FNUS75 KPUB 031014
FWSPUB

SPOT FORECAST FOR SAND GULCH...USFS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
413 AM MDT TUE MAY 3 2011

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

...A FIRE WEATHER WATCH FOR STRONG WINDS...LOW HUMIDITIES AND DRY
FUELS HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR LATE WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY
EVENING FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONE 224 AND ZONES 230 THROUGH 237...WHICH
INCLUDES THE SAN LUIS VALLEY AND MUCH OF THE SOUTHEAST COLORADO PLAINS...

.DISCUSSION...

AFTER A COLD START THIS MORNING...HIGH PRESSURE WILL BRING
SEASONAL TEMPERATURES BACK TO THE BURN AREA BY AFTERNOON.  SKIES
WILL START OUT SUNNY THIS MORNING...BUT THEN HIGH CLOUDS WILL
INCREASE DURING THE AFTERNOON.  HUMIDITIES MAY REACH CRITICAL
LEVELS OVER PARTS OF THE BURN AREA TODAY BUT WINDS ARE EXPECTED
TO REMAIN BELOW CRITERIA.  THEREFORE...NO FIRE WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS
TODAY.

DOWNSLOPE FLOW AHEAD OF AN INCOMING DISTURBANCE MAY CAUSE
HUMIDITIES AND WINDS TO APPROACH CRITICAL LEVELS OVER PARTS OF
THE BURN AREA WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.  HOWEVER...FUELS ARE NOT YET
INDICATED TO BE CRITICAL.  SO NO HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE BURN AREA
WEDNESDAY.

WEAK UPSLOPE FLOW BEHIND THE SYSTEM THAT MOVES THROUGH WEDNESDAY
SHOULD BRING A RESPITE IN THE FIRE WEATHER THREAT THURSDAY.
WEAK UPSLOPE FLOW AND HIGHER HUMIDITIES SHOULD PRECLUDE THE NEED
FOR ANY FIRE WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS ON THIS DAY.

THE FIRE WEATHER THREAT WILL RAMP UP FRIDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND
AS A WARM...DRY...AND BREEZY PATTERN SETS UP ACROSS THE AREA.
FIRE WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS MAY BE NEEDED FRIDAY...SATURDAY...AND
ESPECIALLY SUNDAY.

.TODAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY SUNNY (30 PERCENT).
MAX TEMPERATURE.....56-61F.
MIN HUMIDITY........15-20 PERCENT.
20 FOOT WIND........DOWNSLOPE/DOWNVALLEY 3-6 MPH...BECOMING UPSLOPE/
                    UPVALLEY 4-8 MPH 1000-1200.
MIXING HEIGHT.......10000 FT AGL.
TRANSPORT WIND......WEST AROUND 15 MPH.
SMOKE DISPERSAL.....POOR UNTIL 0700. VERY GOOD AFTER 1500.
HAINES INDEX........4 OR LOW POTENTIAL FOR LARGE PLUME DOMINATED
                    FIRE GROWTH.
LAL.................1.

.TONIGHT...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY CLEAR.
MIN TEMPERATURE.....33-38F.
MAX HUMIDITY........43-48 PERCENT.
20 FOOT WIND........BECOMING DOWNSLOPE/DOWNVALLEY 2-4 MPH UNTIL 0300...
                    THEN SOUTHWEST AROUND 8 MPH.
MIXING HEIGHT.......8000 FT AGL UNTIL 2000. 500 FT AGL AFTER 2100.
TRANSPORT WIND......SOUTHWEST AROUND 25 MPH.
SMOKE DISPERSAL.....VERY GOOD UNTIL 1900...THEN GOOD UNTIL
                    2000...THEN FAIR UNTIL 2100...THEN POOR.
HAINES INDEX........5 OR MODERATE POTENTIAL FOR LARGE PLUME
                    DOMINATED FIRE GROWTH.
LAL.................1.

.WEDNESDAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY SUNNY (35 PERCENT).
MAX TEMPERATURE.....59-64F.
MIN HUMIDITY........13-18 PERCENT.
20 FOOT WIND........WEST WINDS 15-20 MPH.
MIXING HEIGHT.......2000 FT AGL UNTIL 1100...THEN 10000 FT AGL.
TRANSPORT WIND......WEST AROUND 25 MPH.
SMOKE DISPERSAL.....POOR UNTIL 0700. EXCELLENT AFTER 1100.
HAINES INDEX........5 OR MODERATE POTENTIAL FOR LARGE PLUME
                    DOMINATED FIRE GROWTH.
LAL.................1.

$$
FORECASTER...WALROD
REQUESTED BY...DENNIS PAGE
TYPE OF REQUEST...WILDFIRE
.TAG 20110502.SANDG.01/PUB