Alert archive / Arizona / Red Flag Warnings in 2026
Red Flag Warning 3, NWS Tucson, AZ
NWS Tucson, AZ issued this red flag warning at Apr 11, 2026, 1:05 AM MST for 6 counties in Arizona. It took effect at Apr 12, 2026, 11:00 AM MST. 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
- Apr 11, 2026, 1:05 AM MST (08:05 UTC)
- In effect from
- Apr 12, 2026, 11:00 AM MST
- Expired
- Apr 12, 2026, 6:14 PM MST
- In force
- 7 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Tucson, AZ
Counties Cochise County, AZ, Graham County, AZ, Greenlee County, AZ, Pima County, AZ, Pinal County, AZ, Santa Cruz County, AZ
The radar
The Tucson radar (KEMX), 61 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 08:07 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
Flgstf/Belemont, AZ (KFGZ), launched 00:00Z, 8.1 hours before the alert went out and 335 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
- 5 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -21 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 2259 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 37 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 95 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 129 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.6
The text
As transmitted.
280 WWUS85 KTWC 110805 RFWTWC URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Tucson AZ 105 AM MST Sat Apr 11 2026 AZZ150>152-112300- /O.UPG.KTWC.FW.A.0001.260412T1800Z-260413T0300Z/ /O.NEW.KTWC.FW.W.0003.260412T1800Z-260413T0300Z/ Arizona Fire Weather Zone 150 Sonoran FDRA-Most of Pima County-South Central Pinal County- Tohono O'odham Nation-Tucson Metropolitan area-TDC- Arizona Fire Weather Zone 151 Western half Desert Grasslands FDRA including elevations up to 5500 feet in Southeast corner of Pinal County- Extreme Eastern Pima County-Western third of Cochise County- Santa Cruz County-TDC-Arizona Fire Weather Zone 152 Eastern half Desert Grasslands FDRA including elevations up to 5500 feet in Southwest Graham County and Eastern two thirds of Cochise County-Southern San Carlos Reservation- Southern Greenlee County below 5000 feet-TDC- 105 AM MST Sat Apr 11 2026 ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 8 PM MST SUNDAY FOR STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS, LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY, AND HIGH FIRE DANGER FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 150, 151, AND 152... * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 150, 151 and 152. * TIMING...From 11 AM to 8 PM MST Sunday. * WINDS...Southwest 18 to 25 mph with gusts 35 to 40 mph. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...8 to 14 percent. * IMPACTS...Any fires that develop or are ongoing will have the potential to spread rapidly. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now...or are expected to develop. A combination of strong winds...low relative humidity...and dry vegetation will create the potential for rapid and erratic fire growth. Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in the field of the Red Flag Warning for portions of Southeast Arizona. && $$ Visit us on Facebook...Twitter...YouTube...and at weather.gov/Tucson
3 follow-up statements
521 WWUS85 KTWC 111802 RFWTWC URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Tucson AZ 1102 AM MST Sat Apr 11 2026 AZZ150>152-121200- /O.CON.KTWC.FW.W.0003.260412T1800Z-260413T0300Z/ Arizona Fire Weather Zone 150 Sonoran FDRA-Most of Pima County-South Central Pinal County- Tohono O'odham Nation-Tucson Metropolitan area-TDC- Arizona Fire Weather Zone 151 Western half Desert Grasslands FDRA including elevations up to 5500 feet in Southeast corner of Pinal County- Extreme Eastern Pima County-Western third of Cochise County- Santa Cruz County-TDC-Arizona Fire Weather Zone 152 Eastern half Desert Grasslands FDRA including elevations up to 5500 feet in Southwest Graham County and Eastern two thirds of Cochise County-Southern San Carlos Reservation- Southern Greenlee County below 5000 feet-TDC- 1102 AM MST Sat Apr 11 2026 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 8 PM MST SUNDAY FOR STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS, LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY, AND HIGH FIRE DANGER FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 150, 151, AND 152... * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 150, 151 and 152. * TIMING...From 11 AM to 8 PM MST Sunday. * WINDS...Southwest 18 to 25 mph with gusts 35 to 40 mph. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...8 to 14 percent. * IMPACTS...Any fires that develop or are ongoing will have the potential to spread rapidly. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now...or are expected to develop. A combination of strong winds...low relative humidity...and dry vegetation will create the potential for rapid and erratic fire growth. Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in the field of the Red Flag Warning for portions of Southeast Arizona. && $$ Visit us on Facebook...Twitter...YouTube...and at weather.gov/Tucson
086 WWUS85 KTWC 120830 RFWTWC URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Tucson AZ 130 AM MST Sun Apr 12 2026 AZZ150>152-130300- /O.CON.KTWC.FW.W.0003.260412T1800Z-260413T0300Z/ Arizona Fire Weather Zone 150 Sonoran FDRA-Most of Pima County-South Central Pinal County- Tohono O'odham Nation-Tucson Metropolitan area-TDC- Arizona Fire Weather Zone 151 Western half Desert Grasslands FDRA including elevations up to 5500 feet in Southeast corner of Pinal County- Extreme Eastern Pima County-Western third of Cochise County- Santa Cruz County-TDC-Arizona Fire Weather Zone 152 Eastern half Desert Grasslands FDRA including elevations up to 5500 feet in Southwest Graham County and Eastern two thirds of Cochise County-Southern San Carlos Reservation- Southern Greenlee County below 5000 feet-TDC- 130 AM MST Sun Apr 12 2026 ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS, LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY, AND HIGH FIRE DANGER FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 150, 151, AND 152... * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 150, 151 and 152. * TIMING...From 11 AM this morning to 8 PM MST this evening. * WINDS...Southwest 18 to 25 mph with gusts 35 to 40 mph. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...8 to 14 percent. * IMPACTS...Any fires that develop or are ongoing will have the potential to spread rapidly. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now...or are expected to develop. A combination of strong winds...low relative humidity...and dry vegetation will create the potential for rapid and erratic fire growth. Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in the field of the Red Flag Warning for portions of Southeast Arizona. && $$ Visit us on Facebook...Twitter...YouTube...and at weather.gov/Tucson
