Alert archive / Alaska / Red Flag Warnings in 2026
Red Flag Warning 7, NWS Anchorage, AK
NWS Anchorage, AK issued this red flag warning at Jul 10, 2026, 9:09 AM AKDT for Copper River Census Area, Alaska. It took effect at Jul 11, 2026, 12:00 PM AKDT. 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
- Jul 10, 2026, 9:09 AM AKDT (17:09 UTC)
- In effect from
- Jul 11, 2026, 12:00 PM AKDT
- Expired
- Jul 11, 2026, 7:00 PM AKDT
- In force
- 7 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Anchorage, AK
County Copper River Census Area, AK
The nearest sounding before it
Anchorage Iap/Pt. Campbe, (PANC), launched 12:00Z, 5.2 hours before the alert went out and 253 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 668 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 19 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 87 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 99 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted.
439 WWAK61 PAFC 101709 RFWAER URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Anchorage AK 909 AM AKDT Fri Jul 10 2026 AKZ743-749-751-110915- /O.NEW.PAFC.FW.W.0007.260711T2000Z-260712T0300Z/ 909 AM AKDT Fri Jul 10 2026 ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 7 PM AKDT SATURDAY FOR HOT DRY AND WINDY CONDITIONS FOR CENTRAL COPPER VALLEY, SOUTHERN COPPER VALLEY, AND MCCARTHY... The National Weather Service in Anchorage has issued a Red Flag Warning FOR HOT DRY AND WINDY CONDITIONS, which is in effect from noon to 7 PM AKDT Saturday. * Winds...Southeast 15 to 25 mph. Gusts up to 40 mph. * Timing...Hot, dry, windy conditions expected to begin by noon, persisting into the evening, as temperatures cool by 7pm. * Relative Humidity...As low as 20 percent. * Temperatures...In the lower to mid 70s for lower elevations. * Location...Areas along the Copper and Chitina Rivers. * Impacts...Rapid ignition, growth and spread of fires will be possible. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A red flag warning means that critical fire weather conditions are imminent or occurring now, or will shortly. It is directed toward fire agencies, and through them to the public. && $$
3 follow-up statements
335 WWAK61 PAFC 102245 RFWAER URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Anchorage AK 245 PM AKDT Fri Jul 10 2026 AKZ743-749-751-111500- /O.CON.PAFC.FW.W.0007.260711T2000Z-260712T0300Z/ 245 PM AKDT Fri Jul 10 2026 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 7 PM AKDT SATURDAY FOR HOT DRY AND WINDY CONDITIONS FOR CENTRAL COPPER VALLEY, SOUTHERN COPPER VALLEY, AND MCCARTHY... * Winds...Southeast 15 to 25 mph. Gusts up to 40 mph. * Timing...Hot, dry, windy conditions expected to begin by noon, persisting into the evening, as temperatures cool by 7pm. * Relative Humidity...As low as 20 percent. * Temperatures...In the lower to mid 70s for lower elevations. * Location...Areas along the Copper and Chitina Rivers. * Impacts...Rapid ignition, growth and spread of fires will be possible. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A red flag warning means that critical fire weather conditions are imminent or occurring now, or will shortly. It is directed toward fire agencies, and through them to the public. && $$
267 WWAK61 PAFC 110827 RFWAER URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Anchorage AK 1227 AM AKDT Sat Jul 11 2026 AKZ743-749-751-120300- /O.CON.PAFC.FW.W.0007.260711T2000Z-260712T0300Z/ 1227 AM AKDT Sat Jul 11 2026 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 7 PM AKDT THIS EVENING FOR HOT DRY AND WINDY CONDITIONS FOR CENTRAL COPPER VALLEY, SOUTHERN COPPER VALLEY, AND MCCARTHY... * Winds...Southeast 15 to 25 mph. Gusts up to 40 mph. * Timing...Hot, dry, windy conditions expected to begin by noon, persisting into this evening, as temperatures cool by 7pm. * Relative Humidity...As low as 20 percent. * Temperatures...In the lower to mid 70s for lower elevations. * Location...Areas along the Copper and Chitina Rivers. * Impacts...Rapid ignition, growth and spread of fires will be possible. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A red flag warning means that critical fire weather conditions are imminent or occurring now, or will shortly. It is directed toward fire agencies, and through them to the public. && $$
