Alert archive / Minnesota / Red Flag Warnings in 2024

Red Flag Warning 3, NWS Twin Cities, MN

March 16, 202431 counties in Minnesota

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this red flag warning at Mar 16, 2024, 2:42 AM CDT for 31 counties in Minnesota. It took effect at Mar 16, 2024, 1:00 PM CDT. It was in force for 7 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
Mar 16, 2024, 2:42 AM CDT (07:42 UTC)
In effect from
Mar 16, 2024, 1:00 PM CDT
Expired
Mar 16, 2024, 8:00 PM CDT
In force
7 hr
Issued by
NWS Twin Cities, MN
All 31 counties

Blue Earth County, MN, Brown County, MN, Carver County, MN, Chippewa County, MN, Dakota County, MN, Faribault County, MN, Freeborn County, MN, Goodhue County, MN, Hennepin County, MN, Kandiyohi County, MN, Lac qui Parle County, MN, Le Sueur County, MN, Martin County, MN, McLeod County, MN, Meeker County, MN, Nicollet County, MN, Pope County, MN, Ramsey County, MN, Redwood County, MN, Renville County, MN, Rice County, MN, Scott County, MN, Sibley County, MN, Stearns County, MN, Steele County, MN, Stevens County, MN, Swift County, MN, Waseca County, MN, Watonwan County, MN, Wright County, MN, Yellow Medicine County, MN

The radar

The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 66 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 07:42 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

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 00:00Z, 7.7 hours before the alert went out and 63 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 00:00Z on 2024-03-16Temperature 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 00:00Z on 2024-03-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 125 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
1852 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
46 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
125 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
164 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

541 
WWUS83 KMPX 160742
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
242 AM CDT Sat Mar 16 2024

...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS LIKELY ACROSS MUCH OF CENTRAL
AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA THIS AFTERNOON...

.Northwest winds will increase to around 25 mph and will
occasionally gust to 35 to 40 mph this afternoon. Humidity will 
drop to between 25 to 30 percent. Fuels are very dry and any fire 
that develops could spread rapidly.

MNZ047-048-054>057-064-065-073-074-082-091-161800-
/O.UPG.KMPX.FW.A.0002.240316T1800Z-240317T0100Z/
/O.NEW.KMPX.FW.W.0003.240316T1800Z-240317T0100Z/
Stevens-Pope-Lac Qui Parle-Swift-Chippewa-Kandiyohi-
Yellow Medicine-Renville-Redwood-Brown-Watonwan-Martin-
242 AM CDT Sat Mar 16 2024

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 8 PM
CDT THIS EVENING FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR
PORTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL THROUGH SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

The National Weather Service in Twin Cities/Chanhassen has issued
a Red Flag Warning, which is in effect from 1 PM this afternoon
to 8 PM CDT this evening. The Fire Weather Watch is no longer in
effect. 

* AFFECTED AREA...Portions of west central through south central 
  Minnesota. 

* WIND...Northwest around 25 mph, gusting to 35 to 40 mph.

* HUMIDITY...As low as 25 to 30 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 dry fuels can contribute
to extreme fire behavior.

&&

$$

MNZ049-058>060-062-066>070-075>078-083>085-092-093-161800-
/O.NEW.KMPX.FW.W.0003.240316T1800Z-240317T0100Z/
Stearns-Meeker-Wright-Hennepin-Ramsey-McLeod-Sibley-Carver-Scott-
Dakota-Nicollet-Le Sueur-Rice-Goodhue-Blue Earth-Waseca-Steele-
Faribault-Freeborn-
242 AM CDT Sat Mar 16 2024

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 8 PM
CDT THIS EVENING FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR
PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL THROUGH SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

The National Weather Service in Twin Cities/Chanhassen has issued
a Red Flag Warning, which is in effect from 1 PM this afternoon
to 8 PM CDT this evening. 

* AFFECTED AREA...Portions of east central through south central 
  Minnesota. 

* WIND...Northwest 20 to 25 mph, gusting to 35 to 40 mph.

* HUMIDITY...As low as 30 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 dry fuels can contribute
to extreme fire behavior.

