Alert archive / Minnesota / Red Flag Warnings in 2024

Red Flag Warning 1, NWS Twin Cities, MN

March 3, 20247 counties in Minnesota

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this red flag warning at Mar 3, 2024, 9:15 AM CST for 7 counties in Minnesota. It took effect at Mar 3, 2024, 12:00 PM CST. It was in force for 6 hr. 2 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
Mar 3, 2024, 9:15 AM CST (15:15 UTC)
In effect from
Mar 3, 2024, 12:00 PM CST
Expired
Mar 3, 2024, 6:00 PM CST
In force
6 hr
Issued by
NWS Twin Cities, MN

Counties Blue Earth County, MN, Faribault County, MN, Freeborn County, MN, Martin County, MN, Steele County, MN, Waseca County, MN, Watonwan County, MN

The radar

The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 112 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 15:20 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 3, 12:20 PM CSTWILDFIRE3 Nne Waseca, MNCorrected start time based on radar and satellite. Active wildfire evident on radar and satellite imagery. Images relayed to NWS via social media.
Mar 3, 1:00 PM CSTWILDFIRE3 Nne Waseca, MNActive wildfire evident on radar and satellite imagery. Images relayed to NWS via social media.

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

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 12:00Z, 3.3 hours before the alert went out and 112 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, Minneapolis, MN at 12:00Z on 2024-03-03Temperature 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, Minneapolis, MN at 12:00Z on 2024-03-03The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 32 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
1125 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
50 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
32 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
97 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

120 
WWUS83 KMPX 031515
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
915 AM CST Sun Mar 3 2024

...RED FLAG WARNING THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING FOR SOUTHERN
MINNESOTA...

.Winds today will be out of the south at 25 to 30 mph with gusts 
to 45 mph. These winds combined with relative humidity values as 
low as 20 to 25 percent will result in critical fire weather 
conditions this afternoon. Any fires that form will have the 
potential to spread quickly. 

MNZ082>085-091>093-032315-
/O.NEW.KMPX.FW.W.0001.240303T1800Z-240304T0000Z/
Watonwan-Blue Earth-Waseca-Steele-Martin-Faribault-Freeborn-
915 AM CST Sun Mar 3 2024

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS EVENING FOR
GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...

The National Weather Service in Twin Cities/Chanhassen has issued
a Red Flag Warning, which is in effect until 6 PM CST this
evening. 

* WIND...South 25 to 30 mph with gusts to 45 mph.

* HUMIDITY...20 to 25 percent,

* IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly. 
  Outdoor burning is not recommended.

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.

&&

$$

Dunleavy
1 follow-up statement
568 
WWUS83 KMPX 032354
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
554 PM CST Sun Mar 3 2024

...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 6PM...

.With temperatures falling RH values have increased enough that
the Red Flag Warning will be allowed to expire.

MNZ082>085-091>093-040100-
/O.EXP.KMPX.FW.W.0001.000000T0000Z-240304T0000Z/
Watonwan-Blue Earth-Waseca-Steele-Martin-Faribault-Freeborn-
554 PM CST Sun Mar 3 2024

...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 6 PM CST THIS EVENING ...

With temperatures and winds falling the conditions for the Red
Flag warning (high winds and low RHs) have ended. So the warning
will be allowed to expire.

$$

NDC

The office that day

Everything else NWS Twin Cities, MN issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 3, 8:35 AM CSTWind AdvisoryMPXBlue Earth, Faribault, Freeborn, Martin, Steele, Waseca and 1 more9 hr

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Minnesota, 2024Every red flag warning in 2024

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.