FNUS75 KTFX 271207
FWSTFX

SPOT FORECAST FOR RED SHALE...LEWIS AND CLARK NF
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
607 AM MDT SAT JUL 27 2013

FORECAST IS BASED ON REQUEST TIME OF 0554 MDT ON JULY 27.
IF CONDITIONS BECOME UNREPRESENTATIVE...CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE.

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 9 PM MDT THIS
EVENING...

.DISCUSSION...
A DISTURBANCE ALOFT WILL MOVE A WEAK PACIFIC COLD FRONT THROUGH THE
FIRE AREA TODAY...BRINGING GUSTY WESTERLY WINDS. HUMIDITIES THERE
WILL ALSO FALL INTO THE 10 TO 20 PERCENT RANGE THIS AFTERNOON...SO
HAVE UPGRADED FIRE WEATHER WATCH TO A RED FLAG WARNING. ALTHOUGH THE
AIRMASS WILL BECOME UNSTABLE THIS AFTERNOON...MOISTURE WILL NOT BE
SUFFICIENT TO PRODUCE THUNDERSTORMS IN THE FIRE AREA. A CANADIAN
COLD FRONT WILL THEN MOVE THROUGH THE AREA TONIGHT INTO
SUNDAY...SHIFTING WINDS MORE NORTHERLY AND ALLOWING RELATIVE
HUMIDITIES TO RECOVER WELL WITH COOLING TEMPERATURES. THE DISTURBANCE
ALOFT WILL THEN BRING A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO THE
AREA ON SUNDAY.
COULSTON

EXTENDED DISCUSSION...
A COOLER AND MORE MOIST WEATHER PATTERN IS EXPECTED FOR NEXT WEEK.
A SERIES OF WEAK DISTURBANCES WILL KEEP A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE AREA MOST DAYS. THIS WILL ALSO KEEP
TEMPERATURES AT LEAST A FEW DEGREES COOLER THAN SEASONAL AVERAGES
WITH AFTERNOON RELATIVE HUMIDITIES GENERALLY REMAINING ABOVE 30
PERCENT.
COULSTON

.TODAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........SUNNY.
CWR.................0 PERCENT.
MAX TEMPERATURE.....74-79.
MIN HUMIDITY........13-18 PERCENT.
WIND (20 FT)........WEST WINDS 5 TO 10 MPH INCREASING TO AROUND
                    15 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 30 MPH IN THE
                    AFTERNOON.
RIDGE TOP WIND......WEST WINDS 20 TO 30 MPH.
MIXING HEIGHT.......9000 FT AGL.
MIXING WINDS........WEST AROUND 25 MPH.
HAINES INDEX........5 MODERATE.

.TONIGHT...

SKY/WEATHER.........PARTLY CLOUDY.
CWR.................0 PERCENT.
MIN TEMPERATURE.....36-41.
MAX HUMIDITY........87-92 PERCENT.
WIND (20 FT)........NORTHWEST WINDS 10 TO 15 MPH BECOMING
                    DOWNSLOPE/DOWN VALLEY AROUND 5 MPH AFTER
                    MIDNIGHT.
RIDGE TOP WIND......WEST WINDS 10 TO 15 MPH.
MIXING HEIGHT.......500 FT AGL.
MIXING WINDS........NORTHEAST AROUND 15 MPH.
HAINES INDEX........4 LOW.

.SUNDAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........PARTLY SUNNY. CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND
                    THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AFTERNOON.
CWR.................15 PERCENT.
MAX TEMPERATURE.....70-75.
MIN HUMIDITY........29-34 PERCENT.
WIND (20 FT)........LIGHT WINDS BECOMING NORTHEAST UP TO 10 MPH
                    IN THE AFTERNOON.
RIDGE TOP WIND......WEST WINDS 10 TO 15 MPH.
MIXING HEIGHT.......9000 FT AGL.
MIXING WINDS........NORTHWEST AROUND 10 MPH.
HAINES INDEX........3 VERY LOW.

$$
FORECASTER...COULSTON
REQUESTED BY...GREAT FALLS DISPATCH
TYPE OF REQUEST...WILDFIRE
.TAG 20130727.REDSH.01/TFX