Alert archive / Minnesota / Red Flag Warnings in 2026
Red Flag Warning 3, NWS Twin Cities, MN
NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this red flag warning at Apr 20, 2026, 1:21 AM CDT for 28 counties in Minnesota. It took effect at Apr 20, 2026, 11:00 AM CDT. It was in force for 9 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
- Apr 20, 2026, 1:21 AM CDT (06:21 UTC)
- In effect from
- Apr 20, 2026, 11:00 AM CDT
- Expired
- Apr 20, 2026, 8:00 PM CDT
- In force
- 9 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Twin Cities, MN
All 28 counties
Benton County, MN, Blue Earth County, MN, Brown County, MN, Chippewa County, MN, Douglas County, MN, Faribault County, MN, Isanti County, MN, Kanabec County, MN, Kandiyohi County, MN, Lac qui Parle County, MN, Martin County, MN, McLeod County, MN, Meeker County, MN, Mille Lacs County, MN, Morrison County, MN, Nicollet County, MN, Pope County, MN, Redwood County, MN, Renville County, MN, Sherburne County, MN, Sibley County, MN, Stearns County, MN, Stevens County, MN, Swift County, MN, Todd County, MN, Watonwan County, MN, Wright County, MN, Yellow Medicine County, MN
The radar
The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 88 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 06:20 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.
The nearest sounding before it
Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 00:00Z, 6.4 hours before the alert went out and 86 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
- 2385 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 68 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 11 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 109 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted.
661 WWUS83 KMPX 200621 RFWMPX URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN 121 AM CDT Mon Apr 20 2026 MNZ041>045-047>051-054>059-064>067-073>075-082-091-202000- /O.UPG.KMPX.FW.A.0003.260420T1600Z-260421T0100Z/ /O.NEW.KMPX.FW.W.0003.260420T1600Z-260421T0100Z/ Douglas-Todd-Morrison-Mille Lacs-Kanabec-Stevens-Pope-Stearns- Benton-Sherburne-Lac Qui Parle-Swift-Chippewa-Kandiyohi-Meeker- Wright-Yellow Medicine-Renville-McLeod-Sibley-Redwood-Brown- Nicollet-Watonwan-Martin- 121 AM CDT Mon Apr 20 2026 ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING... The National Weather Service in the Twin Cities has issued a Red Flag Warning in effect from 11 AM this morning to 8 PM CDT this evening. * AFFECTED AREA...Portions of central, east central, south central, southwest, and west central Minnesota. * TIMING...From 11 AM this morning to 8 PM CDT this evening. * WINDS...South winds 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...Around 20 percent. * IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will spread rapidly. Outdoor burning is not recommended. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in the field of this Red Flag Warning. && $$ MNZ052-083-092-202000- /O.NEW.KMPX.FW.W.0003.260420T1600Z-260421T0100Z/ Isanti-Blue Earth-Faribault- 121 AM CDT Mon Apr 20 2026 ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING... The National Weather Service in the Twin Cities has issued a Red Flag Warning. * AFFECTED AREA...Isanti, Blue Earth, and Faribault. * TIMING...From 11 AM this morning to 8 PM CDT this evening. * WINDS...South winds 15 to 20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 20 percent. * IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will spread rapidly. Outdoor burning is not recommended. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in the field of this Red Flag Warning. && $$ Strus
2 follow-up statements
709 WWUS83 KMPX 201636 RFWMPX URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN 1136 AM CDT Mon Apr 20 2026 MNZ041>045-047>052-054>059-064>067-073>075-082-083-091-092-210100- /O.CON.KMPX.FW.W.0003.000000T0000Z-260421T0100Z/ Douglas-Todd-Morrison-Mille Lacs-Kanabec-Stevens-Pope-Stearns- Benton-Sherburne-Isanti-Lac Qui Parle-Swift-Chippewa-Kandiyohi- Meeker-Wright-Yellow Medicine-Renville-McLeod-Sibley-Redwood- Brown-Nicollet-Watonwan-Blue Earth-Martin-Faribault- 1136 AM CDT Mon Apr 20 2026 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING... * AFFECTED AREA...Much of central and western Minnesota. * TIMING...Until 8 PM CDT this evening. * WINDS...South winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 35 mph. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...15 to 25 percent. * IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will spread rapidly. Outdoor burning is not recommended. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A red flag warning is issued when we identify weather conditions that promote rapid spread of fire which may become life-threatening. This does not mean there is a fire. These conditions are either occurring now or will begin soon. It is important to have multiple ways to receive information from authorities. && $$ MPG
908 WWUS83 KMPX 210042 RFWMPX URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN 742 PM CDT Mon Apr 20 2026 MNZ041>045-047>052-054>059-064>067-073>075-082-083-091-092-210145- /O.EXP.KMPX.FW.W.0003.000000T0000Z-260421T0100Z/ Douglas-Todd-Morrison-Mille Lacs-Kanabec-Stevens-Pope-Stearns- Benton-Sherburne-Isanti-Lac Qui Parle-Swift-Chippewa-Kandiyohi- Meeker-Wright-Yellow Medicine-Renville-McLeod-Sibley-Redwood- Brown-Nicollet-Watonwan-Blue Earth-Martin-Faribault- 742 PM CDT Mon Apr 20 2026 ...RED FLAG WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING... The strong winds have decreased. Hence, the Red Flag Warning will be allowed to expire. $$ CTG
Nearby
Red Flag Warnings in Minnesota, 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.