FNUS75 KMSO 301344
FWSMSO

SPOT FORECAST FOR BIG SALMON LAKE EAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT
744 AM MDT TUE AUG 30 2011

FORECAST IS BASED ON REQUEST TIME OF 0641 MDT ON AUGUST 30.
IF CONDITIONS BECOME UNREPRESENTATIVE...CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE.

.DISCUSSION...INCREASING WINDS WILL BE THE IMPACT OVER THE FIRE
TODAY. GIVEN THE SOUTHWEST ORIENTATION OF THE VALLEY...COULD SEE
SOME CHANNELING OF THESE WINDS. THE TOP OF THE FIRE IS EXPECTED TO
SEE WINDS BY MID MORNING AS THE PEAKS HEAT. THE BASE OF THE FIRE
WILL TAKE A LITTLE MORE TIME TO MIX...BUT SHOULD SEE INVERSIONS
BREAK BY EARLY AFTERNOON. THINKING BETWEEN 1200-1400 MDT. SOME
CLOUDS THIS MORNING WILL GIVE WAY TO CLEARING...BUT CUMULUS ARE
EXPECTED TO DEVELOP IN THE AFTERNOON. ANY SHOWERS THAT DEVELOP ARE
EXPECTED TO REMAIN SOUTH OF THE FIRE TODAY. CLOUDS WILL INCREASE
TONIGHT AHEAD OF APPROACHING WEATHER SYSTEM. THE SURFACE PRESSURE
GRADIENT WILL ORIENT ITSELF TO CREATE SOME NORTHEAST WINDS OVER
THE MID AND LOWER ELEVATIONS OF THE FIRE LATE TONIGHT THROUGH
WEDNESDAY...BUT THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS WILL SEE A MORE SOUTH
DIRECTION OF WINDS COME WEDNESDAY. POTENTIAL FOR WETTING RAIN
OVER THE FIRE WILL DRAMATICALLY INCREASE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.

.TODAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY SUNNY.
CWR.................0 PERCENT.
MAX TEMPERATURE.....74-79 BASE...65-70 TOP.
MIN HUMIDITY........17-22 PERCENT BOTTOM...25-30 PERCENT TOP.
WIND (20 FT)........BOTTOM...UPSLOPE 3-5 MPH BECOMING SOUTHWEST
                    8-12 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON WITH GUSTS TO 20 MPH.
                    TOP...VARIABLE 4-6 MPH BECOMING WEST-SOUTHWEST
                    14-18 MPH BY LATE MORNING. GUSTS UP TO 25 MPH IN
                    THE AFTERNOON.
HAINES INDEX........3 VERY LOW.

.TONIGHT...

SKY/WEATHER.........PARTLY CLOUDY THEN BECOMING MOSTLY CLOUDY.
                    CHANCE OF RAIN SHOWERS AND SLIGHT CHANCE OF
                    THUNDERSTORMS AFTER MIDNIGHT.
CWR.................20 PERCENT.
MIN TEMPERATURE.....43-48 BOTTOM...48-53.
MAX HUMIDITY........94-99 PERCENT BOTTOM...58-63 PERCENT TOP.
WIND (20 FT)........BOTTOM...SOUTHWEST WINDS 9-13 MPH IN THE
                    EVENING BECOMING DOWNSLOPE AND DECREASING
                    TO 3-5 MPH AFTER SUNSET. WIND BECOMING
                    NORTHEAST 3-6 MPH AROUND 0300 MDT.
                    TOP...WEST-SOUTHWEST 14-18 MPH WITH GUSTS TO
                    25 MPH IN THE EVENING...DECREASING TO 4-8 MPH
                    AFTER MIDNIGHT.
HAINES INDEX........3 VERY LOW.

.WEDNESDAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........CHANCE OF RAIN SHOWERS AND SLIGHT CHANCE OF
                    THUNDERSTORMS IN THE MORNING...THEN RAIN
                    SHOWERS AND CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS IN THE
                    AFTERNOON.
CWR.................90 PERCENT...MAINLY IN THE AFTERNOON.
MAX TEMPERATURE.....65-70 BOTTOM...52-57 TOP.
MIN HUMIDITY........44-49 PERCENT BOTTOM...53-58 PERCENT TOP.
WIND (20 FT)........BOTTOM...NORTHEAST WINDS 5-8 MPH.
                    TOP...SOUTH-SOUTHWEST 8-12 MPH.
HAINES INDEX........3 VERY LOW.

$$
FORECASTER...MEAD
REQUESTED BY...ROBERT GALLARDO
TYPE OF REQUEST...WILDFIRE
.TAG 20110830.BIGSA.01/MSO