FNUS75 KTFX 301930
FWSTFX

SPOT FORECAST FOR ELBOW PASS COMPLEX...GREAT FALLS DISPATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
130 PM MDT SUN SEP 30 2012

FORECAST IS BASED ON REQUEST TIME OF 1301 MDT ON SEPTEMBER 30.
IF CONDITIONS BECOME UNREPRESENTATIVE...CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE.

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM MONDAY TO MIDNIGHT MDT
MONDAY NIGHT...

.DISCUSSION...
A PRESSURE GRADIENT OVER THE AREA WILL TIGHTEN THROUGH MONDAY AS A
STORM SYSTEM AND COLD FRONT APPROACH THE AREA. INCREASING WESTERLY
WINDS WILL LIMIT INVERSION DEVELOPMENT TO DEEP AND SHELTERED VALLEYS
TONIGHT. STRONG WINDS COMBINED WITH DRY AIR WILL RESULT IN
CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ON MONDAY. WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO
INCREASE MONDAY EVENING WITH RIDGE TOP WINDS EXCEEDING 50 MPH BY LATE
MONDAY NIGHT. THE COLD FRONT WILL USHER IN MUCH COLDER AIR AND SNOW
BY TUESDAY EVENING. LANGLIEB

.TONIGHT...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY CLEAR.
CWR.................0 PERCENT.
MIN TEMPERATURE.....36-41 VALLEYS...40-45 RIDGES.
MAX HUMIDITY........71-81 PERCENT VALLEYS....35-45 PERCENT RIDGES.
WIND (20 FT)........WEST WINDS 5 TO 10 MPH.
RIDGE TOP WIND......WEST AROUND 10 MPH.
MIXING HEIGHT.......500 FT AGL.
MIXING WINDS........WEST AROUND 10 MPH.
LAL.................1
HAINES..............2 VERY LOW
INVERSION...........SHELTERED VALLEYS AFTER MIDNIGHT.

.MONDAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........SUNNY.
CWR.................0 PERCENT.
MAX TEMPERATURE.....60-69.
MIN HUMIDITY........18-24 PERCENT.
WIND (20 FT)........WEST WINDS 15 TO 25 MPH. GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH IN
                    THE AFTERNOON.
RIDGE TOP WIND......WEST WINDS 20 TO 30 MPH. GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH IN
                    THE AFTERNOON.
MIXING HEIGHT.......4000 FT AGL.
MIXING WINDS........WEST AROUND 20 MPH.
LAL.................1
HAINES..............3 VERY LOW
INVERSION...........SHELTERED VALLEYS...LIFTING AROUND 1000 MDT.


$$
FORECASTER...LANGLIEB
REQUESTED BY...GREAT FALLS DISPATCH
TYPE OF REQUEST...WILDFIRE
.TAG 20120930.ELBOW.02/TFX