FNUS75 KMSO 082049
FWSMSO

SPOT FORECAST FOR SAWTOOTH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT
249 PM MDT SAT SEP 8 2012

FORECAST IS BASED ON REQUEST TIME OF 1425 MDT ON SEPTEMBER 08.
IF CONDITIONS BECOME UNREPRESENTATIVE...CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE.

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 9 PM MDT SUNDAY...

.DISCUSSION...THERMAL BELTS WILL FORM AND INTENSIFY AGAIN
TONIGHT. INCREASING WINDS WILL MIX DRY AIR DOWN AND ALLOW FOR VERY
DRY CONDITIONS AGAIN SUNDAY...HOWEVER INCREASING CLOUD COVER WILL
CAUSE A VERY LATE INVERSION BREAK ON THE LOWER THIRD OF THE SLOPE.
THE DRIEST AREAS MAY BE THE LOWER MID SLOPES MOST OF THE DAY.
SUNDAY AFTERNOON WEST WINDS WILL INCREASE WITH AN APPROACHING
FRONT. MODELS HAVE SLIGHTLY BACKED OFF ON THE RIDGE TOP WINDS...SO
FORECAST 35 MPH GUSTS INSTEAD OF 40-45 MPH AS PREVIOUSLY BRIEFED.
ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE IN THE AFTERNOON.

.TONIGHT...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY CLEAR.
CWR.................0 PERCENT.
MIN TEMPERATURE.....40-45 BOTTOM TO 47-53 IN THERMAL BELTS.
MAX HUMIDITY........70-75 PERCENT BOTTOM TO 42-47 PERCENT IN
                    THERMAL BELTS.
WIND (20 FT)........WEST WINDS 5-6 MPH IN THE EVENING BECOMING
                    VARIABLE 2-4 MPH.
MIXING HEIGHT.......200 FT AGL.
MIXING WINDS........SOUTH 5 MPH.
HAINES INDEX........4 LOW.

.SUNDAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY CLOUDY. CHANCE OF RAIN SHOWERS AND
                    SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS IN THE
                    AFTERNOON.
CWR.................20 PERCENT.
MAX TEMPERATURE.....77-82 BOTTOM TO 62-67 TOP.
MIN HUMIDITY........14-19 PERCENT LOWER MID-SLOPES TO 25-30
                    PERCENT RIDGE TOP.
WIND (20 FT)........VALLEYS WEST 8-12 MPH WITH GUSTS AROUND 20 MPH
                    IN THE AFTERNOON. RIDGE TOP WINDS SOUTHWEST
                    14-20 MPH WITH GUSTS NEAR 35 MPH.
MIXING HEIGHT.......6000 FT AGL.
MIXING WINDS........SOUTHWEST 30 MPH.
HAINES INDEX........4 LOW.

$$
FORECASTER...LEACH
REQUESTED BY...KELLY ALLEN
TYPE OF REQUEST...WILDFIRE
.TAG 20120908.SAWTO.01/MSO