FNUS75 KGJT 101632 FWSGJT SPOT FORECAST FOR SOAP CREEK PILES...NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO 932 AM MST MON DEC 10 2012 FORECAST IS BASED ON IGNITION TIME OF 1200 MST ON DECEMBER 10. IF CONDITIONS BECOME UNREPRESENTATIVE...CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. .DISCUSSION...CLOUDS WILL THICKEN BY EARLY AFTERNOON AS THE NEXT SYSTEM QUICKLY DROPS THROUGH ON NORTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT. COLD AIR ALOFT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS WAVE WILL HELP SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON WITH WHAT LIMITED MOISTURE COMES WITH THE SYSTEM. THIS INSTABILITY WILL ALSO HELP PUSH SMOKE DISPERSAL INTO THE GOOD CATEGORY BY MID AFTERNOON WITH SOME GUSTY WINDS POSSIBLE NEAR SHOWERS. THE SYSTEM WILL PASS OVER THE DIVIDE REGION OVERNIGHT WITH WARMING TEMPERATURES EXPECTED ALOFT ON TUESDAY. THIS WILL LIMIT THE INSTABILITY AND SMOKE DISPERSAL. .TODAY... SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY CLOUDY (70-80%). ISOLATED SNOW SHOWERS POSSIBLE IN THE MORNING...THEN SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS IN THE AFTERNOON. MAX TEMPERATURE.....13-18 F. 20-FOOT WINDS.......NORTHWEST WINDS 5-10 MPH...INCREASING TO 8-12 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 20 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON. SMOKE DISPERSAL.....POOR UNTIL AROUND NOON...THEN IMPROVING TO GOOD DURING THE AFTERNOON. MIXING HEIGHT.......LESS THAN 1000 FT AGL UNTIL 1100...THEN INCREASING TO 3000 FT AGL IN THE AFTERNOON. TRANSPORT WINDS.....NORTHWEST 25 MPH. .TUESDAY... SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY CLOUDY (60-70%) THEN BECOMING PARTLY CLOUDY (40-50%). MAX TEMPERATURE.....18-23 F. 20-FOOT WINDS.......DOWNSLOPE/DOWNVALLEY 3-7 MPH UNTIL 1100...THEN BECOMING WEST 0-5 MPH. SMOKE DISPERSAL.....POOR (MAX 32500 KNOT-FT). MIXING HEIGHT.......LESS THAN 1000 FT AGL UNTIL 1100...THEN INCREASING TO 2500 FT AGL IN THE AFTERNOON. TRANSPORT WINDS.....WEST-NORTHWEST 15 MPH. $$ FORECASTER...ELLEN HEFFERNAN REQUESTED BY...ROSS OXFORD TYPE OF REQUEST...PRESCRIBED .TAG 20121210.SOAPC.01/GJT