Alert archive / Arizona / Red Flag Warnings in 2026

Red Flag Warning 2, NWS Phoenix, AZ

June 5, 20264 counties in Arizona; Imperial County, Riverside County, California

NWS Phoenix, AZ issued this red flag warning at Jun 5, 2026, 11:02 AM MST for 4 counties in Arizona; Imperial County, Riverside County, California. It took effect at Jun 6, 2026, 9:00 AM MST. It was in force for 14 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
Jun 5, 2026, 11:02 AM MST (18:02 UTC)
In effect from
Jun 6, 2026, 9:00 AM MST
Expired
Jun 6, 2026, 11:00 PM MST
In force
14 hr
Issued by
NWS Phoenix, AZ

Counties La Paz County, AZ, Maricopa County, AZ, Pinal County, AZ, Yuma County, AZ, Imperial County, CA, Riverside County, CA

The radar

The Yuma radar (KYUX), 113 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:05 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 text

As transmitted.

776 
WWUS85 KPSR 051802
RFWPSR

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Phoenix AZ
1102 AM MST Fri Jun 5 2026

AZZ131-132-CAZ231-060615-
/O.UPG.KPSR.FW.A.0001.260606T1600Z-260607T0600Z/
/O.NEW.KPSR.FW.W.0002.260606T1600Z-260607T0600Z/
Yuma/Martinez Lake and Vicinity/Lower Colorado River Valley AZ-
Central Deserts-Lower Colorado River Valley CA-
1102 AM MST Fri Jun 5 2026 /1102 AM PDT Fri Jun 5 2026/

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM MST /9 AM PDT/ TO 11 PM
MST /11 PM PDT/ SATURDAY FOR STRONG WINDS, LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY
AND ELEVATED FIRE DANGER FOR YUMA AND LA PAZ COUNTIES AND THE
LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY...

The National Weather Service in Phoenix has issued a Red Flag
Warning for strong winds, low relative humidity and elevated fire
danger, which is in effect from 9 AM MST /9 AM PDT/ to 11 PM MST/11
PM PDT/ Saturday. The Fire Weather Watch is no longer in effect.

* AFFECTED AREA...Yuma/Martinez Lake and Vicinity/Lower Colorado 
  River Valley AZ, Central Deserts and Lower Colorado River 
  Valley CA.

* TIMING...From 9 AM MST /9 AM PDT/ to 11 PM MST/11 PM PDT/ 
  Saturday

* WINDS...South 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 35 mph.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 8 percent.

* WIND...Southwest 15 to 20 mph with gusts up to 35 mph

* HUMIDITY... As low as 9 percent with only modest overnight 
  recovery

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

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Please advise the appropriate officials and fire crews in the
field of this red flag warning.

&&

$$

National Weather Service Phoenix is on the internet at

weather.gov/phoenix
2 follow-up statements
460 
WWUS85 KPSR 060629
RFWPSR

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Phoenix AZ
1129 PM MST Fri Jun 5 2026

AZZ131-132-CAZ231-070000-
/O.CON.KPSR.FW.W.0002.260606T1600Z-260607T0600Z/
Yuma/Martinez Lake and Vicinity/Lower Colorado River Valley AZ-
Central Deserts-Lower Colorado River Valley CA-
1129 PM MST Fri Jun 5 2026 /1129 PM PDT Fri Jun 5 2026/

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM MST /9 AM PDT/ TO
11 PM MST /11 PM PDT/ SATURDAY FOR STRONG WINDS, LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITY AND ELEVATED FIRE DANGER FOR YUMA AND LA PAZ COUNTIES
AND THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY...

* AFFECTED AREA...Yuma/Martinez Lake and Vicinity/Lower Colorado 
  River Valley AZ, Central Deserts and Lower Colorado River 
  Valley CA. 

* TIMING...From 9 AM MST /9 AM PDT/ to 11 PM MST/11 PM PDT/
  Saturday

* WIND... South to Southwest 15 to 20 mph with gusts up to 35 mph

* HUMIDITY... As low as 8 percent with only modest overnight 
  recovery

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

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Please advise the appropriate officials and fire crews in the
field of this red flag warning.

&&

$$
645 
WWUS85 KPSR 070611
RFWPSR

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Phoenix AZ
1111 PM MST Sat Jun 6 2026

AZZ131-132-CAZ231-070715-
/O.EXP.KPSR.FW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-260607T0600Z/
Yuma/Martinez Lake and Vicinity/Lower Colorado River Valley AZ-
Central Deserts-Lower Colorado River Valley CA-
1111 PM MST Sat Jun 6 2026 /1111 PM PDT Sat Jun 6 2026/

...RED FLAG WARNING HAS EXPIRED FOR STRONG WINDS FOR FIRE WEATHER
ZONES 131, 132, AND 231...

Daily instances of elevated fire weather conditions will continue
through the front half of next week due to low RHs and breezy
conditions. However, gusts will be weaker so no further products
are expected at this time.

$$

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 Phoenix, AZ wrote its last area forecast discussion before this red flag warning went out at Jun 5, 4:11 AM MST, 6 hours 51 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Above normal temperatures with moderate HeatRisk will prevail through the remainder of the week before retreating closer to normal by the end of the weekend.
  • Dry conditions under mostly sunny skies will prevail through at least the middle part of next week.
  • Breezy conditions will develop for the end of the week and into the weekend, particularly across the lower Colorado River Valley and higher terrain communities of Arizona.
Area forecast discussion, Jun 5, 4:11 AM MST, 6 hours 51 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Phoenix AZ
411 AM MST Fri Jun 5 2026

.UPDATE...Updated 12z Aviation Discussion...

