FNUS75 KMSO 271856
FWSMSO

SPOT FORECAST FOR WEST RIVERSIDE FIRE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT
1256 PM MDT SAT AUG 27 2011

FORECAST IS BASED ON REQUEST TIME OF 1157 MDT ON AUGUST 27.
IF CONDITIONS BECOME UNREPRESENTATIVE...CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE.

.DISCUSSION...WINDS WILL BE THE TRICKY PART OF THE FORECAST TODAY
AS STRONG INVERSIONS IN THE VALLEY AND INCREASED SMOKE WILL LIMIT
HEATING TO REACH CONVECTIVE TEMPERATURE...BREAKING THE INVERSION.
THE TOP OF THE FIRE WILL SEE WINDS INCREASE FROM THE WEST BY 1330
AS AN UPPER JET MOVES OVER THE FIRE. THE JOHNSON CREEK DRAINAGE IN
THE HEART OF THE INVERSION...WILL SEE LATE DAY MIXING...AND ONLY
AN HOUR OR TWO AT BEST. EXPECT THE INVERSIONS TO BREAK BETWEEN
1730-1830 FOR WINDS TO MIX TO THE SURFACE...AND LOWEST HUMIDITIES
TO BE REALIZED. INVERSIONS WILL SET RIGHT BACK UP THIS EVENING
QUICKLY AFTER SUNSET. SUNDAY WILL SEE A REPEAT OF TODAY...BUT WITH
LESS RIDGETOP WINDS. THE LOWER ELEVATIONS WILL ONCE AGAIN BE
TERRAIN/DIURNALLY DRIVEN FOR WINDS AND MAY NOT MIX OUT UNTIL EARLY
EVENING...IF AT ALL.

NOTE: AN APPROACHING WEATHER SYSTEM MAY BRING ISOLATED
THUNDERSTORMS TO THE FIRE SUNDAY NIGHT.

.TODAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY SUNNY.
CWR.................0 PERCENT.
MAX TEMPERATURE.....90-95 BOTTOM...78-83 TOP.
MIN HUMIDITY........11-16 PERCENT BOTTOM...AFTER 1730 MDT.
                    22-27 PERCENT TOP.
WIND (20 FT)........MID SLOPE AND BELOW...VARIABLE 3-6 MPH
                    BECOMING NORTHWEST 9-12 MPH WITH HIGHER
                    GUSTS AFTER 1730 MDT.
                    TOP...WEST 12-15 MPH AFTER 1330 MDT.
MIXING HEIGHT.......7300 FT AGL.
MIXING WINDS........WEST 15-20 MPH.
HAINES INDEX........3 VERY LOW.

.TONIGHT...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY CLEAR.
CWR.................0 PERCENT.
MIN TEMPERATURE.....53-58.
MAX HUMIDITY........55-60 PERCENT BOTTOM...40-45 PERCENT TOP.
WIND (20 FT)........NORTHWEST WINDS 9-11 MPH IN THE EVENING
                    BECOMING DOWNSLOPE 2-5 MPH AFTER SUNSET.
MIXING HEIGHT.......300 FT AGL.
MIXING WINDS........WEST 5 MPH.
HAINES INDEX........4 LOW.

.SUNDAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY SUNNY. CLOUDS INCREASING TOWARD EVENING.
CWR.................0 PERCENT.
MAX TEMPERATURE.....90-95 BOTTOM...78-83 TOP.
MIN HUMIDITY........11-16 PERCENT BOTTOM...AFTER 1730 MDT.
WIND (20 FT)........VARIABLE 2-5 MPH BECOMING NORTHWEST 5-7 MPH IN
                    THE LATE AFTERNOON...MAINLY AFTER 1730 MDT.
MIXING HEIGHT.......7800 FT AGL.
MIXING WINDS........WEST 10 MPH.
HAINES INDEX........4 LOW.

$$
FORECASTER...MEAD
REQUESTED BY...MATT BUTLER
TYPE OF REQUEST...WILDFIRE
.TAG 20110827.WESTR.01/MSO