Alert archive / North Carolina / Red Flag Warnings in 2021
Red Flag Warning 2, NWS Blacksburg, VA
NWS Blacksburg, VA issued this red flag warning at Apr 21, 2021, 3:49 AM EDT for 6 counties in North Carolina. It took effect at Apr 21, 2021, 2:00 PM EDT. 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
- Apr 21, 2021, 3:49 AM EDT (07:49 UTC)
- In effect from
- Apr 21, 2021, 2:00 PM EDT
- Expired
- Apr 21, 2021, 8:00 PM EDT
- In force
- 6 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Blacksburg, VA
Counties Caswell County, NC, Rockingham County, NC, Stokes County, NC, Surry County, NC, Wilkes County, NC, Yadkin County, NC
The radar
The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 77 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 07:46 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
Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 00:00Z, 7.8 hours before the alert went out and 46 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 2214 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 38 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 51 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 151 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted.
467 WWUS81 KRNK 210749 RFWRNK URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Blacksburg VA 349 AM EDT Wed Apr 21 2021 ...DRY AND WINDY THIS AFTERNOON... .A strong dry cold front is expected to pass through the North Carolina piedmont this afternoon. The combination of low humidity and gusty winds will make wildland fires difficult to control. NCZ003>006-019-020-211600- /O.UPG.KRNK.FW.A.0002.210421T1800Z-210422T0000Z/ /O.NEW.KRNK.FW.W.0002.210421T1800Z-210422T0000Z/ Surry-Stokes-Rockingham-Caswell-Wilkes-Yadkin- 349 AM EDT Wed Apr 21 2021 ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 2 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR THE NORTH CAROLINA FOOTHILLS AND PIEDMONT... The National Weather Service in Blacksburg has issued a Red Flag Warning for wind and low relative humidity, which is in effect from 2 PM this afternoon to 8 PM EDT this evening. The Fire Weather Watch is no longer in effect. * Affected Area...In North Carolina, Fire Weather Zone 003 Surry, Fire Weather Zone 004 Stokes, Fire Weather Zone 005 Rockingham, Fire Weather Zone 006 Caswell, Fire Weather Zone 019 Wilkes and Fire Weather Zone 020 Yadkin. * Winds...Northwest 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 40 mph. * Relative Humidity...As low as 25 percent. * FUEL MOISTURE...under 10 percent, and likely to drop further with little or no wetting rain expected through Wednesday. * IMPACTS...Outdoor fires may easily grow out of control in these conditions. 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. && $$ For more information from NOAA/National Weather Service visit... http://www.weather.gov/rnk/fire (all lower case)
2 follow-up statements
695 WWUS81 KRNK 211758 RFWRNK URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Blacksburg VA 158 PM EDT Wed Apr 21 2021 ...DRY AND WINDY THROUGH SUNSET... .A dry cold front passed through the North Carolina piedmont early this afternoon. Winds have shifted to the northwest and will remain gusty into this evening. The combination of low humidity and gusty winds will make wildland fires difficult to control. NCZ003>006-019-020-220000- /O.CON.KRNK.FW.W.0002.210421T1800Z-210422T0000Z/ Surry-Stokes-Rockingham-Caswell-Wilkes-Yadkin- 158 PM EDT Wed Apr 21 2021 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR THE NORTH CAROLINA FOOTHILLS AND PIEDMONT... * Affected Area...In North Carolina, Fire Weather Zone 003 Surry, Fire Weather Zone 004 Stokes, Fire Weather Zone 005 Rockingham, Fire Weather Zone 006 Caswell, Fire Weather Zone 019 Wilkes and Fire Weather Zone 020 Yadkin. * Winds...Northwest 15 to 20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph. * Relative Humidity...As low as 30 percent. * FUEL MOISTURE...generally below 10 percent. * IMPACTS...Outdoor fires may easily grow out of control in these conditions. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now....or will shortly. A combination of strong winds...low relative humidity...and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior. && $$ For more information from NOAA/National Weather Service visit... http://www.weather.gov/rnk/fire (all lower case)
420 WWUS81 KRNK 220003 RFWRNK URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Blacksburg VA 803 PM EDT Wed Apr 21 2021 ...Windy and Colder Tonight... .A dry cold front passed through the North Carolina piedmont early this afternoon. Winds have shifted to the northwest and will remain gusty overnight. NCZ003>006-019-020-220115- /O.EXP.KRNK.FW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-210422T0000Z/ Surry-Stokes-Rockingham-Caswell-Wilkes-Yadkin- 803 PM EDT Wed Apr 21 2021 ...RED FLAG WARNING HAS EXPIRED FOR THE NORTH CAROLINA FOOTHILLS AND PIEDMONT... Temperatures had cooled and the relative humidity had increased so the threat of uncontrolled wildfires has diminished. $$ For more information from NOAA/National Weather Service visit... http://www.weather.gov/rnk/fire (all lower case)
The office that day
Everything else NWS Blacksburg, VA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 21, 3:39 AM EDT | Freeze Warning | RNK | Alleghany, Ashe, Caswell, Rockingham, Stokes, Surry and 3 more | 29 hr |
Nearby
Red Flag Warnings in North Carolina, 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.