FNUS75 KGJT 200144
FWSGJT

SPOT FORECAST FOR RATHOLE...BLM/VERNAL
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
744 PM MDT WED AUG 19 2009

FORECAST IS BASED ON REQUEST TIME OF 1839 MDT ON AUGUST 19.
IF CONDITIONS BECOME UNREPRESENTATIVE...CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE.

.DISCUSSION...THE SURFACE-BASED INVERSION WILL BREAK MID-MORNING.
TODAY...HIGH PRESSURE BEGINS TO BUILD IN FROM THE WEST FOR A DRY
WARMING TREND INTO SATURDAY. THIS AFTERNOON...WINDS ALOFT WILL BE
LIGHT FROM THE NORTH...SO SURFACE WINDS WILL BE MAINLY TERRAIN-
DRIVEN. FRIDAY...THE HIGH PRESSURE CENTER WILL BE RIGHT OVERHEAD
PRODUCING VIRTUALLY NO WINDS ALOFT. A SUBSIDENCE INVERSION AT
AROUND 14,500 FEET MSL WILL LIMIT MIXING AND SMOKE DISPERSION.
MONSOON MOISTURE BEGINS TO RETURN ON SUNDAY.

.TODAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY SUNNY (10-30%).
MAX TEMPERATURE.....80-83 F.
MIN HUMIDITY........12-14%.
20-FOOT WINDS.......DOWNVALLEY 1-4 MPH UNTIL 0900...THEN LIGHT
                    AND VARIABLE. AFTER 1100...NORTHWEST 2-5 MPH
                    WITH ISOLATED AFTERNOON GUSTS TO 12 MPH.
HAINES INDEX........3 VERY LOW.
LAL.................1.

.TONIGHT AFTER SUNSET...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY CLEAR (10-20%).
MIN TEMPERATURE.....49-54 F.
MAX HUMIDITY........42-47%.
20-FOOT WINDS.......NORTHEAST 1-3 MPH SHIFTING TO SOUTHEAST 1-5
                    MPH BY MIDNIGHT.
HAINES INDEX........5 MODERATE.
LAL.................1.

.FRIDAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY SUNNY (10-20%) WITH A FEW AFTERNOON
                    FLAT CUMULUS.
MAX TEMPERATURE.....84-88 F.
MIN HUMIDITY........9-11%.
20-FOOT WINDS.......SOUTHEAST 1-5 MPH UNTIL 0900...THEN LIGHT
                    AND VARIABLE. VARIABLE AFTERNOON WINDS 2-8
                    MPH FAVORING UPSLOPE (NORTHWEST). AFTERNOON
                    DUST DEVILS WILL CREATE LOCAL ERRATIC WIND
                    GUSTS.
HAINES INDEX........6 HIGH.
LAL.................1.

$$
FORECASTER...JOE RAMEY
REQUESTED BY...JESSE BASSETT
TYPE OF REQUEST...WILDFIRE
.TAG 20090819.RATHO.01/GJT