006 WWUS85 KTWC 130114 RFWTWC URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Tucson AZ 614 PM MST Sun Apr 12 2026 AZZ150>152-130215- /O.CAN.KTWC.FW.W.0003.000000T0000Z-260413T0300Z/ Arizona Fire Weather Zone 150 Sonoran FDRA-Most of Pima County-South Central Pinal County- Tohono O'odham Nation-Tucson Metropolitan area-TDC- Arizona Fire Weather Zone 151 Western half Desert Grasslands FDRA including elevations up to 5500 feet in Southeast corner of Pinal County- Extreme Eastern Pima County-Western third of Cochise County- Santa Cruz County-TDC-Arizona Fire Weather Zone 152 Eastern half Desert Grasslands FDRA including elevations up to 5500 feet in Southwest Graham County and Eastern two thirds of Cochise County-Southern San Carlos Reservation- Southern Greenlee County below 5000 feet-TDC- 614 PM MST Sun Apr 12 2026 ...RED FLAG WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS, LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY, AND HIGH FIRE DANGER FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 150, 151, AND 152... The National Weather Service in Tucson has cancelled the Red Flag Warning. Breezy winds will continue across southeast Arizona for the next couple of hours. However, relative humidity values have risen above critical levels, with most locations reporting relative humidity values between 20 and 30 percent. Therefore, the Red Flag Warning has been cancelled. $$ Visit us on Facebook...Twitter...YouTube...and at weather.gov/Tucson
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 Tucson, AZ wrote its last area forecast discussion before this red flag warning went out at Apr 10, 11:00 AM MST, 14 hours 5 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Apr 10, 11:00 AM MST, 14 hours 5 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Tucson AZ 1100 AM MST Fri Apr 10 2026 .SYNOPSIS... High temperatures will be 4-8 degrees above normal the next couple of days. Breezy winds each afternoon through Monday. Cooler air leading to high temperatures 4-6 degrees below normal early next week and bring a slight chance for precip north and east of Tucson Monday. && .DISCUSSION... The current upper air pattern is defined by a strong cut off low situated off the coast of northern California. While this system is fairly dry for us, this is leading to increased cloud cover and breezy west to southwest afternoon winds today. There were indications for a slight chance (10-20%) for precipitation for areas out east today, however in the last 12 hours those signals have decreased. While there are strong upper level winds, there is a lack of instability and moisture. Satellite derived PWATs observe the greatest values range between 0.25 to 0.5 inches with surface dew point forecast to be in the 30s this afternoon. High temperatures will be 4-8 degrees above normal today with temperatures in the 80s to low 90s. Starting this evening, the upper level pattern will be fairly progressive with several shortwave troughs passing through the region. The aforementioned cut off low will be, essentially, absorbed by a secondary cut off low moving in from the Aleutians early Saturday. The remnant energy from the first low will transcend to a shortwave trough that will extend southward as far as Central Mexico. This shortwave trough will bring very dry conditions and breezy southwest to west winds Sunday afternoon. Relative humidity will drop into the teens to single digits and sustained wind speeds 15-20 mph and gusts 25-30 mph lead to near critical fire weather conditions forecast. A Fire Weather Watch has been issued from eastern Pima and Pinal counties to the Arizona/ New Mexico border for Sunday afternoon. Winds will continue to stay elevated Monday (and even be little bit stronger than Sunday) however, the secondary cut off low will move into the Great Basin area introducing moisture into the region lessening the concern for fire weather conditions. As the system passes through Monday and Tuesday temperatures will lower to near normal to just below normal with highs in the 70s to low 80s. There is a chance (15-30%) for light precipitation Monday night into Tuesday focused to areas north and northeast of Tucson. By the middle of the week semi- zonal flow with general troughiness to the west will return, raising temperatures to near normal with typical afternon breezes. By the end of the week there is potential for another trough to push into southern Arizona however there is disagreement amongst the models how deep this trough will extend and the associated intensity. && .AVIATION... Valid though 12/00Z. SCT-BKN clouds AOA 20k feet AGL for most of the period with FEW-SCT 10k-15k AGL. Some cloud buildups will be possible along the AZ/NM border this afternoon with additional afternoon buildups Saturday. Low confidence that any outflows from buildups will affect any terminals. Sfc winds 10-15 kts with gusts 20-25 kts this afternoon, then subside after 12/03Z becoming light and terrain driven again. Winds become southwest and increase to 12-16 kts with gusts to 25 kts after 11/18Z. Aviation discussion not updated for TAF amendments. && .FIRE WEATHER... Afternoon winds west/southwest 10-15 mph today as a Pacific system approaches the region. Southwest winds increase further this weekend as a system crosses the region, becoming 15-20 mph with gusts 25 to 30 mph. With this system continuing to look drier, the combination of critical winds and relative humidity will result in the potential for fire weather concerns as early as Saturday, but especially on Sunday. RH values will likely be a bit too high on Saturday and Monday. As a result a Fire Weather Watch is in effect for Sunday. While winds remain gusty early next work week, cooler temperatures and increased moisture Monday should help mitigate widespread fire weather concerns. Thereafter, winds generally 15 mph or less through the middle of next week. && .TWC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Fire Weather Watch from Sunday morning through Sunday evening for AZZ150>152. && Malarkey/Edwards Visit us on Facebook, X, YouTube, and at weather.gov/Tucson
Nearby
Red Flag Warnings in Arizona, 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.