Lea County, NM, Lincoln County, NM, Otero County, NM, Culberson County, TX, Gaines County, TX

The radar

The Holloman AFB radar (KHDX), 168 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 08:37 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
Dec 15, 10:30 AM MSTNON-TSTM WND DMGArtesia, NMPOWER LINES BLOWN DOWN ON MANN STREET IN ARTESIA CAUSING A POWER OUTAGE. TIME ESTIMATED.
Dec 15, 10:35 AM MSTNON-TSTM WND GST 731 W Artesia, NM
Dec 15, 10:36 AM MSTHIGH SUST WINDS 412 Ne Dunken, NMDUNKEN RAWS.
Dec 15, 1:38 PM MSTNON-TSTM WND GST 632 N Pine Springs, TXAT GUADALUPE BOWL RAWS.
Dec 15, 2:51 PM MSTNON-TSTM WND GST 635 S Pine Springs, TXGUADALUPE PASS ASOS.

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

The nearest sounding before it

Midland Regional, TX (KMAF), launched 00:00Z, 8.5 hours before the alert went out and 221 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, Midland Regional, TX at 00:00Z on 2021-12-15Temperature 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, Midland Regional, TX at 00:00Z on 2021-12-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 101 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
2812 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
31 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
101 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
128 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

173 
WWUS84 KMAF 150831
RFWMAF

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Midland/Odessa TX
231 AM CST Wed Dec 15 2021

NMZ116>119-TXZ045-270-271-273-152045-
/O.UPG.KMAF.FW.A.0024.211215T1700Z-211216T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KMAF.FW.W.0023.211215T1700Z-211216T0000Z/
Sacramento Foothills and Guadalupe Mountains-Chaves Plains-
Eddy Plains-Lea-Gaines-Guadalupe Mountains Above 7000 Feet-
Guadalupe and Delaware Mountains-Eastern Culberson County-
231 AM CST Wed Dec 15 2021 /131 AM MST Wed Dec 15 2021/

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FOR THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THIS EVENING
FOR RELATIVE HUMIDITY AS LOW AS 16 PERCENT, 20FT WINDS OF 25 MPH 
OR MORE, AND VERY HIGH FIRE DANGER FOR THE SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO 
PLAINS, SACRAMENTO FOOTHILLS, GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS, GAINES COUNTY 
AND PORTIONS OF CULBERSON COUNTY...

The National Weather Service in Midland/Odessa has issued a Red
Flag Warning for humidity as low as 16% and 20ft winds of 25 mph 
or more, which is in effect from 11 AM CST /10 AM MST/ this 
morning to 6 PM CST /5 PM MST/ this evening.

* AFFECTED AREA...Gaines, Sacramento Foothills and Guadalupe 
  Mountains, Chaves Plains, Eddy Plains, Lea, Guadalupe 
  Mountains Above 7000 Feet, Guadalupe and Delaware Mountains 
  and Eastern Culberson County.

* TIMING...This afternoon through this evening.

* WINDS...Southwest 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 50 mph for the 
  plains. West winds 45 to 55 mph with gusts up to 70 mph for the 
  Guadalupe Mountains.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 16 percent.

* RFTI...2 to 4 or near critical to critical.

* IMPACTS...Avoid the use of open flames or any activities that 
  may generate sparks. Accidental ignitions will have the 
  potential to grow into dangerous wind-driven wildfires.

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 will increase
potential for fire growth.

&&

$$
1 follow-up statement
704 
WWUS84 KMAF 152017
RFWMAF

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Midland/Odessa TX
217 PM CST Wed Dec 15 2021

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THIS EVENING
FOR RELATIVE HUMIDITY AS LOW AS 16 PERCENT, 20FT WINDS OF 25 MPH 
OR MORE, AND VERY HIGH FIRE DANGER FOR THE SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO 
PLAINS, SACRAMENTO FOOTHILLS, GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS, GAINES COUNTY 
AND PORTIONS OF CULBERSON COUNTY...

NMZ116>119-TXZ045-270-271-273-160000-
/O.CON.KMAF.FW.W.0023.000000T0000Z-211216T0000Z/
Sacramento Foothills and Guadalupe Mountains-Chaves Plains-
Eddy Plains-Lea-Gaines-Guadalupe Mountains Above 7000 Feet-
Guadalupe and Delaware Mountains-Eastern Culberson County-
217 PM CST Wed Dec 15 2021 /117 PM MST Wed Dec 15 2021/

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THIS EVENING
FOR RELATIVE HUMIDITY AS LOW AS 16 PERCENT, 20FT WINDS OF 25 MPH 
OR MORE, AND VERY HIGH FIRE DANGER FOR THE SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO 
PLAINS, SACRAMENTO FOOTHILLS, GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS, GAINES COUNTY 
AND PORTIONS OF CULBERSON COUNTY...

* AFFECTED AREA...Gaines, Sacramento Foothills and Guadalupe 
  Mountains, Chaves Plains, Eddy Plains, Lea, Guadalupe 
  Mountains Above 7000 Feet, Guadalupe and Delaware Mountains 
  and Eastern Culberson County.

* TIMING...This afternoon through this evening.

* WINDS...Southwest 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 50 mph for the
  plains. West winds 45 to 55 mph with gusts up to 75 mph for the
  Guadalupe Mountains.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 16 percent.

* RFTI...4 or near critical.

* IMPACTS...Avoid the use of open flames or any activities that 
  may generate sparks. Accidental ignitions will have the 
  potential to grow into dangerous wind-driven wildfires.

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 will increase
potential for fire growth.

&&

$$

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in New Mexico, 2021Red Flag Warnings in Texas, 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.