FNUS75 KTFX 241153
FWSTFX

SPOT FORECAST FOR ELBOW PASS COMPLEX...USFS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
553 AM MDT FRI AUG 24 2012

FORECAST IS BASED ON REQUEST TIME OF 0534 MDT ON AUGUST 24.
IF CONDITIONS BECOME UNREPRESENTATIVE...CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE.

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING...

.DISCUSSION...
A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL MOVE SOUTH THROUGH THE FIRE AREA THIS
MORNING...LIKELY BY 0900 MDT. THIS WILL BRING ISOLATED SHOWERS WITH
A SLIGHT CHANCE OF A THUNDERSTORM TO THE FIRE AREA TODAY...BUT WETTING
RAINFALL IS UNLIKELY. DESPITE COOLER THAN NORMAL TEMPERATURES...THE
AIRMASS WILL REMAIN QUITE DRY (HUMIDITY BETWEEN 20 AND 30 PERCENT IN
THE AFTERNOON) WITH INCREASING WESTERLY WINDS. AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE OF
HIGH PRESSURE WILL MOVE BACK INTO THE AREA TONIGHT AND SATURDAY FOR
NEAR NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND DECREASING WINDS.  COULSTON

.TODAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY SUNNY. ISOLATED SHOWERS WITH A SLIGHT
                    CHANCE OF A THUNDERSTORM.
CWR.................10 PERCENT.
LAL.................2.
HAINES INDEX........3 VERY LOW.
MAX TEMPERATURE.....59-64.
MIN HUMIDITY........24-29 PERCENT.
WIND (20 FT)........WINDY. NORTHWEST WINDS 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP
                    TO 35 MPH IN THE MORNING...INCREASING TO 20 TO
                    30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON.
RIDGE TOP WIND......WEST WINDS 30 TO 40 MPH...SHIFTING TO THE
                    NORTHWEST IN THE AFTERNOON.

.TONIGHT...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY CLEAR.
CWR.................0 PERCENT.
LAL.................1.
HAINES INDEX........3 VERY LOW.
MIN TEMPERATURE.....31-36.
MAX HUMIDITY........81-89 PERCENT.
WIND (20 FT)........WEST WINDS 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 35
                    MPH EARLY IN THE EVENING...DECREASING TO
                    DOWNSLOPE/DOWNVALLEY AT 5 MPH AFTER MIDNIGHT.
RIDGE TOP WIND......NORTHWEST WINDS 20 TO 30 MPH EARLY IN THE
                    EVENING...DECREASING TO WEST 10 TO 20 MPH AROUND
                    MIDNIGHT

.SATURDAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........SUNNY.
CWR.................0 PERCENT.
LAL.................1.
HAINES INDEX........3 VERY LOW.
MAX TEMPERATURE.....65-70.
MIN HUMIDITY........18-23 PERCENT.
WIND (20 FT)........UPSLOPE/UPVALLEY WINDS AROUND 5 MPH.
RIDGE TOP WIND......WEST WINDS 10 TO 20 MPH.

$$
FORECASTER...COULSTON
REQUESTED BY...KIP COLBY  T3IC
TYPE OF REQUEST...WILDFIRE
.TAG 20120824.ELBOW.01/TFX