FNUS75 KTFX 221937
FWSTFX

SPOT FORECAST FOR ELBLOW PASS COMPLEX...USFS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
137 PM MDT WED AUG 22 2012

FORECAST IS BASED ON REQUEST TIME OF 1320 MDT ON AUGUST 22.
IF CONDITIONS BECOME UNREPRESENTATIVE...CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE.

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
FRIDAY EVENING FOR GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS AND A COLD FRONT PASSAGE
THURSDAY EVENING FOLLOWED BY STRONG WEST WINDS FRIDAY...

.DISCUSSION...
A WEAK RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING INTO THE REGION WILL
MAINTAIN GENERAL WEST WINDS ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH TONIGHT. CLEAR SKIES
AND LIGHT WINDS WILL ALLOW FOR TH DEVELOPMENT OF A THERMAL BELT
TONIGHT WITH BETTER HUMIDITY RECOVERIES IN DRAINAGE BOTTOMS THAN
EXPOSED HIGHER SLOPES AND RIDGES. A SOUTHWEST FLOW DEVELOPS ON
THURSDAY AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING FRONTAL SYSTEM AND THIS WILL
BRING VERY WARM AND DRY CONDITIONS BY LATE THURSDAY AFTERNOON WITH
INCREASING SOUTHWEST WINDS.

A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA THURSDAY NIGHT...SHIFTING
WINDS BACK TO THE WEST. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS MAY ACCOMPANY THE
FRONTAL PASSAGE THURSDAY NIGHT. COOLER BUT VERY WINDY CONDITIONS
ARE EXPECTED ON FRIDAY WITH HUMIDITY FALLING TO AROUND 20 PERCENT.

.REST OF TODAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY SUNNY WITH A FEW CUMULUS.
CWR.................ZERO.
LAL.................1.
HAINES INDEX........3.
MAX TEMPERATURE.....70-75 VALLEYS...65-73 RIDGES.
MIN HUMIDITY........18-23 PERCENT VALLEYS....23-28 PERCENT RIDGES.
WIND (20 FT)........WEST WINDS AROUND 10 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND
                    15 MPH.
RIDGE TOP WIND......WEST WINDS 10-15 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 20 MPH.

.TONIGHT...

SKY/WEATHER.........CLEAR.
CWR.................0 PERCENT.
LAL.................1.
HAINES INDEX........3.
MIN TEMPERATURE.....38-43 VALLEYS...46-51 MID-SLOPES AND RIDGES.
MAX HUMIDITY........75-80 PERCENT VALLEYS. 50-55 PERCENT
                    MID-SLOPES AND RIDGES.
WIND (20 FT)........WEST WINDS 10-15 MPH.
RIDGE TOP WIND......WEST WINDS AROUND 10 MPH....BECOMING
                    DOWN-DRAINAGE 3-5 MPH BY MIDNIGHT.

.THURSDAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY SUNNY WITH CUMULUS BUILDING LATE IN THE
                    AFTERNOON.
CWR.................0 PERCENT.
LAL.................1.
HAINES INDEX........4.
MAX TEMPERATURE.....77-82 VALLEYS...72-77 RIDGES.
MIN HUMIDITY........15-20 PERCENT VALLEYS....18-23 PERCENT RIDGES.
WIND (20 FT)........SOUTHWEST WINDS 5 TO 10 MPH...INCREASING TO
                    10-15 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 20 MPH LATE IN THE AFTERNOON.
RIDGE TOP WIND......SOUTHWEST WINDS 10 TO 15 MPH...INCREASING TO
                    15-20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 30 MPH LATE IN THE AFTERNOON.

$$
FORECASTER...HOENISCH
REQUESTED BY...KIP COLBY  T3IC
TYPE OF REQUEST...WILDFIRE
.TAG 20120822.ELBLO.02/TFX