FNUS75 KGJT 241557
FWSGJT

SPOT FORECAST FOR SAULS CREEK RX...USFS/SAN JUAN NF/COLUMBINE RD
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
957 AM MDT SAT SEP 24 2011

FORECAST IS BASED ON IGNITION TIME OF 1200 MDT ON SEPTEMBER 24.
IF CONDITIONS BECOME UNREPRESENTATIVE...CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE.

.DISCUSSION...
UPPER LEVEL RIDGE WILL BE SQUEEZED OVER WESTERN COLORADO BY STRONG
LOWS OVER THE PLAINS AND APPROACHING THE WEST COAST. THIS WILL LEAVE
DRY WEATHER IN PLACE...WITH ONLY SOME MID AND HIGH CLOUDS MOVING
OVERHEAD ON SUNDAY AS THE WESTERN TROF MOVES ONSHORE. THE MAIN
CONCERN WITH THE RIDGE ALOFT IS THE LIGHT WIND FIELDS THROUGH THE
MIXING LAYER BUT SMOKE DISPERSAL IN SOUTHWEST COLORADO LOOKS TO
REACH THE FAIR TO GOOD CATEGORY THE NEXT FEW AFTERNOON. WINDS WILL
BE TERRAIN DRIVEN NEAR SUNSET THROUGH THE LATE MORNING HOURS WITH
MODERATE SURFACE INVERSIONS FORMING. WITH HEATING TOWARD THE 80
DEGREE MARK HELPING MIXING IN THE AFTERNOON...WINDS SHOULD TURN
TO THE WEST/SOUTHWEST AT 5 TO 15 MPH BOTH SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.

.TODAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........SUNNY.
MAX TEMPERATURE.....NEAR 80 F.
MIN HUMIDITY........11-16%.
20-FOOT WINDS.......DOWNSLOPE/DOWNVALLEY WINDS 3 TO 8 MPH THROUGH
                    LATE MORNING...SHIFTING TO THE WEST TO SOUTHWEST
                    5 TO 10 MPH WITH A FEW GUSTS OVER 15 MPH BY MID
                    AFTERNOON.
SMOKE DISPERSAL.....POOR THROUGH LATE MORNING...INCREASING TO GOOD
                    BY MID AFTERNOON.
HAINES INDEX........5 MODERATE.
MIXING HEIGHT.......2500 FT AGL OR LESS THROUGH LATE MORNING.
                    INCREASING TO 10200 FT AGL IN BY MID AFTERNOON.
TRANSPORT WINDS.....WEST 10 MPH.

.TONIGHT...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY CLEAR.
MIN TEMPERATURE.....43-48F.
MAX HUMIDITY........42-47%.
20-FOOT WINDS.......WEST WINDS 5 TO 15 MPH IN THE EARLY EVENING
                    BECOMING DOWNSLOPE/DOWNVALLEY NEAR SUNSET.
SMOKE DISPERSAL.....FAIR IN THE EARLY EVENING...DROPPING TO POOR
                    AFTER SUNSET.
HAINES INDEX........5 MODERATE.
MIXING HEIGHT.......5600 FT AGL DECREASING TO 1000 FT AGL IN THE
                    LATE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT.
TRANSPORT WINDS.....NORTHWEST 10 MPH.

.SUNDAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY SUNNY.
MAX TEMPERATURE.....NEAR 80 F.
MIN HUMIDITY........12-17%.
20-FOOT WINDS.......DOWNSLOPE/DOWNVALLEY WINDS AT 3 TO 8 MPH
                    SHIFTING TO THE WEST AT 5 TO 15 MPH BY EARLY
                    IN THE AFTERNOON WITH A FEW GUSTS NEAR 20 MPH.
SMOKE DISPERSAL.....POOR THROUGH LATE MORNING INCREASING TO GOOD
                    BY MID AFTERNOON.
HAINES INDEX........5 MODERATE.
MIXING HEIGHT.......3000 FT AGL OR LESS THROUGH LATE MORNING
                    INCREASING TO 12100 FT AGL IN THE AFTERNOON.
TRANSPORT WINDS.....WEST 10 MPH.

$$
FORECASTER...DENNIS PHILLIPS
REQUESTED BY...SCOTT DEHNISCH
TYPE OF REQUEST...PRESCRIBED
.TAG 20110924.SAULS.01/GJT