807 WWAK61 PAFC 112248 RFWAER URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Anchorage AK 248 PM AKDT Sat Jul 11 2026 AKZ743-749-751-120300- /O.CON.PAFC.FW.W.0007.000000T0000Z-260712T0300Z/ 248 PM AKDT Sat Jul 11 2026 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM AKDT THIS EVENING FOR HOT DRY AND WINDY CONDITIONS FOR CENTRAL COPPER VALLEY, SOUTHERN COPPER VALLEY, AND MCCARTHY... * Winds...Southeast 15 to 25 mph. Gusts up to 40 mph. * Timing...Hot, dry, windy conditions this afternoon, persisting into this evening as temperatures cool by 7pm. * Relative Humidity...As low as 20 percent. * Temperatures...In the lower to mid 70s for lower elevations. * Location...Areas along the Copper and Chitina Rivers. * Impacts...Rapid ignition, growth and spread of fires will be possible. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A red flag warning means that critical fire weather conditions are imminent or occurring now, or will shortly. It is directed toward fire agencies, and through them to the public. && $$
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this red flag warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Anchorage, AK wrote its last area forecast discussion before this red flag warning went out at Jul 10, 5:09 AM AKDT, 4 hours earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jul 10, 5:09 AM AKDT, 4 hours before
Southcentral and Southwest Alaska Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Anchorage AK 509 AM AKDT Fri Jul 10 2026 .SHORT TERM FORECAST SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA (Days 1 through 3/ Friday - Sunday night)... Satellite imagery this morning shows an upper-level ridge centered near Eagle along with the upper-level wave that brought widespread rain to the region yesterday exiting the southern Gulf. Between these two features, a light northeasterly flow aloft is pushing some mid-level clouds across the Copper River Basin, out ahead of a weak shortwave driving from the Yukon Territory toward the Gulf coast. Linger low-level moisture, along with light near-surface winds, has allowed for areas of low stratus to develop across the Copper River Valley and from Talkeetna south to Kenai. These clouds are expected to erode by mid to late morning as temperatures warm and drier air continues to move in along with the ridge. Afternoon temperatures will climb to the upper 60s to lower to mid 70s for most locations with lingering gap winds along the immediate coast diminishing by mid to late afternoon. By Saturday, the ridge shifts east as the next Gulf system approaches. Rain will spread into Kodiak Island early Saturday before advancing toward the eastern Kenai Peninsula and western Prince William Sound through the day. While much of the Susitna Valley and Anchorage Bowl should remain dry for most of the day, scattered showers are expected to develop over the western Talkeetna Mountains and adjacent higher terrain by afternoon. Increasing instability may support isolated wet thunderstorms from north of Trapper Creek and Talkeetna, along the western foothills of the Talkeetna Mountains north toward the Denali Highway. Gusty easterly to southeasterly winds will also increase along the Gulf Coast, Turnagain Arm, and the Knik and Copper River Valleys as the coastal pressure gradient tightens. On Sunday, the Gulf low and associated frontal system continue to move inland, bringing a more widespread round of precipitation across Southcentral. periods of rain are expected for the Kenai Peninsula, Prince William Sound, and much of the Anchorage Bowl, with showers expanding north and west into the Susitna Valley through the day. Locally heavier rainfall will be possible along the windward terrain of the Chugach and Kenai Mountains, while inland areas experience more showery precipitation. Temperatures will cool several degrees compared to Friday and Saturday as clouds and precipitation become more widespread. LM/TM && .SHORT TERM FORECAST SOUTHWEST ALASKA/BERING SEA/ALEUTIANS (Days 1 through 3: Today through Monday morning)... A deepening low pressure system, thanks to a strengthening 300 mb jet streak and an 850 mb baroclinic zone, will continue its journey through the southcentral Bering Sea with stop number one being around the Pribilof Islands late this morning to early afternoon. The strengthening 300 mb jet streak will be key for today's forecast across the Bering and the Pribilof Islands. The timing at which the 300 mb jet streak interacts with an amplifying theta-e