FNUS75 KMSO 082353
FWSMSO

SPOT FORECAST FOR SHEEP
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT
553 PM MDT SAT SEP 8 2012

FORECAST IS BASED ON REQUEST TIME OF 1650 MDT ON SEPTEMBER 08.
IF CONDITIONS BECOME UNREPRESENTATIVE...CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE.

.DISCUSSION...EXPECT POOR RECOVERIES, ESPECIALLY ON THE UPPER
REACHES OF THE FIRE, CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THERMAL BELTS
STRENGTHENING DUE TO THE INCREASE IN CLOUD COVER OVERNIGHT PREVENT
STRONG INVERSIONS FROM FORMING BY SUNDAY MORNING. WINDS WILL REMAIN
LIGHT UNTIL VERY EARLY IN THE MORNING WHEN A SOUTHERLY DIRECTIONAL
COMPONENT WILL DEVELOP ACROSS ALL ELEVATIONS. THESE WINDS WILL BE
PERSISTENT THROUGHOUT SUNDAY, INCREASING DURING THE AFTERNOON AS A
WEAK COLD FRONT MOVES OVER THE FIRE. THIS SHOULD AID IN MIXING THE
ATMOSPHERE BUT ALSO DROP HUMIDITY LEVELS AGAIN INTO THE LOWER TEENS
WITH THE INFLUX OF DRIER AIR BEHIND THE FRONT. A GRADUAL WIND SHIFT
TO THE NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED BY SUNDAY EVENING AND THE TURNING
NORTHERLY AND LIGHT INTO MONDAY MORNING. THERE WILL ALSO BE AN
OUTSIDE THREAT FOR A SHOWER OR THUNDERSTORM, PRIMARILY DRY IN
NATURE, THROUGHOUT SUNDAY WHICH MAY PRODUCE SOME ADDITIONAL GUSTY,
ERRATIC WINDS.

AN EVEN STRONGER COLD FRONT IS POSSIBLE LATE MONDAY INTO TUESDAY
MORNING WHICH COULD BRING STRONGER NORTHWEST TO NORTHERLY WINDS
ACROSS THE FIRE.

.REST OF THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT...

SKY/WEATHER.........SUNNY. BECOMING MOSTLY CLOUDY BY MORNING.
CWR.................0 PERCENT.
MIN TEMPERATURE.....TOP: 57-62.
                    BOTTOM: 51-56.
MAX HUMIDITY........TOP: 35-40 PERCENT.
                    BOTTOM: 48-54 PERCENT.
WIND (20 FT)........VARIABLE 1-3 MPH. BECOMING SOUTH 6-8 MPH BY
                    MORNING.
MIXING HEIGHT.......7500 FT AGL DECREASING TO 1500 FT AGL OVERNIGHT.
MIXING WINDS........SOUTH 10 MPH...INCREASING TO 20 MPH BY MORNING.
HAINES INDEX........4 LOW.

.SUNDAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY CLOUDY. SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND
                    THUNDERSTORMS THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
CWR.................10 PERCENT.
MAX TEMPERATURE.....86-91.
MIN HUMIDITY........10-15 PERCENT.
WIND (20 FT)........SOUTH WINDS 6-10 MPH IN THE MORNING. BECOMING
                    WEST AROUND 7-11 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON. SHIFTING
                    TO NORTHWEST LATE IN THE AFTERNOON.
MIXING HEIGHT.......7300 FT AGL.
MIXING WINDS........SOUTHWEST 15 MPH.
HAINES INDEX........3 VERY LOW.

.SUNDAY NIGHT...

SKY/WEATHER.........PARTLY CLOUDY.
CWR.................0 PERCENT.
MIN TEMPERATURE.....47-52.
MAX HUMIDITY........61-66 PERCENT.
WIND (20 FT)........NORTH WINDS 6-12 MPH IN THE EVENING BECOMING
                    VARIABLE 2-5 MPH.
MIXING HEIGHT.......1100 FT AGL.
MIXING WINDS........LIGHT AND VARIABLE.
HAINES INDEX........3 VERY LOW.

$$

FORECASTER...DICKERSON
REQUESTED BY...BRUCE GIERSDORF
TYPE OF REQUEST...WILDFIRE
.TAG 20120908.SHEEP.01/MSO