FNUS75 KPUB 201233
FWSPUB

SPOT FORECAST FOR COTTONWOOD PASS...USDA FOREST SERVICE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
533 AM MST WED JAN 20 2010

IF CONDITIONS BECOME UNREPRESENTATIVE...CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE.

.DISCUSSION...WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL VARY CONSIDERABLY FROM 8500-12000 FEET
ELEVATION. THIS DISCUSSION ASSUMES AN AVERAGE ELEVATION OF 10000 FEET.
A TROUGH WILL BE MOVING THROUGH SOUTHERN COLORADO TODAY. THIS WILL BRING
INCREASING WESTERLY WINDS AND A GOOD CHANCE OF SOME LIGHT SNOW THROUGH THE DAY.
A WEAK RIDGE WILL MOVE THROUGH OVERNIGHT...RESULTING IN SOME PARTIAL CLEARING
OVERNIGHT AND COLD CONDITIONS...ALONG WITH LIGHTER WINDS. THEN...A MAJOR
SNOWSTORM WILL MOVE INTO THE SAN JUANS ON THURSDAY. AT FIRST...THE IMPACT ON
THE SAWATCH RANGE WILL NOT BE SIGNIFICANT...BUT DETERIORATING CONDITIONS CAN
BE EXPECTED THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY...WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT
SNOWFALL BY FRIDAY.

.TODAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........CLOUDY. LIGHT SNOW LIKELY.
MAX TEMPERATURE.....15-20F.
MIN HUMIDITY........55-60 PERCENT.
20 FOOT WIND........SOUTHEAST AROUND 8 MPH UNTIL 1100...THEN WEST
                    SOUTHWEST AROUND 15 MPH. GUSTS TO 30 MPH THIS
                    AFTERNOON ABOVE 11000 FEET.
MIXING HEIGHT.......1500 FT AGL UNTIL 1100...THEN 4000 FT AGL.
TRANSPORT WINDS.....SOUTHWEST AROUND 20 MPH UNTIL 1000...THEN WEST
                    AROUND 25 MPH.
SMOKE DISPERSAL.....POOR UNTIL 1000...THEN FAIR UNTIL 1100...THEN
                    GOOD.

.TONIGHT...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY CLOUDY. CHANCE OF SNOW.
MIN TEMPERATURE.....2-7F.
MAX HUMIDITY........95-100 PERCENT.
20 FOOT WIND........WEST WINDS AROUND 15 MPH.
MIXING HEIGHT.......1000 FT AGL.
TRANSPORT WINDS.....WEST AROUND 20 MPH.
SMOKE DISPERSAL.....FAIR UNTIL 1800...THEN POOR.

.THURSDAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........CLOUDY. SNOW AFTER 1200.
MAX TEMPERATURE.....20-25F.
MIN HUMIDITY........45-50 PERCENT.
20 FOOT WIND........SOUTHWEST WINDS 10-15 MPH.
MIXING HEIGHT.......3000 FT AGL.
TRANSPORT WINDS.....SOUTHWEST AROUND 35 MPH.
SMOKE DISPERSAL.....POOR UNTIL 0600. GOOD AFTER 1100.

$$
FORECASTER...ROSE
REQUESTED BY...SALIDA RANGER DISTRICT
TYPE OF REQUEST...PRESCRIBED
.TAG 20100120.COTTO.01/PUB