FNUS75 KMSO 171706
FWSMSO

SPOT FORECAST FOR HAMMER FIRE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT
1106 AM MDT SAT SEP 17 2011

FORECAST IS BASED ON REQUEST TIME OF 1013 MDT ON SEPTEMBER 17.
IF CONDITIONS BECOME UNREPRESENTATIVE...CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE.

.DISCUSSION...WIND WILL BE THE MAIN IMPACT ON THE FIRE TODAY
THROUGH SUNDAY. UNSTABLE CONDITIONS COMBINED WITH STRONG RIDGETOP
WINDS WILL ALLOW BREEZY TO GUSTY WINDS TO MIX TO THE SURFACE. THE
NORTH/SOUTH ORIENTATION OF THE DRAINAGE ADJACENT TO THE FIRE MAY
LIMIT THE GUSTS AT THE BASE OF THE FIRE...BUT THE TOP OF THE FIRE
IS EXPECTED TO SEE GUSTS TO 30 MPH THIS AFTERNOON. ALSO THE SOUTH
FORK OF THE FLATHEAD DRAINAGE AND THE WHITE RIVER HAVE ENOUGH OF A
SOUTHWEST ORIENTATION...THEY SHOULD SEE BREEZY WINDS THROUGH THOSE
DRAINAGES. LOTS OF CUMULUS TODAY WITH SOME LIGHT RAIN OUT OF
THEM...BUT VERY LIGHT AMOUNTS. SUNDAY ANOTHER WAVE MOVES THROUGH
KEEPING THE WINDS UP...BUT BETTER MOISTURE FOR SHOWERS WITH MORE
SCATTERED COVERAGE. WIDESPREAD WETTING RAIN NOT ANTICIPATED...BUT
UNDER STRONGER CELL COULD SEE .10 OF PRECIPITATION.

.TODAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY CLOUDY. SLIGHT CHANCE OF AFTERNOON SHOWERS.
CWR.................LESS THAN 10 PERCENT.
MAX TEMPERATURE.....58-63 BOTTOM...45-50 TOP.
MIN HUMIDITY........23-28 PERCENT BOTTOM...33-38 PERCENT TOP.
WIND (20 FT)........WEST WINDS 6-15 MPH. GUSTS UP TO 20 MPH
                    INCREASING TO 30 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON...MAINLY
                    IN THE SOUTH FORK FLATHEAD AND WHITE RIVER DRAINAGES
                    AND TOP OF FIRE.
HAINES INDEX........2 VERY LOW.

.TONIGHT...

SKY/WEATHER.........PARTLY CLOUDY.
CWR.................0 PERCENT.
MIN TEMPERATURE.....28-33.
MAX HUMIDITY........88-93 PERCENT BOTTOM...60-65 PERCENT TOP.
WIND (20 FT)........BOTTOM...WEST WINDS 8-14 MPH...BECOMING VARIABLE
                    TO 8 MPH. TOP...WEST 10-15 MPH. GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH IN THE
                    EVENING.
HAINES INDEX........2 VERY LOW.

.SUNDAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY CLOUDY. SLIGHT CHANCE OF RAIN IN THE
                    MORNING...THEN CHANCE OF RAIN IN THE AFTERNOON.
CWR.................20 PERCENT.
MAX TEMPERATURE.....58-63 BOTTOM...45-50 TOP.
MIN HUMIDITY........29-34 PERCENT BOTTOM...43-48 PERCENT TOP.
WIND (20 FT)........SOUTHWEST WINDS 6-13 MPH. GUSTS 25-30 MPH AT THE
                    TOP OF THE FIRE AND THE SOUTH FORK AND WHITE RIVER
                    DRAINAGE.
HAINES INDEX........2 VERY LOW.

$$
FORECASTER...MEAD
REQUESTED BY...JIM FLINT
TYPE OF REQUEST...WILDFIRE
.TAG 20110917.HAMME.01/MSO