FNUS75 KGJT 031738
FWSGJT

SPOT FORECAST FOR PICEANCE...CRAIG DISPATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
1138 AM MDT FRI AUG 3 2012

FORECAST IS BASED ON REQUEST TIME OF 1112 MDT ON AUGUST 03.
IF CONDITIONS BECOME UNREPRESENTATIVE...CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE.

.DISCUSSION...
DRIER AIR HAS BEEN PUSHED INTO WESTERN COLORADO BY A FAIRLY STRONG
SYSTEM MOVING ACROSS THE NORTHERN ROCKIES. THIS DRIER AIRMASS WILL
ALLOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY LEVELS TO DROP TO AROUND 10 PERCENT THIS
AFTERNOON. RIDGETOP WINDS WILL BE FROM THE WEST AND MAY GUST UP
TO AROUND 25 MPH AS MIXING INCREASES THROUGH THE LATE AFTERNOON
HOURS. THE SYSTEM TO THE NORTH WILL BE PUSHING A WEAK FRONT
SOUTHWARD THROUGH NORTHWEST COLORADO TONIGHT AND THIS WIND SHIFT
MAY BE FELT NEAR THE BURN SITE BY THE LATE EVENING HOURS. GUSTY
WINDS ARE NOT EXPECTED WITH THE FRONTAL PASSAGE BUT IF TERRAIN DRIVEN
WINDS FORM AFTER SUNSET...THEY MAY BECOME MORE NORTHERLY BEHIND
THE BOUNDARY FOR A FEW HOURS. DRY CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST BEHIND
THIS WEAK FRONT WITH TEMPERATURES REMAINING NEAR THE 90 DEGREE MARK
FRO SATURDAY.

.TODAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY SUNNY (10-20%).
MAX TEMPERATURE.....AROUND 89 TO 93F.
MIN HUMIDITY........7-12%.
20-FOOT WINDS.......WEST WINDS INCREASING TO 12 TO 17 MPH BY EARLY
                    AFTERNOON. A FEW WINDS GUSTS UP TO 25 MPH POSSIBLY
                    BY LATE AFTERNOON INTO THE EARLY EVENING HOURS.
HAINES INDEX........5 MODERATE.
LAL.................1.

.TONIGHT...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY CLEAR (10-20%).
MIN TEMPERATURE.....57 TO 62 F.
MAX HUMIDITY........40-45%.
20-FOOT WINDS.......WEST WINDS 10 TO 15 MPH IN THE EARLY EVENING THEN
                    SWITCHING TO THE NORTH BY 2200 AT 5 TO 10
                    MPH...THEN TERRAIN DRIVEN BY THE EARLY MORNING
                    HOURS.
HAINES INDEX........5 MODERATE.
LAL.................1.

.SATURDAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........SUNNY (0-10%) IN THE MORNING THEN BECOMING PARTLY
                    CLOUDY (30-40%) BY EARLY AFTERNOON.
MAX TEMPERATURE.....AROUND 90 F.
MIN HUMIDITY........8-13%.
20-FOOT WINDS.......TERRAIN DRIVEN WINDS THROUGH MID MORNING THEN
                    BECOMING NORTH TO NORTHWEST WINDS 7 TO 12 MPH BY
                    EARLY AFTERNOON.
HAINES INDEX........4 LOW.
LAL.................1.

$$
FORECASTER...DENNIS PHILLIPS
REQUESTED BY...BLM
TYPE OF REQUEST...WILDFIRE
.TAG 20120803.PICEA.01/GJT