FNUS74 KEPZ 081736
FWSEPZ

FIRE WEATHER PLANNING FORECAST FOR SNARE MESA...SDC
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EL PASO TX/SANTA TERESA NM
1036 AM MST TUE FEB 8 2011

FORECAST IS BASED ON IGNITION TIME OF 1040 MST ON FEBRUARY 08.
IF CONDITIONS BECOME UNREPRESENTATIVE...CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE.

.DISCUSSION...
AN APPROACHING WINTER STORM SYSTEM FROM THE NORTH WILL GENERATE
STRONG WINDS LATER TODAY. THE SYSTEM TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY WILL
WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS MAINLY NORTH AND EAST OF A
LAS CRUCES SILVER CITY LINE. THE GILA WILDERNESS ESPECIALLY ABOVE
7500 FEET MAY SEE 1 OR 2 INCHES OF SNOW. THIS STRONG BACKDOOR
COLD FRONT FROM THE NORTH NORTHEAST WILL MOVE THROUGH THE REGION
LATE TUESDAY NIGHT AND EARLY THURSDAY. AS MUCH AS 25 TO 30 DEGREES
OF COOLING MAY OCCUR FROM THE PREVIOUS DAY. STRONG EASTERLY DOWN SLOPE
WINDS WILL OCCUR ON THE WEST FACING SLOPES AND THROUGH CANYONS AND
PASSES. TEMPERATURES WILL BE QUITE COLD OVERNIGHT AND AGAIN THURSDAY
AND FRIDAY MORNING. A WARM UP TO NEAR NORMAL TEMPERATURES WILL BE
POSSIBLE BY NEXT WEEKEND AS WESTERLY WINDS ALOFT RETURN.


.TODAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY SUNNY (25-35 PERCENT) THEN BECOMING
                    PARTLY CLOUDY (45-55 PERCENT).
CWR.................10 PERCENT.
MAX TEMPERATURE.....52-57.
MIN HUMIDITY........25-30 PERCENT.
WIND (20 FT)........SOUTH SOUTHEAST 4 TO 9 MPH SHIFTING TO THE
                    SOUTHWEST 10 TO 17 MPH GUSTS TO 22 IN THE AFTERNOON
                    STRONGER GUSTS EXPOSED AREAS AND RIDGE TOPS.
MIXING HEIGHT.......200-300 FT AGL INCREASING TO 6500 FT AGL.
TRANSPORT WINDS.....SOUTHWEST AROUND 19 KNOTS.

.TONIGHT...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY CLOUDY (60-70 PERCENT) THEN BECOMING
                    PARTLY CLOUDY (45-55 PERCENT). ISOLATED SNOW
                    SHOWERS AFTER MIDNIGHT.
CWR.................10 PERCENT INCREASING TO 20 PERCENT AFTER
                    MIDNIGHT.
MIN TEMPERATURE.....19-24.
MAX HUMIDITY........66-71 PERCENT.
WIND (20 FT)........NORTHWEST 12 TO 21 MPH SHIFTING TO THE
                    NORTHEAST 7 TO 13 MPH AFTER MIDNIGHT.
MIXING HEIGHT.......5300 FT AGL DECREASING TO 200-500 FT AGL IN THE
                    LATE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT.
TRANSPORT WINDS.....NORTHWEST AROUND 15 KNOTS.

.WEDNESDAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY SUNNY (25-35 PERCENT).
CWR.................20 PERCENT DECREASING TO 0 PERCENT IN THE
                    AFTERNOON.
MAX TEMPERATURE.....38-43.
MIN HUMIDITY........30-35 PERCENT.
WIND (20 FT)........NORTHEAST 5 TO 7 MPH SHIFTING TO THE EAST
                    AROUND 7 TO 12 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON.
MIXING HEIGHT.......400-1100 FT AGL INCREASING TO 5500-6300 FT AGL
                    IN THE AFTERNOON.
TRANSPORT WINDS.....NORTHEAST AROUND 5 KNOTS.

$$
FORECASTER...NOVLAN
REQUESTED BY...IC
REASON FOR REQUEST...PRESCRIBED
.TAG 20110208.SNARE.01/EPZ