Alert archive / Arizona / Red Flag Warnings in 2021

Red Flag Warning 3, NWS Tucson, AZ

March 8, 20216 counties in Arizona

NWS Tucson, AZ issued this red flag warning at Mar 8, 2021, 2:50 PM MST for 6 counties in Arizona. It took effect at Mar 9, 2021, 1:00 PM MST. It was in force for 6 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
Mar 8, 2021, 2:50 PM MST (21:50 UTC)
In effect from
Mar 9, 2021, 1:00 PM MST
Expired
Mar 9, 2021, 7:00 PM MST
In force
6 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 21:54 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
Mar 9, 5:15 PM MSTDUST STORM7 Nne Maricopa, AZDELAYED REPORT. DENSE BLOWING DUST WAS OBSERVED ON AN ADOT WEBCAM ALONG HIGHWAY 347 BETWEEN RIGGS RD. AND CASA BLANCA RD. VISIBILITY ESTIMATED TO BE DOWN TO 1/4 MILE.

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, 9.8 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 2021-03-08Temperature 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 2021-03-08The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 174 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
3300 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
48 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
174 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
304 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

716 
WWUS85 KTWC 082150
RFWTWC

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
250 PM MST Mon Mar 8 2021

AZZ151-152-154-091230-
/O.NEW.KTWC.FW.W.0003.210309T2000Z-210310T0200Z/
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 154
Forest Woodlands FDRA including the Sky Islands of Southeast
Arizona above 5500 feet-Coronado NF-TDC-
250 PM MST Mon Mar 8 2021

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM TO 7 PM MST TUESDAY FOR
STRONG AND GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS, LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY LEVELS AND
A HIGH FIRE DANGER RATING FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 151, 152, AND 
154...

The National Weather Service in Tucson has issued a Red Flag
Warning, which is in effect from 1 PM to 7 PM MST Tuesday. 

* AFFECTED AREA...Southeastern portion of Fire Weather Zone 151.
  Most of Fire Weather Zones 152 and 154. 

* TIMING...1 PM to 7 PM MST Tuesday

* WINDS...Southwest 20 to 30 mph with gusts to 40-45 mph.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...10 to 15 pct.

* 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
881 
WWUS85 KTWC 091008
RFWTWC

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
308 AM MST Tue Mar 9 2021

AZZ151-152-154-100115-
/O.CON.KTWC.FW.W.0003.210309T2000Z-210310T0200Z/
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 154
Forest Woodlands FDRA including the Sky Islands of Southeast
Arizona above 5500 feet-Coronado NF-TDC-
308 AM MST Tue Mar 9 2021

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO
7 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR STRONG AND GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS, LOW
RELATIVE HUMIDITY LEVELS AND A HIGH FIRE DANGER RATING FOR FIRE
WEATHER ZONES 151, 152, AND 154...

* AFFECTED AREA...Southeastern portion of Fire Weather Zone 151. 
  Most of Fire Weather Zones 152 and 154. 

* TIMING...1 PM to 7 PM MST Tuesday

* WINDS...Southwest 20 to 30 mph with gusts to 40-45 mph.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...10 to 15 pct.

* 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
584 
WWUS85 KTWC 092135
RFWTWC

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
235 PM MST Tue Mar 9 2021

AZZ151-152-154-100200-
/O.CON.KTWC.FW.W.0003.000000T0000Z-210310T0200Z/
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 154
Forest Woodlands FDRA including the Sky Islands of Southeast
Arizona above 5500 feet-Coronado NF-TDC-
235 PM MST Tue Mar 9 2021

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM MST THIS EVENING
FOR STRONG AND GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS, LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY
LEVELS AND A HIGH FIRE DANGER RATING FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 151,
152, AND 154...

* AFFECTED AREA...Southeastern portion of Fire Weather Zone 151. 
  Most of Fire Weather Zones 152 and 154. 

* TIMING...Until 7 PM MST this evening.

* WINDS...Southwest 20 to 30 mph with gusts to 40-45 mph.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...10 to 15 pct.

* 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
954 
WWUS85 KTWC 100157
RFWTWC

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
657 PM MST Tue Mar 9 2021

AZZ151-152-154-100300-
/O.EXP.KTWC.FW.W.0003.000000T0000Z-210310T0200Z/
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 154
Forest Woodlands FDRA including the Sky Islands of Southeast
Arizona above 5500 feet-Coronado NF-TDC-
657 PM MST Tue Mar 9 2021

...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 7 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR
STRONG AND GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS, LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY LEVELS
AND A HIGH FIRE DANGER RATING FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 151, 152,
AND 154...

Winds will slowly diminish through the evening hours.

$$

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

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.