FNUS74 KEPZ 011652
FWSEPZ

FIRE WEATHER PLANNING FORECAST FOR RAVEN RIDGE...LNF
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EL PASO TX/SANTA TERESA NM
952 AM MST TUE FEB 1 2011

FORECAST IS BASED ON IGNITION TIME OF 0900 MST ON FEBRUARY 01.
IF CONDITIONS BECOME UNREPRESENTATIVE...CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE.

.DISCUSSION...
STRONG ARCTIC COLD FRONT WILL PUSH THROUGH THE AREA TODAY...
BRINGING COLDER TEMPERATURES...INCREASING SNOW SHOWERS...AND
INCREASING EASTERLY WINDS.

THE COLD AIRMASS WILL INITIALLY BE SHALLOW...SO IT WILL TAKE
SOME TIME FOR THE STRONGER EAST WINDS TO BE FELT IN THE HIGHER
ELEVATIONS ABOVE 5-6K FT.  COMPLEX TERRAIN IN THE AREA...WITH
SIERRA BLANCA AND THE CAPITAN RIDGE TO THE WEST AND NORTH...
WILL COMPLICATE THINGS FURTHER.  THINKING EAST-SOUTHEAST WINDS
WILL DEVELOP...STAYING BELOW 15 MPH THROUGH NOON...BUT THEN
INCREASING THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS.

WITH THE SHALLOW COLD AIRMASS IN PLACE AND CONTINUED COLD AIR
ADVECTION...DO NOT EXPECT THE MIXING HEIGHTS TO IMPROVE MUCH
DURING THE AFTERNOON.

SNOW SHOWERS WILL INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY LATE IN
THE AFTERNOON AS A THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF UPPER LEVEL IMPULSES
MOVES THROUGH THE AREA.  SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE NIGHT
AND INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING...WITH SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATIONS
EXPECTED ACROSS THE SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS...FAVORING THE EAST
SLOPES FOR HIGHER ACCUMULATIONS.

.TODAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........CLOUDY (90-100 PERCENT). NUMEROUS SNOW SHOWERS
                    IN THE AFTERNOON.
CWR.................70 PERCENT.
TEMPERATURE.........12 AT IGNITION...MAX 14.
RH..................98 PERCENT AT IGNITION...MIN 65 PERCENT.
WIND (20 FT)........LIGHT EAST-SOUTHEAST THROUGH NOON... INCREASING
                    12 TO 17 MPH BY MID-AFTERNOON.
MIXING HEIGHT.......600 FT AGL AT IGNITION...OTHERWISE 500-1000 FT
                    AGL.
TRANSPORT WINDS.....SOUTHEAST 11 TO 12 KNOTS.
VENTILATION.........6600 TO 12000 KNOT-FEET (POOR)

.TONIGHT...

SKY/WEATHER.........CLOUDY (90-100 PERCENT). NUMEROUS SNOW SHOWERS.
CWR.................100 PERCENT.
TEMPERATURE.........MIN 2.
RH..................MAX 62 PERCENT.
WIND (20 FT)........EAST 12 TO 17 MPH.
MIXING HEIGHT.......1000-1400 FT AGL.
TRANSPORT WINDS.....EAST 17 TO 18 KNOTS.

.WEDNESDAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........CLOUDY (85-95 PERCENT). NUMEROUS SNOW SHOWERS.
CWR.................60 PERCENT.
TEMPERATURE.........MAX 12.
RH..................MIN 48 PERCENT.
WIND (20 FT)........EAST 7 TO 9 MPH.
MIXING HEIGHT.......1000-1800 FT AGL.
TRANSPORT WINDS.....EAST 10 TO 11 KNOTS.
VENTILATION.........18000 KNOT-FEET (POOR).

$$

FORECASTER...HARDIMAN
REQUESTED BY...NM-ADC
REASON FOR REQUEST...PRESCRIBED
.TAG 20110201.RAVEN.01/EPZ