FNUS75 KTFX 082008
FWSTFX

SPOT FORECAST FOR ELBOW PASS COMPLEX...GREAT FALLS DISPATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
208 PM MDT SAT SEP 8 2012

FORECAST IS BASED ON REQUEST TIME OF 1329 MDT ON SEPTEMBER 08.
IF CONDITIONS BECOME UNREPRESENTATIVE...CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE.

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON SUNDAY TO MIDNIGHT MDT
MONDAY NIGHT...

.DISCUSSION...

MAINLY CLEAR SKIES WITH TERRAIN-DRIVEN WINDS WILL CONTINUE FOR
THE REST OF TODAY AND TONIGHT AS A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE BEGINS
TO BREAKDOWN. A WEAK INVERSION WILL DEVELOP LATER THIS EVENING
AND POOR RELATIVE HUMIDITY RECOVERIES ARE EXPECTED
TONIGHT...ESPECIALLY IN MID-SLOPE AREAS AND RIDGETOPS. CRITICAL
FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED BY EARLY AFTERNOON BEFORE A COLD
FRONT MOVES THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING. SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE
SUNDAY AFTERNOON AHEAD OF THE FRONT WITH SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS
WITH LITTLE PRECIPITATION POSSIBLE BETWEEN 1500 SUNDAY AFTERNOON
AND 2100 SUNDAY EVENING. WINDS WILL SHIFT TO THE WEST SUNDAY NIGHT
AND CONTINUE TO INCREASE THROUGH THE DAY MONDAY WITH STRONG WEST
WINDS AND GUSTS OF 45-55 MPH EXPECTED MONDAY AFTERNOON AND
EVENING.

.REST OF TODAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........SUNNY.
CWR.................0 PERCENT.
LAL.................1.
HAINES INDEX........3 VERY LOW.
MAX TEMPERATURE.....77-82 VALLEYS...72-77 RIDGES.
MIN HUMIDITY........11-16 PERCENT.
WIND (20 FT)........SOUTHWEST WINDS 8 TO 12 MPH.
RIDGE TOP WIND......WEST WINDS AROUND 15 MPH.
MIXING HEIGHT.......8000 FT AGL.
MIXING WINDS........WEST AROUND 15 MPH.

.TONIGHT...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY CLEAR.
CWR.................0 PERCENT.
LAL.................1.
HAINES INDEX........3 VERY LOW.
MIN TEMPERATURE.....35-40 VALLEYS...45-55 MID-SLOPES/RIDGES.
MAX HUMIDITY........60-65 PERCENT VALLEYS...30-40 PERCENT
                    MID-SLOPES/RIDGES.
WIND (20 FT)........BECOMING DOWN-SLOPE/DOWN-VALLEY 3-5 MPH. AFTER MIDNIGHT
                    SOUTHWEST WINDS 5 TO 10 MPH.
RIDGE TOP WIND......WEST WINDS AROUND 10 MPH.
MIXING HEIGHT.......500 FT AGL.
MIXING WINDS........WEST AROUND 10 MPH.
INVERSION...........WILL DEVELOP AROUND 2300.

.SUNDAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........PARTLY SUNNY. CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND
                    THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AFTERNOON.
CWR.................20 PERCENT.
LAL.................3 AFTER 1500 HRS.
HAINES INDEX........5 HIGH.
MAX TEMPERATURE.....80-85 VALLEYS...75-80 RIDGES.
MIN HUMIDITY........15-20 PERCENT.
WIND (20 FT)........SOUTHWEST WINDS AROUND 10 MPH INCREASING TO 15-20
                    MPH WITH GUSTS AROUND 25 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON.
RIDGE TOP WIND......SOUTHWEST 10-15 MPH INCREASING TO 20-25 MPH
                    WITH GUSTS TO 35 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON.
MIXING HEIGHT.......10000 FT AGL.
MIXING WINDS........SOUTHWEST AROUND 25 MPH.
INVERSION...........WILL BREAK AROUND 1000.

$$
FORECASTER...VANDENHEUVEL
REQUESTED BY...GREAT FALLS DISPATCH
TYPE OF REQUEST...WILDFIRE
.TAG 20120908.ELBOW.02/TFX