Alert archive / Montana / Red Flag Warnings in 2021

Red Flag Warning 20, NWS Great Falls, MT

November 15, 20218 counties in Montana

NWS Great Falls, MT issued this red flag warning at Nov 15, 2021, 2:20 AM MST for 8 counties in Montana. It took effect at Nov 15, 2021, 11:00 AM MST. It was in force for 8 hr. 13 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
Nov 15, 2021, 2:20 AM MST (09:20 UTC)
In effect from
Nov 15, 2021, 11:00 AM MST
Expired
Nov 15, 2021, 7:00 PM MST
In force
8 hr
Issued by
NWS Great Falls, MT

Counties Cascade County, MT, Chouteau County, MT, Fergus County, MT, Judith Basin County, MT, Lewis and Clark County, MT, Meagher County, MT, Pondera County, MT, Teton County, MT

The radar

The Great Falls radar (KTFX), 20 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 09:17 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
Nov 15, 11:00 AM MSTNON-TSTM WND GST 55Bynum, MTMESONET STATION PRKMT BYNUM (MCSCN).
Nov 15, 12:45 PM MSTNON-TSTM WND GST 7714 W Bynum, MTMESONET STATION DELMT DELLWO (MCSCN).
Nov 15, 1:00 PM MSTNON-TSTM WND GST 7914 W Bynum, MTMESONET STATION DELMT DELLWO (MCSCN).
Nov 15, 1:45 PM MSTNON-TSTM WND GST 8214 W Bynum, MTMESONET STATION DELMT DELLWO (MCSCN).
Nov 15, 2:00 PM MSTNON-TSTM WND GST 555 Ese Pendroy, MTMESONET STATION RICMT RICE RIDGE.
Nov 15, 2:09 PM MSTNON-TSTM WND GST 5018 Wsw Bynum, MTMESONET STATION GSNM8 GLEASON RAWS.
Nov 15, 3:14 PM MSTNON-TSTM WND GST 592 Nw Pendroy, MTMESONET STATION MTPND PENDROY (MT DOT).
Nov 15, 3:25 PM MSTNON-TSTM WND GST 601 Nne Choteau, MTMESONET STATION KCII CHOTEAU (GTFWFO).
Nov 15, 5:00 PM MSTNON-TSTM WND GST 685 Ese Pendroy, MTMESONET STATION RICMT RICE RIDGE.
Nov 15, 5:00 PM MSTNON-TSTM WND GST 7014 W Bynum, MTMESONET STATION DELMT DELLWO (MCSCN).
Nov 15, 6:55 PM MSTNON-TSTM WND GST 611 Nne Choteau, MTMESONET STATION KCII CHOTEAU (GTFWFO).
Nov 15, 7:00 PM MSTNON-TSTM WND DMG5 Sse Choteau, MTTIME AND DATE ESTIMATED FROM STRONGEST WINDS AT NEARBY CHOTEAU AIRPORT. LOCATION ESTIMATED BY REPORTING PERSON. WIND PEELED A WELL-CONSTRUCTED (AS DESCRIBED BY SPOTTER) SOUTH-FACING METAL BILLBOARD FROM ITS WEST SIDE LIKE A SARDINE CAN (AGAIN, AS DESCRIBED BY
Nov 15, 7:00 PM MSTNON-TSTM WND DMGFairfield, MTTIME ESTIMATED. PUBLIC REPORTED THAT STRONG WINDS KNOCKED OVER A WOODEN SIGN IN FRONT OF HIS BUILDING. HOWEVER, HE REPORTED THAT NO TREES OR POWER LINES WERE KNOCKED DOWN.

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

The nearest sounding before it

Great_falls, MT (KTFX), launched 00:00Z, 9.3 hours before the alert went out and 40 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, Great_falls, MT at 00:00Z on 2021-11-15Temperature 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, Great_falls, MT at 00:00Z on 2021-11-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 320 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
1995 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
73 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
320 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
566 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

993 
WWUS85 KTFX 150920
RFWTFX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Great Falls MT
220 AM MST Mon Nov 15 2021

MTZ114-115-117-152300-
/O.UPG.KTFX.FW.A.0014.211115T1800Z-211115T2300Z/
/O.NEW.KTFX.FW.W.0020.211115T1800Z-211115T2300Z/
Lewis and Clark National Forest Rocky Mountain District-
Rocky Mountain Front-Chouteau and Fergus Counties-
Central and Eastern Lewis and Clark National Forest Areas-
220 AM MST Mon Nov 15 2021

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 4 PM MST
THIS AFTERNOON FOR WARM TEMPERATURES, GUSTY WINDS, AND LOW 
RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 114, 115, AND 117...

The National Weather Service in Great Falls has issued a Red Flag
Warning for warm temperatures, gusty winds, and low relative 
humidity, which is in effect from 11 AM this morning to 4 PM MST 
this afternoon. The Fire Weather Watch has been replaced by this
warning.

* AFFECTED AREA...Lewis and Clark National Forest Rocky Mountain 
  District-Rocky Mountain Front, Chouteau and Fergus Counties and 
  Central and Eastern Lewis and Clark National Forest Areas.

* TEMPERATURES...In the upper 50s and 60s.

* WINDS...Southwest 35 to 45 mph with gusts up to 70 mph. Localized
  gusts in excess of 80 mph at times.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 14 percent.

* IMPACTS...The combination of strong winds and low humidity 
  could make any new fire starts difficult to contain.

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.

Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in these
areas of this Red Flag Warning.

&&

$$

http://www.weather.gov/greatfalls
2 follow-up statements
741 
WWUS85 KTFX 152109
RFWTFX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Great Falls MT
209 PM MST Mon Nov 15 2021

MTZ114-115-117-160200-
/O.EXT.KTFX.FW.W.0020.000000T0000Z-211116T0200Z/
Lewis and Clark National Forest Rocky Mountain District-
Rocky Mountain Front-Chouteau and Fergus Counties-
Central and Eastern Lewis and Clark National Forest Areas-
209 PM MST Mon Nov 15 2021

...RED FLAG WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR
WARM TEMPERATURES, GUSTY WINDS, AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE
WEATHER ZONES 114, 115, AND 117...

* AFFECTED AREA...Lewis and Clark National Forest Rocky Mountain 
  District-Rocky Mountain Front, Chouteau and Fergus Counties and 
  Central and Eastern Lewis and Clark National Forest Areas.

* TEMPERATURES...In the upper 50s and 60s.

* WINDS...Southwest 35 to 45 mph with gusts up to 70 mph. 
  Localized gusts in excess of 80 mph at times.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 14 percent.

* IMPACTS...The combination of strong winds and low humidity 
  could make any new fire starts difficult to contain.

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.

Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in these
areas of this Red Flag Warning.

&&

$$

http://www.weather.gov/greatfalls
809 
WWUS85 KTFX 160137
RFWTFX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Great Falls MT
637 PM MST Mon Nov 15 2021

MTZ114-115-117-160245-
/O.EXP.KTFX.FW.W.0020.000000T0000Z-211116T0200Z/
Lewis and Clark National Forest Rocky Mountain District-
Rocky Mountain Front-Chouteau and Fergus Counties-
Central and Eastern Lewis and Clark National Forest Areas-
637 PM MST Mon Nov 15 2021

...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 7 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR LOW
HUMIDITY AND GUSTY WINDS FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 114, 115, AND 
117...

Expect increasing humidity and cooler temperatures to move into the
region tonight as a strong cold front moves through the region.
Wind speeds will remain very strong through Tuesday though.

$$

http://www.weather.gov/greatfalls

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Montana, 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.