FNUS75 KTFX 261205
FWSTFX

SPOT FORECAST FOR RED SHALE...LEWIS AND CLARK NF
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
605 AM MDT FRI JUL 26 2013

FORECAST IS BASED ON REQUEST TIME OF 0539 MDT ON JULY 26.
IF CONDITIONS BECOME UNREPRESENTATIVE...CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE.

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
SATURDAY EVENING...

.DISCUSSION...
HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT WILL KEEP SKIES CLEAR TODAY AND TONIGHT.
TEMPERATURES WILL BE WARMER THAN NORMAL TODAY WITH CONTINUED
VERY DRY CONDITIONS. GOOD RADIATION WILL ALLOW VALLEY TEMPERATURES
TO FALL INTO THE 40S WITH GOOD HUMIDITY RECOVERY...BUT MID SLOPE
THERMAL BELT AREAS WILL ONLY COOL INTO THE 50S WITH RECOVERY INTO
THE 40 TO 50 PERCENT RANGE. A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH
THE FIRE AREA BY EARLY AFTERNOON ON SATURDAY...CAUSING WESTERLY
WINDS TO INCREASE AND BECOME GUSTY. TEMPERATURES WILL COOL ABOUT
5 DEGREES OVER TODAY...BUT RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL REMAIN QUITE
LOW (IN THE 10 TO 20 PERCENT RANGE). THEREFORE...A FIRE WEATHER
WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE FIRE AREA FOR SATURDAY AFTERNOON
INTO SATURDAY EVENING. WINDS WILL DECREASE AND SHIFT MORE NORTHERLY
OVERNIGHT SATURDAY NIGHT IN THE WAKE OF AN ACCOMPANYING CANADIAN
COLD FRONT...ALLOWING FOR COOLER TEMPERATURES AND SLIGHTLY HIGHER
RELATIVE HUMIDITIES ON SUNDAY.
COULSTON

.TODAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........SUNNY.
CWR.................0 PERCENT.
MAX TEMPERATURE.....79-84.
MIN HUMIDITY........10-15 PERCENT.
WIND (20 FT)........WEST WINDS 5 TO 15 MPH.
RIDGE TOP WIND......WEST WINDS 10 TO 20 MPH.
MIXING HEIGHT.......7500 FT AGL.
MIXING WINDS........WEST AROUND 15 MPH.
HAINES INDEX........5 MODERATE.

.TONIGHT...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY CLEAR.
CWR.................0 PERCENT.
MIN TEMPERATURE.....44-49 VALLEYS...53-58 MID SLOPES.
MAX HUMIDITY........80-90 PERCENT VALLEYS...40-50 PERCENT MID SLOPES.
WIND (20 FT)........WEST WINDS UP TO 10 MPH.
RIDGE TOP WIND......WINDY. WEST WINDS 10 TO 20 MPH...INCREASING TO 20
                    TO 30 MPH AFTER MIDNIGHT.
MIXING HEIGHT.......500 FT AGL.
MIXING WINDS........WEST AROUND 15 MPH.
HAINES INDEX........5 MODERATE.

.SATURDAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........SUNNY.
CWR.................0 PERCENT.
MAX TEMPERATURE.....74-79.
MIN HUMIDITY........13-18 PERCENT.
WIND (20 FT)........WEST WINDS 5 TO 15 MPH INCREASING TO 10 TO 20 MPH
                    WITH GUSTS TO 30 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON.
RIDGE TOP WIND......WINDY. WEST WINDS 20 TO 30 MPH...DECREASING TO 15
                    TO 20 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON.
MIXING HEIGHT.......8000 FT AGL.
MIXING WINDS........WEST AROUND 25 MPH.
HAINES INDEX........4 LOW.

$$
FORECASTER...COULSTON
REQUESTED BY...GREAT FALLS DISPATCH
TYPE OF REQUEST...WILDFIRE
.TAG 20130726.REDSH.01/TFX