Alert archive / Arizona / Red Flag Warnings in 2021

Red Flag Warning 16, NWS Tucson, AZ

May 1, 20216 counties in Arizona

NWS Tucson, AZ issued this red flag warning at May 1, 2021, 12:48 PM MST for 6 counties in Arizona. It took effect at May 2, 2021, 10:00 AM MST. It was in force for 10 hr. 1 report 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
May 1, 2021, 12:48 PM MST (19:48 UTC)
In effect from
May 2, 2021, 10:00 AM MST
Expired
May 2, 2021, 8:00 PM MST
In force
10 hr
Issued by
NWS Tucson, AZ

Counties Cochise County, AZ, Graham County, AZ, Greenlee County, AZ, Pima County, AZ, Pinal County, AZ, Santa Cruz County, AZ

The radar

The Tucson radar (KEMX), 61 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:53 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
May 2, 1:24 PM MSTNON-TSTM WND DMG7 Sse Sierra Vista, AZPOWER LINES DOWN DUE TO HIGH WINDS.

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

The nearest sounding before it

Tuscon, AZ (KTUS), launched 12:00Z, 7.8 hours before the alert went out and 49 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, Tuscon, AZ at 12:00Z on 2021-05-01Temperature 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, Tuscon, AZ at 12:00Z on 2021-05-01The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 26 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
3076 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
27 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
26 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
158 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

490 
WWUS85 KTWC 011948
RFWTWC

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
1248 PM MST Sat May 1 2021

AZZ150>154-021300-
/O.UPG.KTWC.FW.A.0012.210502T1700Z-210503T0300Z/
/O.NEW.KTWC.FW.W.0016.210502T1700Z-210503T0300Z/
Arizona Fire Weather Zone 150
Sonoran FDRA-Most of Pima County-South Central Pinal County-
Tohono O'odham Nation-Tucson Metropolitan area-TDC-
Arizona Fire Weather Zone 151
Western half Desert Grasslands FDRA including elevations up to
5500 feet in Southeast corner of Pinal County-
Extreme Eastern Pima County-Western third of Cochise County-
Santa Cruz County-TDC-Arizona Fire Weather Zone 152
Eastern half Desert Grasslands FDRA including elevations up to
5500 feet in Southwest Graham County and Eastern two thirds of
Cochise County-Southern San Carlos Reservation-
Southern Greenlee County below 5000 feet-TDC-
Arizona Fire Weather Zone 153
Northern Graham County-Northern Greenlee County-
White and Gila Mountains-Apache Sitgreaves NF-
Southern San Carlos Reservation above 5000 feet-SDC-
Arizona Fire Weather Zone 154
Forest Woodlands FDRA including the Sky Islands of Southeast
Arizona above 5500 feet-Coronado NF-TDC-
1248 PM MST Sat May 1 2021

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM TO 8 PM MST SUNDAY FOR
FOR STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS, LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND A HIGH TO
VERY HIGH FIRE DANGER FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 150, 151, 152, 153, 
AND 154...

The National Weather Service in Tucson has issued a Red Flag
Warning, which is in effect from 10 AM to 8 PM MST Sunday. The
Fire Weather Watch is no longer in effect. 

* AFFECTED AREA... Most of southeast Arizona, including Fire
  Weather Zones 150, 151, 152, 153 and 154. Only the western third
  of Pima County (or western portions of Fire Weather Zone 150) 
  is not included. 

* TIMING...10 AM MST until 8 PM MST Sunday.

* WINDS...20-foot winds: southwest at 20-30 mph, with gusts to 
  40-45 mph.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...6 to 13 percent.

* IMPACTS...Any fires that develop or are ongoing will have the 
  potential to spread rapidly.

* FOR A DETAILED VIEW OF THE HAZARD AREA...Visit 
  weather.gov/Tucson and click on the Detailed Hazards Icon.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions
are either occurring now...or are expected to develop. A
combination of strong winds...low relative humidity...and dry
vegetation will create the potential for rapid and erratic fire
growth.

Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in the
field of the Red Flag Warning for portions of Southeast Arizona.

&&

$$

Visit us on Facebook...Twitter...YouTube...and at weather.gov/Tucson
3 follow-up statements
638 
WWUS85 KTWC 020801
RFWTWC

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
101 AM MST Sun May 2 2021

AZZ150>154-030300-
/O.CON.KTWC.FW.W.0016.210502T1700Z-210503T0300Z/
Arizona Fire Weather Zone 150
Sonoran FDRA-Most of Pima County-South Central Pinal County-
Tohono O'odham Nation-Tucson Metropolitan area-TDC-
Arizona Fire Weather Zone 151
Western half Desert Grasslands FDRA including elevations up to
5500 feet in Southeast corner of Pinal County-
Extreme Eastern Pima County-Western third of Cochise County-
Santa Cruz County-TDC-Arizona Fire Weather Zone 152
Eastern half Desert Grasslands FDRA including elevations up to
5500 feet in Southwest Graham County and Eastern two thirds of
Cochise County-Southern San Carlos Reservation-
Southern Greenlee County below 5000 feet-TDC-
Arizona Fire Weather Zone 153
Northern Graham County-Northern Greenlee County-
White and Gila Mountains-Apache Sitgreaves NF-
Southern San Carlos Reservation above 5000 feet-SDC-
Arizona Fire Weather Zone 154
Forest Woodlands FDRA including the Sky Islands of Southeast
Arizona above 5500 feet-Coronado NF-TDC-
101 AM MST Sun May 2 2021

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO
8 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR FOR STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS, LOW
RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND A VERY HIGH FIRE DANGER FOR FIRE WEATHER 
ZONES 150, 151, 152, 153, AND 154...

