FNUS75 KTFX 142005
FWSTFX

SPOT FORECAST FOR ELBOW PASS COMPLEX...GREAT FALLS DISPATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
205 PM MDT FRI SEP 14 2012

FORECAST IS BASED ON REQUEST TIME OF 1346 MDT ON SEPTEMBER 14.
IF CONDITIONS BECOME UNREPRESENTATIVE...CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE.

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

.DISCUSSION...
BREEZY WINDS THIS AFTERNOON CONTINUE TO COMBINE WITH DRY
CONDITIONS TO CREATE CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ACROSS THE
AREA. WINDS SHOULD TAPER OFF AFTER SUNSET WHILE RH VALUES WILL
REMAIN PRETTY LOW EVEN THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT RECOVERY PERIOD.
OVERNIGHT INVERSION DEVELOPMENT SHOULD CAP OFF AROUND 7500 FEET AND
SHOULD BREAK BY 10AM. BREEZY WINDS WILL RETURN AROUND MID DAY
SATURDAY AS A WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY MOVES SOUTH THROUGH THE AREA.
EXPECT WINDS TO BECOME MORE NORTHWESTERLY BEHIND THE BOUNDARY WITH
CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS STILL POSSIBLE. SKY CONDITIONS
THROUGH THE PERIOD MAY DIFFER SOME AS SMOKE FROM FIRES FURTHER WEST
OBSCURE THE SUN.

.TONIGHT...

SKY/WEATHER.........PARTLY CLOUDY. AREAS OF SMOKE FROM OTHER
                    FIRES MAY OBSCURE SKY AND REDUCE VISIBILITY.
CWR.................0 PERCENT.
MIN TEMPERATURE.....44-50.
MAX HUMIDITY........35-45 PERCENT.
WIND (20 FT)........SOUTHWEST WINDS 5 TO 10 MPH.
RIDGE TOP WIND......SOUTHWEST WINDS 15 TO 20 MPH.
MIXING HEIGHT.......500 FT AGL.
MIXING WINDS........SOUTHWEST AROUND 15 TO 20 MPH.
HAINES INDEX........6
LAL.................1

.SATURDAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY SUNNY. AREAS OF SMOKE FROM OTHER
                    FIRES MAY OBSCURE SKY AND REDUCE VISIBILITY.
CWR.................0 PERCENT.
MAX TEMPERATURE.....65-75.
MIN HUMIDITY........10-15 PERCENT.
WIND (20 FT)........WEST WINDS 5 TO 10 MPH.
RIDGE TOP WIND......WEST WINDS AROUND 20 MPH.
MIXING HEIGHT.......4500 FT AGL.
MIXING WINDS........WEST AROUND 20 MPH.
HAINES INDEX........5
LAL.................1

$$
FORECASTER...GUSTAFSON
REQUESTED BY...GREAT FALLS DISPATCH
TYPE OF REQUEST...WILDFIRE
.TAG 20120914.ELBOW.02/TFX