FNUS75 KTFX 231535
FWSTFX

SPOT FORECAST FOR ELBOW PASS...LEWIS & CLARK NATIONAL FOREST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
935 AM MDT MON JUL 23 2012

FORECAST IS BASED ON REQUEST TIME OF 0910 MDT ON JULY 23.
IF CONDITIONS BECOME UNREPRESENTATIVE...CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE.

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM MDT TUESDAY...

.DISCUSSION...
BREEZY AND GUSTY WEST WINDS MIXING DOWN TO THE SURFACE IN THE WAKE OF
A PACIFIC COLD FRONT WILL COMBINE WITH AFTERNOON AND EVENING RELATIVE
HUMIDITIES OF NEAR 20 PERCENT TO CREATE RED FLAG CONDITIONS AROUND THE
FIRE AREA THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING. WEAK INSTABILITY IN THE AFTERNOON
AND EVENING HOURS TODAY MAY CAUSE AN ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM OR TWO TO
DEVELOP. THE MAIN THREAT FROM ANY STORM WILL LIKELY BE STRONG GUSTY
WINDS. THE PACIFIC WEATHER SYSTEM WILL BEGIN EXITING THE AREA ON
TUESDAY...FOR LITTLE IF ANY CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS.  COULSTON

.REST OF TODAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY SUNNY. SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND
                    THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AFTERNOON.
CWR.................0 PERCENT.
MAX TEMPERATURE.....75-80.
MIN HUMIDITY........17-22 PERCENT.
WIND (20 FT)........WEST WINDS 5 TO 15 MPH IN THE
                    MORNING...INCREASING TO AROUND 20 MPH WITH
                    GUSTS TO AROUND 40 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON.
RIDGE TOP WIND......SOUTHWEST WINDS 30 TO 40 MPH.
LAL.................1 UNTIL 1200...THEN 2.
HAINES INDEX........3 VERY LOW.

.TONIGHT...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY CLEAR. SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND
                    THUNDERSTORMS IN THE EVENING.
CWR.................0 PERCENT.
MIN TEMPERATURE.....41-46.
MAX HUMIDITY........83-88 PERCENT.
WIND (20 FT)........WEST WINDS 10 TO 20 MPH. GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH
                    IN THE EVENING.
RIDGE TOP WIND......SOUTHWEST WINDS 25 TO 35 MPH.
LAL.................2 UNTIL 2400...THEN 1.
HAINES INDEX........4 LOW.

.TUESDAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........SUNNY.
CWR.................0 PERCENT.
MAX TEMPERATURE.....70-75.
MIN HUMIDITY........17-22 PERCENT.
WIND (20 FT)........WEST WINDS 10 TO 20 MPH. GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH IN
                    THE AFTERNOON.
RIDGE TOP WIND......WEST WINDS 25 TO 35 MPH.
LAL.................1.
HAINES INDEX........4 LOW.

$$
FORECASTER...COULSTON
REQUESTED BY...MARK CONWAY
TYPE OF REQUEST...WILDFIRE
.TAG 20120723.ELBOW.01/TFX