FNUS75 KTFX 241700
FWSTFX

SPOT FORECAST FOR SOUTH FORK SUN RIVER RX PHASE III...USFS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
1100 AM MDT SAT SEP 24 2011

FORECAST IS BASED ON IGNITION TIME OF 1045 MDT ON SEPTEMBER 24.
IF CONDITIONS BECOME UNREPRESENTATIVE...CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE.

.DISCUSSION...
A SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT WILL MAINTAIN VERY WARM AND DRY CONDITIONS
THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON. WINDS WILL BE DRIVEN BY THE TERRAIN IN
STEEPER COUNTRY WITH A SOUTHERLY FLOW AFFECTING EXPOSED AREAS AND
RIDGES. A THERMAL BELT IS EXPECTED TONIGHT WITH WARMER TEMPERATURES
AND LESSER HUMIDITY RECOVERIES AT MID SLOPE AND RIDGE LOCATIONS.

WINDS WILL GRADUALLY INCREASE FROM THE SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST ON
SUNDAY AND A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH FROM THE WEST LATE SUNDAY
AFTERNOON AND EVENING. EXPECT GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS TO DEVELOP
SUNDAY EVENING WITH THE COLD FRONT BRINGING A SHIFT TO WESTERLY
WINDS BETWEEN 1800 AND 2100. WINDS WILL INCREASE FURTHER AFTER THE
FRONTAL PASSAGE SUNDAY EVENING WITH GUSTS TO 40 MPH POSSIBLE AT
EXPOSED HIGHER ELEVATIONS AFTER 2000. TEMPERATURES WILL COOL AND
HUMIDITY WILL INCREASE BEHIND THE FRONT SUNDAY EVENING HOWEVER
ONLY ISOLATED SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED WITH
THE FRONT.

.TODAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........SUNNY.
CWR.................0 PERCENT.
MAX TEMPERATURE.....75-80 LOWER SLOPES...70-75 RIDGES.
MIN HUMIDITY........12-17 PERCENT LOWER SLOPES...17-22 PERCENT
                    RIDGES.
WIND (20 FT)........UPSLOPE/UPVALLEY 3 TO 5 MPH IN STEEPER
                    TERRAIN...SOUTH WINDS 5 TO 10 MPH WITH GUSTS
                    TO 15 MPH IN EXPOSED AREAS.
RIDGE TOP WIND......SOUTH WINDS 10 TO 15 MPH.
MIXING HEIGHT.......8000 FT AGL.
MIXING WINDS........SOUTHWEST AROUND 15 MPH.

.TONIGHT...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY CLEAR.
CWR.................0 PERCENT.
MIN TEMPERATURE.....48-53...53-58 MID SLOPES TO RIDGETOPS.
MAX HUMIDITY........42-47 PERCENT...35 TO 40 PERCENT MID SLOPES TO
                    RIDGETOPS.
WIND (20 FT)........SOUTHEAST WINDS 5-10 MPH...DOWNSLOPE UP TO 5 MPH
                    IN STEEPER TERRAIN.
RIDGE TOP WIND......SOUTH WINDS 10 TO 15 MPH.
MIXING HEIGHT.......LOWERING TO LESS THAN 1000FT AGL.
MIXING WINDS........SOUTH 10 TO 15 MPH.

.SUNDAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY SUNNY WITH INCREASING AFTERNOON CLOUDS.
CWR.................0 PERCENT.
MAX TEMPERATURE.....72-77 LOWER SLOPES...68-73 RIDGETOPS.
MIN HUMIDITY........14-19 PERCENT...20 TO 25 PERCENT RIDGETOPS.
WIND (20 FT)........SOUTH WINDS AROUND 5 MPH BECOMING SOUTHWEST 10
                    TO 15 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON.
RIDGE TOP WIND......SOUTHWEST 10 TO 15 MPH...GUSTS TO 25 MPH IN THE
                    AFTERNOON.
MIXING HEIGHT.......8000 FT AGL.
MIXING WINDS........SOUTHWEST 20 MPH.

$$
FORECASTER...HOENISCH
REQUESTED BY...MARK CONWAY
TYPE OF REQUEST...PRESCRIBED
.TAG 20110924.SOUTH.02/TFX