&&

$$
3 follow-up statements
555 
WWUS83 KMPX 161110
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
610 AM CDT Sat Mar 16 2024

...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS LIKELY ACROSS MUCH OF CENTRAL
AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA THIS AFTERNOON...

.Northwest winds will increase to around 25 mph and will
occasionally gust to 35 to 40 mph this afternoon. Humidity will
drop to between near 30 percent. Fuels are very dry and any fire 
that develops could spread rapidly.

MNZ047>049-054>060-062-064>070-073>078-082>085-091>093-162000-
/O.CON.KMPX.FW.W.0003.240316T1800Z-240317T0100Z/
Stevens-Pope-Stearns-Lac Qui Parle-Swift-Chippewa-Kandiyohi-
Meeker-Wright-Hennepin-Ramsey-Yellow Medicine-Renville-McLeod-
Sibley-Carver-Scott-Dakota-Redwood-Brown-Nicollet-Le Sueur-Rice-
Goodhue-Watonwan-Blue Earth-Waseca-Steele-Martin-Faribault-
Freeborn-
610 AM CDT Sat Mar 16 2024

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO
8 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR
PORTIONS OF CENTRAL THROUGH SOUTHERN MINNESOTA...

* AFFECTED AREA...Portions of central through southern Minnesota.

* WIND...Northwest around 25 mph, gusting to 35 to 40 mph.

* HUMIDITY...As low as 30 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 dry fuels can contribute
to extreme fire behavior.

&&

$$
344 
WWUS83 KMPX 161918
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
218 PM CDT Sat Mar 16 2024

...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ACROSS MUCH OF CENTRAL AND 
SOUTHERN MINNESOTA THIS AFTERNOON...

.Northwest winds will increase to around 25 mph and will
occasionally gust to 35 to 40 mph this afternoon. Humidity will
drop between 25 to 30 percent. Fuels are very dry and any fire 
that develops could spread rapidly.

MNZ047>049-054>060-062-064>070-073>078-082>085-091>093-170100-
/O.CON.KMPX.FW.W.0003.000000T0000Z-240317T0100Z/
Stevens-Pope-Stearns-Lac Qui Parle-Swift-Chippewa-Kandiyohi-
Meeker-Wright-Hennepin-Ramsey-Yellow Medicine-Renville-McLeod-
Sibley-Carver-Scott-Dakota-Redwood-Brown-Nicollet-Le Sueur-Rice-
Goodhue-Watonwan-Blue Earth-Waseca-Steele-Martin-Faribault-
Freeborn-
218 PM CDT Sat Mar 16 2024

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING
FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL AND 
SOUTHERN MINNESOTA...

* AFFECTED AREA...Most of central and southern Minnesota. 

* WIND...Northwest around 25 mph, gusting to 35 to 40 mph.

* HUMIDITY...As low as 25 to 30 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 dry fuels can contribute
to extreme fire behavior.

&&

$$

Borghoff
240 
WWUS83 KMPX 170105
RFWMPX

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
805 PM CDT Sat Mar 16 2024

...RED FLAG WARNING HAS EXPIRED...

.Humidities will increase overnight, but breezy northwest winds 
will continue through Sunday evening..

MNZ047>049-054>060-062-064>070-073>078-082>085-091>093-170215-
/O.EXP.KMPX.FW.W.0003.000000T0000Z-240317T0100Z/
Stevens-Pope-Stearns-Lac Qui Parle-Swift-Chippewa-Kandiyohi-
Meeker-Wright-Hennepin-Ramsey-Yellow Medicine-Renville-McLeod-
Sibley-Carver-Scott-Dakota-Redwood-Brown-Nicollet-Le Sueur-Rice-
Goodhue-Watonwan-Blue Earth-Waseca-Steele-Martin-Faribault-
Freeborn-
805 PM CDT Sat Mar 16 2024

...RED FLAG WARNING HAS EXPIRED FOR DRY AND BREEZY CONDITIONS FOR
FIRE WEATHER ZONES 047, 048, 049, 054, 055, 056, 057, 058, 059, 
060, 062, 064, 065, 066, 067, 068, 069, 070, 073, 074, 075, 076, 
077, 078, 082, 083, 084, 085, 091, 092, AND 093...

Humidities will increase overnight, but breezy northwest winds 
will continue through Sunday evening.

$$

jrb

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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.