FNUS75 KSLC 231228
FWSSLC

SPOT FORECAST FOR RAPHAEL
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SALT LAKE CITY UT
628 AM MDT THU MAY 23 2013

.DISCUSSION...STORM SYSTEM OVER THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST CONTINUES TO
SPIN AROUND WITH SEVERAL SPOKES OF ENERGY ROTATING AROUND IT. AS
THESE SPOKES SWEEP ACROSS NEVADA AND EXTREME NORTHWEST UTAH THEY
INCREASE THE SOUTHWEST WINDS ALOFT ACROSS SOUTHWESTERN UTAH. ONE
SUCH LOBE IS OVER NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AT THIS TIME AND WILL MOVE
NORTHEAST ACROSS NORTHEAST NEVADA EARLY THIS EVENING RESULTING IN
THE SOUTHWEST WINDS TO INCREASE ONCE AGAIN THIS AFTERNOON...BUT
NOT QUITE AS STRONG AS YESTERDAY.

AN OVERALL BROAD TROUGH WILL RESIDE OVER THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST AND
CALIFORNIA FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY FOR CONTINUED SOUTHWEST FLOW BUT
NOT AS STRONG AS TODAY. THIS AIR MASS OVER SOUTHERN UTAH IS VERY
DRY AND WILL REMAIN DRY THROUGH SUNDAY.

DUE TO THE FIRE BEING ON THE NORTHEAST ASPECT WIND STRENGTH AND
DIRECTION WILL BE A CHALLENGE. THE GENERAL WIND FLOW IS SOUTHWEST
AND COULD OCCASIONALLY MIXED DOWN THE SLOPE TO THE FIRE THIS
AFTERNOON BUT MORE LIKELY THE WINDS WILL GET CHANNELED THROUGH THE
VALLEY THAT STATE ROUTE 143 RUNS AND IMPACT THE FIRE FROM THE
SOUTHEAST OR EAST THIS MORNING INTO THIS AFTERNOON. BUT LATE THIS
AFTERNOON WINDS COULD SHIFT AND COME THROUGH THE VALLEY RUNNING
WEST TO EAST AND BRING A NORTHWEST FLOW TO YOUR FIRE. WINDS AT THE
FIRE ITSELF SHOULD BE 6 TO 10 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 25 LATE THIS
MORNING THROUGH THE AFTERNOON.

.TODAY...
  LAL.................1.
  HAINES INDEX........4 ..LOW.
  CLEARING INDEX......1000+.
  SKY/WEATHER.........SUNNY (0-10 PERCENT CLOUD COVER).
  MAX TEMPERATURE.....65-67.
  MIN HUMIDITY........10-12 PERCENT.
  WINDS - 20-FOOT.....SOUTHEAST TO EAST WINDS 6 TO 10 MPH GUSTING
                      TO 25 MPH LATE IN THE MORNING AND AFTERNOON.
                      A POSSIBLE WIND SHIFT TO NORTHWEST MAY OCCUR
                      AFTER 1600.

.TONIGHT...
  LAL.................1.
  HAINES INDEX........3 ..VERY LOW.
  SKY/WEATHER.........CLEAR (0-10 PERCENT CLOUD COVER).
  MIN TEMPERATURE.....36-40.
  MAX HUMIDITY........32-34 PERCENT.
  WINDS - 20-FOOT.....BREEZY. SOUTHWEST WINDS 20 TO 25 MPH
                      DECREASING TO 10 MPH AFTER MIDNIGHT.

.OUTLOOK FOR FRIDAY...
  LAL.................1.
  HAINES INDEX........5 ..MODERATE.
  CLEARING INDEX......1000+.
  SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY SUNNY (10-20 PERCENT CLOUD COVER).
  MAX TEMPERATURE.....64-66.
  MIN HUMIDITY........10-12 PERCENT.
  WINDS - 20-FOOT.....SOUTHEAST TO EAST WINDS 3 TO 7 MPH GUSTING
                      TO 15-20 MPH LATE IN THE AFTERNOON.
                      A POSSIBLE WIND SHIFT TO NORTHWEST MAY OCCUR
                      AFTER 1600.



FORECASTER...STRUTHWOLF
REQUESTED BY...CLINT COATES
REASON FOR REQUEST...WILDFIRE
.TAG 20130523.RAPHA.01/SLC

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