FNUS75 KTFX 222010
FWSTFX

SPOT FORECAST FOR ELBOW PASS COMPLEX...GREAT FALLS DISPATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
210 PM MDT SAT SEP 22 2012

FORECAST IS BASED ON REQUEST TIME OF 1337 MDT ON SEPTEMBER 22.
IF CONDITIONS BECOME UNREPRESENTATIVE...CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE.

.DISCUSSION...
HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT WILL KEEP THE AREA DRY AND UNSEASONABLY WARM
THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT. A DISTURBANCE ALOFT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE
HIGH PRESSURE ON SUNDAY...WHICH MAY BRING AN ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM
OR TWO WITH LITTLE IF ANY PRECIPITATION TO THE FIRE AREA SUNDAY
AFTERNOON. TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN UNSEASONABLY WARM THROUGH AT
LEAST SUNDAY WITH AFTERNOON HUMIDITY FALLING TO NEAR 20 PERCENT.
OVERNIGHT...VALLEY LOCATIONS WILL HAVE LOW TEMPERATURES IN THE
30S WITH GOOD HUMIDITY RECOVERY. HOWEVER...A THERMAL BELT WILL
LIKELY REDEVELOP TO KEEP MID SLOPE AND RIDGE TOP TEMPERATURES
CONSIDERABLY WARMER WITH POOR OVERNIGHT HUMIDITY RECOVERY. WINDS
WILL REMAIN MOSTLY TERRAIN-DRIVEN INTO SUNDAY MORNING...BUT THEY
WILL SHIFT MORE EASTERLY AS THE SYSTEM APPROACHES SUNDAY
AFTERNOON.  COULSTON


.REST OF TODAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........SUNNY.
CWR.................0 PERCENT.
MAX TEMPERATURE.....73-78 VALLEYS...68-73 RIDGES.
MIN HUMIDITY........15-20 PERCENT VALLEYS...18-23 PERCENT RIDGES.
WIND (20 FT)........UP SLOPE/UP VALLEY WINDS 5 TO 10 MPH.
RIDGE TOP WIND......SOUTHWEST 5 TO 10 MPH.
MIXING HEIGHT.......7000 FT AGL.
MIXING WINDS........SOUTH 5 TO 10 MPH.
LAL.................1.
HAINES INDEX........3 VERY LOW.
INVERSION...........NONE.

.TONIGHT...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY CLEAR.
CWR.................0 PERCENT.
MIN TEMPERATURE.....34-39 VALLEYS...48-55 MID SLOPES/RIDGES.
MAX HUMIDITY........80-85 PERCENT VALLEYS...35-45 PERCENT
                    MID SLOPES/RIDGES.
WIND (20 FT)........LIGHT AND VARIABLE WINDS BECOMING
                    DOWN SLOPE/DOWN VALLEY 5 TO 10 MPH BY
                    MIDNIGHT.
RIDGE TOP WIND......SOUTH WINDS 5 TO 10 MPH BECOMING SOUTHEAST
                    AFTER MIDNIGHT.
MIXING HEIGHT.......500 FT AGL.
MIXING WINDS........LIGHT WINDS.
LAL.................1.
HAINES INDEX........3 VERY LOW.
INVERSION...........WILL DEVELOP BETWEEN 2200 AND 2400 MDT.

.SUNDAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY SUNNY. SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND
                    THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AFTERNOON.
CWR.................5 PERCENT.
MAX TEMPERATURE.....71-76 VALLEYS...66-71 RIDGES.
MIN HUMIDITY........15-20 PERCENT VALLEYS...22-27 PERCENT RIDGES.
WIND (20 FT)........LIGHT AND VARIABLE WINDS BECOMING NORTHEAST
                    5 TO 10 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON.
RIDGE TOP WIND......SOUTHEAST WINDS 5 TO 10 MPH BECOMING EAST
                    10 TO 15 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON.
MIXING HEIGHT.......4000 FT AGL.
MIXING WINDS........EAST WINDS AROUND 10 MPH.
LAL.................1 UNTIL 1200 MDT...THEN 2.
HAINES INDEX........3 VERY LOW.
INVERSION...........WILL BREAK BETWEEN 1000 AND 1200 MDT.

$$
FORECASTER...COULSTON
REQUESTED BY...GREAT FALLS DISPATCH
TYPE OF REQUEST...WILDFIRE
.TAG 20120922.ELBOW.02/TFX