FNUS75 KGJT 181517
FWSGJT

SPOT FORECAST FOR FRANKS BENCH...CRAIG DISPATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
917 AM MDT SUN AUG 18 2013

FORECAST IS BASED ON REQUEST TIME OF 0844 MDT ON AUGUST 18.
IF CONDITIONS BECOME UNREPRESENTATIVE...CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE.

.DISCUSSION...
UPPER LEVEL HIGH PRESSURE WILL REMAIN ANCHORED ACROSS WESTERN
COLORADO OVER THE NEXT 48 HOURS. MOISTURE TRAPPED UNDER THIS RIDGE
WILL CONTINUE TO BE FUEL FOR MAINLY AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING
THUNDERSTORMS THE NEXT FEW DAYS. A FEW SPRINKLES MAY BE SEEN
NEAR THE FIRE SITE THIS MORNING WITH STRONGER BUILDUPS WAITING
UNTIL HEATING OF THE DAY. SLIGHTLY HIGHER HUMIDITY LEVELS CAN ALSO
BE EXPECTED WITH THE ARRIVAL OF THIS MOISTURE. WINDS ALOFT ARE
VERY WEAK UNDER THIS RIDGE AND IN THE MIXED LAYER. THIS WILL LEAD
TO ONLY FAIR SMOKE DISPERSAL UNLESS SHOWERS ARE IN THE VICINITY
WHICH WOULD IMPROVE THESE CONDITIONS. GUSTY OUTFLOW WINDS WILL
ALSO NEED TO BE MONITORED NEAR THUNDERSTORMS.

.TODAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY CLOUDY (70-80%). ISOLATED SHOWERS OR
                    SPRINKLES THROUGH 1200...THEN SHOWERS AND
                    THUNDERSTORMS INCREASING IN COVERAGE TO
                    SCATTERED AFTER 1400.
MAX TEMPERATURE.....78-83 F.
MIN HUMIDITY........32-36%.
20-FOOT WINDS.......NORTH WINDS 5 MPH OR LESS BECOMING SOUTHWEST
                    BY 1100 AT 5 TO 10 MPH...THEN WEST AFTER 1400.
                    GUSTY AND ERRATIC WINDS EXPECTED NEAR
                    THUNDERSTORMS.
SMOKE DISPERSAL.....MAINLY FAIR IN THE AFTERNOON BUT INCREASING
                    TO GOOD TO VERY GOOD NEAR SHOWERS.
HAINES INDEX........3 VERY LOW.
LAL.................1 THROUGH 1400...THEN 3.
MIXING HEIGHT.......INCREASING TO 11500 FT AGL.
TRANSPORT WINDS.....WEST 7 TO 12 MPH.

.TONIGHT...

SKY/WEATHER.........MOSTLY CLOUDY (60-70%) WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS
                    AND THUNDERSTORMS IN THE EVENING THEN BECOMING
                    PARTLY CLOUDY (40-50%).
MIN TEMPERATURE.....NEAR 60 F.
MAX HUMIDITY........50-55%.
20-FOOT WINDS.......WEST WINDS 5 TO 10 MPH BECOMING DOWNSLOPE AT 3 TO
                    5 MPH AFTER SUNSET. GUSTY AND ERRATIC WINDS
                    EXPECTED NEAR THUNDERSTORMS IN THE EVENING.
SMOKE DISPERSAL.....FAIR THROUGH 2000 THEN DECREASING TO POOR.
HAINES INDEX........4 LOW.
LAL.................3 THROUGH 2000 THEN 1.
MIXING HEIGHT.......6100 FT AGL DECREASING TO NEAR 1000 FT AGL AFTER
                    SUNSET.
TRANSPORT WINDS.....WEST AT 7 TO 12 MPH BECOMING DOWNSLOPE AT 5 MPH
                    AFTER SUNSET.

.MONDAY...

SKY/WEATHER.........PARTLY CLOUDY (40-50%) THEN BECOMING MOSTLY
                    CLOUDY (60-70%) BY 1300 WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS
                    AND THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING IN THE AFTERNOON.
MAX TEMPERATURE.....81-86 F.
MIN HUMIDITY........22-27%.
20-FOOT WINDS.......DOWNSLOPE 3 TO 5 MPH THROUGH 0900 THEN BECOMING
                    SOUTHWEST TO WEST AT 5 MPH. GUSTY AND ERRATIC
                    WINDS EXPECTED NEAR THUNDERSTORMS IN THE
                    AFTERNOON.
SMOKE DISPERSAL.....POOR THROUGH 1000 THEN INCREASING TO FAIR.
HAINES INDEX........5 MODERATE.
LAL.................1 THROUGH 1300...THEN 3.
MIXING HEIGHT.......600 FT AGL INCREASING TO 11000 FT AGL AFTER 1300.
TRANSPORT WINDS.....WEST AT 7 MPH.

$$
FORECASTER...DENNIS PHILLIPS
REQUESTED BY...PAT BUTLER
TYPE OF REQUEST...WILDFIRE
.TAG 20130818.FRANK.01/GJT