FNUS74 KEPZ 211600 FWSEPZ FIRE WEATHER PLANNING FORECAST FOR UNIT 74...USFS NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EL PASO TX/SANTA TERESA NM 1000 AM MDT SAT MAR 21 2009 FORECAST IS BASED ON IGNITION TIME OF 1100 MDT ON MARCH 21. IF CONDITIONS BECOME UNREPRESENTATIVE...CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. ...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING... .DISCUSSION... A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER THE GREAT BASIN OF THE UNITED STATES WILL MOVE INTO NEW MEXICO SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY RESULTING IN STRONG GUSTY WINDS ACROSS ALL OF THE FIRE WEATHER ZONES OF SOUTHERN AND SOUTHWEST NEW MEXICO AND FAR WEST TEXAS. SUSTAINED 20 FOOT WINDS ARE FORECAST TO BECOME 20 TO 30 MPH BEGINNING SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND CONTINUING INTO THE EVENING HOURS. MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITIES ARE FORECAST TO BE IN THE 10 TO 15 PERCENT RANGE ALONG WITH HIGH FIRE DANGER RESULTING IN RED FLAG CONDITIONS. HIGH WINDS WILL CONTINUE SUNDAY NIGHT BUT HUMIDITY LEVELS SHOULD RECOVER SOMEWHAT AND NOT BE AT CRITICAL LEVELS. VERY HIGH WINDS ARE POSSIBLE ON MOUNTAIN SUMMITS SUNDAY NIGHT. RED FLAG CONDITIONS ARE LIKELY AGAIN MONDAY AFTERNOON . .TODAY... SKY/WEATHER.........PARTLY CLOUDY (30-50 PERCENT). CWR.................0 PERCENT. MAX TEMPERATURE.....67-72. MIN HUMIDITY........15-20 PERCENT. WIND (20 FT)........VRBL 1-6 MORNING THEN SOUTH TO SOUTH WEST 7 TO 12 MPH GUST 18 MPH AFTN. .TONIGHT... SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY CLEAR (20-30 PERCENT). CWR.................0 PERCENT. MIN TEMPERATURE.....38-43. MAX HUMIDITY........35-40 PERCENT. WIND (20 FT)........WEST 7 TO 12 MPH. .SUNDAY... SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY CLOUDY (60-70 PERCENT) THEN BECOMING MOSTLY SUNNY (25-35 PERCENT). CWR.................0 PERCENT. MAX TEMPERATURE.....69-74. MIN HUMIDITY........7-12 PERCENT. WIND (20 FT)........SOUTHWEST 8 TO 13 GUST 18 MPH MORNING THEN SOUTHWEST 10 20 MPH G 30 MPH AFTN. HIGHER WINDS EXPOSED AREAS AND MTN TOPS. $$ FORECASTER...NOVLAN REQUESTED BY...DENNIS FAHL FMO REASON FOR REQUEST...PRESCRIBED .TAG 20090321.UNIT7.01/EPZ