FNUS75 KMSO 171748
FWSMSO

SPOT FORECAST FOR OTTER
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT
1148 AM MDT SAT SEP 17 2011

FORECAST IS BASED ON REQUEST TIME OF 1018 PDT ON SEPTEMBER 17.
IF CONDITIONS BECOME UNREPRESENTATIVE...CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE.

.DISCUSSION...WINDS WILL BE THE MAIN IMPACT TO THE FIRE
TODAY...THEN INCREASING MOISTURE FROM NEXT WEATHER SYSTEM LATE
TONIGHT AND SUNDAY. THE WEST TO EAST DRAINAGE ON THE NORTH END
OF THE FIRE WILL ALLOW STRONG WEST WINDS TO MIX TO THE SURFACE AND
IMPACT THE BASE OF THE FIRE. THE RIDGE LINE WILL ALSO SEE BREEZY TO
WINDY CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON. THE TOP OF THE FIRE IS EXPECTED
TO SEE WINDS CONTINUE FROM THE WEST...BUT WITH DECREASED SPEEDS.
THE BASE OF THE FIRE WILL DECOUPLE AFTER SUNSET. THE CIRRUS WILL
CONTINUE TO THICKEN THIS AFTERNOON/EVENING KEEPING HUMIDITIES UP.
SHOWERS ASSOCIATED WITH NEXT SYSTEM ARE EXPECTED TO ARRIVE TO THE FIRE
BY DAYBREAK. SCATTERED SHOWERS OVER THE FIRE ARE EXPECTED THROUGH
NOON...WITH A GRADUAL DECREASE IN THE AFTERNOON. WEST WINDS WILL
AGAIN BE AN ISSUE SUNDAY...BUT IN THE AFTERNOON WHEN THE SHOWERS
ARE ON THE DECREASE.

.TODAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........BECOMING MOSTLY CLOUDY THIS AFTERNOON.
CWR.................0 PERCENT.
MAX TEMPERATURE.....70-75 BOTTOM...48-53 TOP.
MIN HUMIDITY........29-34 PERCENT BOTTOM...45-50 PERCENT TOP.
WIND (20 FT)........BOTTOM...VARIABLE 2-5 MPH BECOMING WEST 7-8 MPH
                    WITH GUSTS TO 20 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON.
                    TOP...WEST 10-15 MPH...GUSTS 25-30 MPH IN THE
                    AFTERNOON.
MIXING HEIGHT.......7300 FT AGL.
MIXING WINDS........WEST 15-20 MPH.
HAINES INDEX........2 VERY LOW.

.TONIGHT...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY CLOUDY. SLIGHT CHANCE OF RAIN TOWARD MORNING.
CWR.................10 PERCENT.
MIN TEMPERATURE.....45-50 BOTTOM...39-44 TOP.
MAX HUMIDITY........95-100 PERCENT BOTTOM...75-80 PERCENT TOP.
WIND (20 FT)........BOTTOM...WEST WINDS 5-8 MPH IN THE EVENING BECOMING
                    VARIABLE 2-5 MPH AFTER SUNSET.
                    TOP...WEST 10-13 MPH.
MIXING HEIGHT.......200 FT AGL.
MIXING WINDS........WEST 15 MPH.
HAINES INDEX........2 VERY LOW.

.SUNDAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY CLOUDY. CHANCE OF RAIN IN THE MORNING...
                    SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE AFTERNOON.
CWR.................30 PERCENT.
MAX TEMPERATURE.....73-78 BOTTOM...52-57 TOP.
MIN HUMIDITY........33-38 PERCENT BOTTOM...49-54 PERCENT TOP.
WIND (20 FT)........BOTTOM...VARIABLE 2-4 MPH BECOMING WEST 6-7
                    MPH IN THE AFTERNOON.
                    TOP...WEST 10-15 MPH...INCREASING TO 15-20 MPH
                    IN THE AFTERNOON.
MIXING HEIGHT.......6500 FT AGL.
MIXING WINDS........WEST 15 MPH.
HAINES INDEX........2 VERY LOW.

$$
FORECASTER...MEAD
REQUESTED BY...MARGARET WILLIAMS
TYPE OF REQUEST...WILDFIRE
.TAG 20110917.OTTER.01/MSO