FNUS75 KTFX 252105
FWSTFX

SPOT FORECAST FOR SOUTH FORK SUN BURN...USFS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
305 PM MDT FRI SEP 25 2009

FORECAST IS BASED ON IGNITION TIME OF 1450 MDT ON SEPTEMBER 25.
IF CONDITIONS BECOME UNREPRESENTATIVE...CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE.

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON SATURDAY TO MIDNIGHT MDT
SATURDAY NIGHT...

.DISCUSSION...
DRY HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT WILL KEEP THE FIRE AREA MOSTLY CLEAR THROUGH
AT LEAST SATURDAY. WINDS TONIGHT WILL REMAIN FAIRLY LIGHT AND
TERRAIN DRIVEN IN THE PROTECTED VALLEYS...WHILE WEST WINDS WILL
INCREASE AT THE MID SLOPES AND RIDGE TOPS AS A DISTURBANCE
APPROACHES THE AREA FROM THE NORTHWEST. WINDS ALOFT WILL INCREASE
FURTHER ON SATURDAY...BECOMING QUITE STRONG ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA.
AT RIDGE TOPS AND MID SLOPES...WIND GUSTS OF 45 TO 55 MPH WILL BE
LIKELY...WHILE LESSER GUSTS OF 35 TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED IN MORE
PROTECTED AREAS. RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL ALSO FALL INTO THE 20 TO
30 PERCENT RANGE SATURDAY AFTERNOON...PROMPTING A RED FLAG WARNING
FOR THE FIRE AREA FOR SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. A COLD FRONT
WILL THEN SWEEP THROUGH THE AREA LATE SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY...
SHIFTING WINDS MORE NORTHERLY AND INCREASING RELATIVE HUMIDITIES...
THOUGH LITTLE IF ANY PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED WITH THE FRONT.


.REST OF TODAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........SUNNY.
CWR.................0 PERCENT.
MAX TEMPERATURE.....70-75 BELOW 7000 FEET...
                    65-70 ABOVE 7000 FEET.
MIN HUMIDITY........15-20 PERCENT BELOW 7000 FEET...
                    20-25 PERCENT ABOVE 7000 FEET.
WIND (20 FT)........UPSLOPE/UPVALLEY WINDS 4 TO 8 MPH IN
                    PROTECTED VALLEYS...SOUTHWEST 5 TO 15 MPH IN
                    UNPROTECTED AREAS.
RIDGE TOP WIND......SOUTHWEST TO WEST WINDS 10 TO 20 MPH.
MIXING HEIGHT.......4500 FT AGL.
MIXING WINDS........WEST AROUND 15 MPH.

.TONIGHT...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY CLEAR.
CWR.................0 PERCENT.
MIN TEMPERATURE.....32-36 VALLEYS...
                    41-46 MID SLOPES AND RIDGE TOPS.
MAX HUMIDITY........60-70 PERCENT VALLEYS...
                    48-53 PERCENT MID SLOPES AND RIDGE TOPS.
WIND (20 FT)........LIGHT WINDS IN PROTECTED AREAS INCREASING TO
                    WEST 5 TO 15 MPH AFTER MIDNIGHT...SOUTHWEST
                    WINDS 5 TO 15 MPH IN UNPROTECTED AREAS
                    INCREASING TO WEST 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO
                    30 MPH AFTER MIDNIGHT.
RIDGE TOP WIND......SOUTHWEST WINDS 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 25
                    MPH IN THE EVENING INCREASING TO WEST 15 TO 25
                    MPH WITH GUSTS TO 40 MPH AFTER MIDNIGHT.
MIXING HEIGHT.......500 FT AGL.
MIXING WINDS........WEST AROUND 20 MPH.

.SATURDAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........SUNNY.
CWR.................0 PERCENT.
MAX TEMPERATURE.....66-71 BELOW 7000 FEET...
                    61-66 ABOVE 7000 FEET.
MIN HUMIDITY........20-25 PERCENT BELOW 7000 FEET
                    25-30 PERCENT ABOVE 7000 FEET.
WIND (20 FT)........WINDY. WEST WINDS 10 TO 20 MPH IN PROTECTED
                    AREAS INCREASING TO 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS TO
                    40 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON...WEST WINDS 15 TO 25
                    MPH WITH GUSTS TO 35 MPH IN UNPROTECTED AREAS
                    INCREASING TO 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 50 MPH
                    IN THE AFTERNOON.
RIDGE TOP WIND......WEST WINDS 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 45 MPH
                    INCREASING TO 30 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 55 MPH
                    IN THE AFTERNOON.
MIXING HEIGHT.......5500 FT AGL.
MIXING WINDS........WEST AROUND 45 MPH.

$$
FORECASTER...COULSTON
REQUESTED BY...BRAD MCBRATNEY
TYPE OF REQUEST...PRESCRIBED
.TAG 20090925.SOUTH.01/TFX