ridge (moisture-rich warm air aloft) will determine whether any lightning strikes can occur today across the eastern Bering Sea. The best time window for a few lightning strikes to occur near the Pribilof Islands and across the coastal waters of the Pribilofs will be this morning to early this afternoon. The marine lightning threat, depending on the interactions described above, would then shift east to the Kuskokwim Delta coastal waters late this afternoon to this evening. Regardless of marine lightning or not, Southwest Alaska is in store for a wet weekend with rain first arriving to the Kuskokwim Delta Coast this afternoon as the Bering low moves east of the Pribilofs. Rain pushes inland to the interior Kuskokwim Delta and Kuskokwim Valley by this evening as well as Bristol Bay. Expect rain to be light to moderate at times. Rain also advances up the Alaska Peninsula this evening and into interior Bristol Bay and along the Western Alaska Range by Saturday morning. Meanwhile, back to the west, shortwave tracks from Kamchatka, through Bering and over the Pribilof Islands by Saturday morning. This will bring another round of steady rain to the area. As steady rain associated with the initial Bering storm tapers to showers from west to east through Saturday morning, this shortwave impacting the Pribilofs will shift east to the Mainland Southwest Coast by Saturday afternoon and evening and into Sunday. The result will be another round of steady rain moving from west to east and tapering to showers through Sunday. Active and unsettled conditions continue into Monday as more shortwaves move across the Bering, the Pribilofs, and to Southwest Alaska. There are also indications that another moisture rich low along with warm air, much like we are seeing unfold today and into the weekend, will lift through the North Pacific and to around the Adak/Atka area once more by Monday. Stay tuned to forecast updates as this wet and active weather pattern continues to unfold across the Aleutian Chain, Bering Sea, Pribilof Islands, and the Southwestern Mainland. && .LONG TERM FORECAST (Days 4 through 7: Monday through Thursday)... An active weather pattern will continue across Alaska through much of next week as a broad longwave trough remains in place over the Mainland, allowing several embedded shortwaves to move through the flow. Widespread rain is expected to continue across much of Southwest Alaska Monday into Tuesday, with periods of moderate rainfall possible where stronger disturbances track inland. Winds will generally remain light over inland areas, though breezy conditions will persist along the Gulf coast and across marine waters. Farther west, ridging over the Bering Sea early in the period will promote widespread low stratus and areas of fog across the Aleutians and Pribilof Islands. On Monday, a developing low and accompanying trough will move into the Bering, pushing the ridge eastward and bringing increasing rain and stronger winds to the western Aleutians before spreading east across the Bering through midweek. Confidence decreases by Wednesday and Thursday as model solutions begin to diverage on the timing and strength of additional shortwaves. Even so, the overall pattern favors continued unsettled conditions across much of the mainland Alaska, with additional rounds of showers and rain likely. Periods of gusty winds will accompany the stronger systems, particularly along coastal areas, while temperatures are expected to remain near to slightly below seasonal normals under persistent cloud cover and precipitation. LM && .AVIATION... PANC...MVFR conditions early this morning will improve to VFR by mid to late morning as high pressure and drier air continue to work into the region. Expect light winds today with a westerly sea breeze developing by around noon. Southeasterly winds through Turnagain Arm are expected to develop this evening as a coastal ridge builds out ahead of a frontal system moving across the Alaska Peninsula. These winds will likely move over the terminal overnight tonight or by early Saturday morning with gusts approaching 25 kt. &&
The office that day
Everything else NWS Anchorage, AK issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 10, 3:21 AM AKDT | Small Craft Advisory | AFC | 37 hr |
Nearby
Red Flag Warnings in Alaska, 2026Every red flag warning in 2026
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.