&&

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Above normal temperatures with moderate HeatRisk will prevail
  through the remainder of the week before retreating closer to
  normal by the end of the weekend.

- Dry conditions under mostly sunny skies will prevail through at
  least the middle part of next week.

- Breezy conditions will develop for the end of the week and into
  the weekend, particularly across the lower Colorado River
  Valley and higher terrain communities of Arizona.

&&

.SHORT TERM /Today through Sunday/...
The upper-level pattern has come slightly more organized over the
past 24 hours, but still appears quite complex thanks to a
plethora of weather regimes over and around the CONUS. The Desert
Southwest is under a microcosm of this greater pattern, as
multiple areas of low pressure flank the region to the north and
south, while flat ridging encompasses the eastern Pacific. The
interplay between these features will result in a tightening of
the regional pressure gradient over the next few days, resulting
in increasing wind gusts through the front half of the weekend.
Gusts this afternoon will reach upwards of 20-30 mph with the
higher end of that range focused over the higher terrain areas of
south-central Arizona and the Lower Colorado River Valley. An
approaching disturbance, currently positioned in the Gulf of
Alaska, will further squeeze the gradient for Saturday, allowing
for stronger gusts closer to 30-35 mph, mainly for parts of SW AZ
and SE CA, though elsewhere across the region can still expected
gusts around 20-30 mph. These stronger gusts, combined with
regional RH values hovering close to 10% and very dry fuels, will
result in widespread elevated, to locally critical, fire weather
conditions. In turn, A Fire Weather Watch has been posted for
Saturday over the areas mentioned above that will observe the
strongest gusts. Once the previously-mentioned low swings through
the Great Basin Sunday, winds should relax slightly, but breezy
conditions are likely to continue to most of our forecast area.

The regional height field is still leaning above normal for the
front part of June, which has resulted in near to above normal
temperatures to start the month, but nothing completely abnormal.
Even with two areas of low pressure in relative proximity, a few
locations almost reached the 110F mark for the first time, owing to
the longer daylight hours and strong/direct insolation. Thankfully,
it looks as if we will keep the 110s at bay for at least a little
while longer as troughing encompasses the the region in the short
term. However, triple digits will be common for the lower desert
with this afternoon likely being the hottest of the next several
days as highs range between 103-109F. Heights aloft closer to normal
will help "cool" weekend temperatures a bit, but values between 100-
107 will be common.

&&

.LONG TERM /Monday through Thursday/...
It appears that ensembles have come into further agreement regarding
the pattern evolution for next week. Signs point towards a secondary
shortwave diving into the Pacific Northwest and northern Rockies,
reinforcing troughing across most of the western CONUS. While
conditions are expected to remain dry as this follow-on system will
not provide any moisture flux to the region, but what we can expect
is a continuation of breezy conditions across the region. Some
subtle model discrepancy remains, mainly about strength and position
of the disturbance, so wind forecasts are subject to change, but it
is not out of the realm of possibility that gusts daily afternoon
gusts of 20-30 mph stretch into Wednesday, which would also create a
prolonged period of elevated fire weather conditions. The cyclonic
pattern will not do much to budge temperatures during this
timeframe, as current NBM forecasts have steady readings between
98-105 for the lower deserts. However, much like the wind
forecast, more noticeable changes, either up or down, may come to
fruition depending on model trends over the next few days.

&&

.AVIATION...Updated at 1100Z.

South Central Arizona including KPHX, KIWA, KSDL, and KDVT:
Elevated wind gusts later this afternoon/evening will be the main
aviation weather issue throughout the TAF period. The overall wind
pattern will follow the typical diurnal tendencies with easterly
winds this morning shifting out of the west by late morning.
Speeds this morning will remain below 10 kts before increasing to
10-15 kts with afternoon/evening gusts peaking at 20-25 kts. Other
than some high-based CU expected across the mountains east of
Phoenix this afternoon, generally clear skies will prevail.

Southeast California/Southwest Arizona including KIPL and KBLH:
No major aviation weather concerns under mostly clear skies can be
expected throughout the TAF period. At KIPL, winds will generally
be out of the southeast throughout most of the period, with the
exception of a possible westerly shift for a few hours this
evening. At KBLH, winds will generally be out of the south to
south-southwest. Overall wind speeds will fluctuate between 8-15
kts with occasional afternoon gusts upwards of 20-25 kts at KBLH.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...
A Fire Weather Watch has been posted for portions of SW Arizona and
areas around the Lower Colorado River Valley for Saturday afternoon
and evening. Dry fuels, RHs around 10%, and gusts upwards of 35 mph
will result in critical fire weather conditions for these areas.
Elsewhere, gusts 20-30 mph will be common, resulting in elevated
fire weather conditions. Outside of Saturday, daily breezy
conditions can be expected from today through at least the front
half of next week, resulting in a prolonged period of elevated fire
weather conditions for most of the region. MinRHs will hold steady
close to 10% across the region, while overnight recoveries only
offer poor to modest recovery, with MaxRHs near 15-45%.

&&

.PSR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AZ...Fire Weather Watch from Saturday morning through Saturday
     evening for AZZ131-132.

CA...Fire Weather Watch from Saturday morning through Saturday
     evening for CAZ231.

&&

SHORT TERM...RW
LONG TERM...RW
AVIATION...Lojero
FIRE WEATHER...RW

The office that day

Everything else NWS Phoenix, AZ issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 4, 10:54 PM MSTFire Weather WatchPSRLa Paz, Maricopa, Pinal, Yuma12 hr

Nearby

Red Flag Warnings in Arizona, 2026Red Flag Warnings in California, 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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.