Alert archive / Michigan / Red Flag Warnings in 2026
Red Flag Warning 2, NWS Gaylord, MI
NWS Gaylord, MI issued this red flag warning at May 16, 2026, 9:29 AM EDT for 23 counties in Michigan. It took effect at May 16, 2026, 2:00 PM EDT. It was in force for 6 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
- May 16, 2026, 9:29 AM EDT (13:29 UTC)
- In effect from
- May 16, 2026, 2:00 PM EDT
- Expired
- May 16, 2026, 8:00 PM EDT
- In force
- 6 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Gaylord, MI
All 23 counties
Alcona County, MI, Alpena County, MI, Antrim County, MI, Arenac County, MI, Benzie County, MI, Charlevoix County, MI, Cheboygan County, MI, Crawford County, MI, Emmet County, MI, Gladwin County, MI, Grand Traverse County, MI, Iosco County, MI, Kalkaska County, MI, Leelanau County, MI, Manistee County, MI, Missaukee County, MI, Montmorency County, MI, Ogemaw County, MI, Oscoda County, MI, Otsego County, MI, Presque Isle County, MI, Roscommon County, MI, Wexford County, MI
The radar
The NCL Michigan radar (KAPX), 19 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 13:29 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
Alpena, MI (KAPX), launched 12:00Z, 1.5 hours before the alert went out and 185 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
- 1290 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 44 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 79 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 218 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted.
165 WWUS83 KAPX 161329 RFWAPX URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Gaylord MI 929 AM EDT Sat May 16 2026 ...High Fire Danger this Afternoon... .Critically dry air will move in this afternoon behind a frontal passage. Southwest winds will strengthen around midday to 10 to 15 mph with frequent gusts up to 20 to 25 mph. Winds will turn west this afternoon, remaining gusty. Skies will become clear this afternoon and temperatures will rise into the high 70s to low 80s. Afternoon humidity will drop to 18% to 25%, and will overlap with gusty winds starting early afternoon and lasting through the early evening hours. These conditions will combine with low fuel moisture and result in high fire danger this afternoon and evening. MIZ016>018-020>036-041-042-099-170000- /O.UPG.KAPX.FW.A.0001.260516T1800Z-260517T0000Z/ /O.NEW.KAPX.FW.W.0002.260516T1800Z-260517T0000Z/ Emmet-Cheboygan-Presque Isle-Leelanau-Antrim-Otsego-Montmorency- Alpena-Benzie-Grand Traverse-Kalkaska-Crawford-Oscoda-Alcona- Manistee-Wexford-Missaukee-Roscommon-Ogemaw-Iosco-Gladwin-Arenac- Charlevoix- 929 AM EDT Sat May 16 2026 ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 2 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR DRY CONDITIONS AND GUSTY WINDS FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 016, 017, 018, 020, 021, 022, 023, 024, 025, 026, 027, 028, 029, 030, 031, 032, 033, 034, 035, 036, 041, 042, AND 099... The National Weather Service in Gaylord has issued a Red Flag Warning, which is in effect from 2 PM this afternoon to 8 PM EDT this evening. The Fire Weather Watch is no longer in effect. * WIND...West winds 10 to 15 mph. Wind gusts 20 to 25 mph. * HUMIDITY...Relative humidity as low as 18 to 25 percent. * HIGHEST THREAT...Interior northeast lower Michigan. * 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 low fuel moisture can contribute to extreme fire behavior. && $$ ELD
Nearby
Red Flag Warnings in Michigan, 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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.