* AFFECTED AREA...Most of southeast Arizona, including Fire 
  Weather Zones 150, 151, 152, 153 and 154. The western one-third 
  of Pima County (or western portions of Fire Weather Zone 150) is
  not included in the warning. 

* TIMING...10 AM MST this morning until 8 PM MST this evening.

* WINDS...20-foot winds: Southwest at 20-30 mph, with gusts to
  40-45 mph. The strongest winds will be in Cochise county and the
  eastern half of Santa Cruz county.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...6 to 13 percent.

* IMPACTS...Any fires that develop or are ongoing will have the 
  potential to spread rapidly.

* FOR A DETAILED VIEW OF THE HAZARD AREA...Visit 
  weather.gov/Tucson and click on the Detailed Hazards Icon.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions
are either occurring now...or are expected to develop. A
combination of strong winds...low relative humidity...and dry
vegetation will create the potential for rapid and erratic fire
growth.

Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in the
field of the Red Flag Warning for portions of Southeast Arizona.

&&

$$

Visit us on Facebook...Twitter...YouTube...and at weather.gov/Tucson
118 
WWUS85 KTWC 022100
RFWTWC

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
200 PM MST Sun May 2 2021

AZZ150>154-030300-
/O.CON.KTWC.FW.W.0016.000000T0000Z-210503T0300Z/
Arizona Fire Weather Zone 150
Sonoran FDRA-Most of Pima County-South Central Pinal County-
Tohono O'odham Nation-Tucson Metropolitan area-TDC-
Arizona Fire Weather Zone 151
Western half Desert Grasslands FDRA including elevations up to
5500 feet in Southeast corner of Pinal County-
Extreme Eastern Pima County-Western third of Cochise County-
Santa Cruz County-TDC-Arizona Fire Weather Zone 152
Eastern half Desert Grasslands FDRA including elevations up to
5500 feet in Southwest Graham County and Eastern two thirds of
Cochise County-Southern San Carlos Reservation-
Southern Greenlee County below 5000 feet-TDC-
Arizona Fire Weather Zone 153
Northern Graham County-Northern Greenlee County-
White and Gila Mountains-Apache Sitgreaves NF-
Southern San Carlos Reservation above 5000 feet-SDC-
Arizona Fire Weather Zone 154
Forest Woodlands FDRA including the Sky Islands of Southeast
Arizona above 5500 feet-Coronado NF-TDC-
200 PM MST Sun May 2 2021

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM MST THIS EVENING
FOR STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS, LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND A VERY HIGH
FIRE DANGER FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 150, 151, 152, 153, AND 154...

* AFFECTED AREA...Most of southeast Arizona, including Fire 
  Weather Zones 150, 151, 152, 153 and 154. The western 
  one-third of Pima County (or western portions of Fire Weather 
  Zone 150) is not included in the warning. 

* TIMING...Until 8 PM MST this evening.

* WINDS...20-foot winds: Southwest at 20-30 mph, with gusts to 
  40-45 mph. The strongest winds will be in Cochise county and 
  the eastern half of Santa Cruz county. 

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...6 to 13 percent.

* IMPACTS...Any fires that develop or are ongoing will have the 
  potential to spread rapidly.

* FOR A DETAILED VIEW OF THE HAZARD AREA...Visit 
  weather.gov/Tucson and click on the Detailed Hazards Icon.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions
are either occurring now...or are expected to develop. A
combination of strong winds...low relative humidity...and dry
vegetation will create the potential for rapid and erratic fire
growth.

Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in the
field of the Red Flag Warning for portions of Southeast Arizona.

&&

$$

Visit us on Facebook...Twitter...YouTube...and at weather.gov/Tucson
520 
WWUS85 KTWC 030257
RFWTWC

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
757 PM MST Sun May 2 2021


AZZ150>154-030400-
/O.EXP.KTWC.FW.W.0016.000000T0000Z-210503T0300Z/
Arizona Fire Weather Zone 150
Sonoran FDRA-Most of Pima County-South Central Pinal County-
Tohono O'odham Nation-Tucson Metropolitan area-TDC-
Arizona Fire Weather Zone 151
Western half Desert Grasslands FDRA including elevations up to
5500 feet in Southeast corner of Pinal County-
Extreme Eastern Pima County-Western third of Cochise County-
Santa Cruz County-TDC-Arizona Fire Weather Zone 152
Eastern half Desert Grasslands FDRA including elevations up to
5500 feet in Southwest Graham County and Eastern two thirds of
Cochise County-Southern San Carlos Reservation-
Southern Greenlee County below 5000 feet-TDC-
Arizona Fire Weather Zone 153
Northern Graham County-Northern Greenlee County-
White and Gila Mountains-Apache Sitgreaves NF-
Southern San Carlos Reservation above 5000 feet-SDC-
Arizona Fire Weather Zone 154
Forest Woodlands FDRA including the Sky Islands of Southeast
Arizona above 5500 feet-Coronado NF-TDC-
757 PM MST Sun May 2 2021

...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 8 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR FIRE
WEATHER ZONES 150, 151, 152, 153, AND 154...

Winds are diminishing and as temperatures cool down, relative
humidity values will gradully increase ending critical fire
weather conditions. The Red Flag Warning will be allowed to
expire. 

$$


Visit us on Facebook...Twitter...YouTube...and at weather.gov/Tucson

The office that day

Everything else NWS Tucson, AZ issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 1, 1:01 PM MSTWind AdvisoryTWCCochise, Graham, Greenlee, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz31 hr

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Arizona, 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.