585
FXUS65 KGJT 171758
AFDGJT
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
1158 AM MDT FRI APR 17 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- A WIDESPREAD HARD FREEZE IS IMMINENT TONIGHT. FREEZE WARNINGS
ARE IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM FRIDAY THROUGH 10 AM SATURDAY.
- WARM AND DRY CONDITIONS BUILDS BACK IN THIS WEEKEND INTO
EARLY NEXT WEEK, WITH UNSETTLED WEATHER RETURNING LATER IN THE
WEEK
DISCUSSION
ISSUED AT 1114 AM MDT FRI APR 17 2026
HARD FREEZE TONIGHT:
CONDITONS RAPIDLY IMPROVE THIS AFTERNOON AS THE COLD FRONT
RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS MORNING'S SNOW PUSHES EAST OF THE DIVIDE.
IN IT'S WAKE, BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES SETTLE IN. THIS
AFTERNOON, TEMPERATURES ARE FORECAST TO TOP OUT AROUND 15
DEGREES BELOW NORMAL FOR MID APRIL. TONIGHT WE'LL SEE MORE OF
THE SAME, WITH LOW TEMPERATURES FALLING INTO THE TEENS TO MID
20S IN THE VALLEYS, OR AROUND 10 TO 15 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL.
FREEZE WARNINGS REMAIN IN EFFECT. TEMPERATURES THIS COLD WILL
KILL CROPS AND OTHER SENSITIVE VEGETATION AND POSSIBLY DAMAGE
UNPROTECTED OUTDOOR PLUMBING.
TEMPERATURES BEGIN TO WARM TOMORROW, BUT MOST OF THE AREA WILL
REMAIN 5 TO 10 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL. AS A RESULT, A FREEZE WATCH
HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR TOMORROW NIGHT FOR THE VALLEYS THAT ARE
EXPECTED TO SEE IMPACTFUL SUBFREEZING TEMPERATURES.
NEXT WEEK'S OUTLOOK:
LOOKING FORWARD, A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS BACK IN FOR
THE WEEKEND AND FIRST HALF OF THE WEEK AHEAD WHICH WILL BRING
UNSEASONABLY WARM TEMPERATURES BACK TO THE REGION. A SLIGHT
UPTICK IN MOISTURE ACROSS SOUTHEAST UTAH AND SOUTHWEST COLORADO
EARLY NEXT WEEK COULD PRODUCE ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS OVER
THE SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS FROM TIME TO TIME.
THE RIDGE BREAKS DOWN MID-WEEK GIVING WAY TO A MORE ACTIVE
WEATHER PATTERN.
AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY/
ISSUED AT 1155 AM MDT FRI APR 17 2026
THE COLD FRONT HAS PASSED ACROSS THE DIVIDE THIS MORNING
LEAVING AREAS OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW IN IT'S WAKE WITH
CLEARING FARTHER WEST INTO UTAH. AS THE PRECIPITATION BECOME
MORE SHOWERY TAF FORECASTS ARE LIKELY TO QUICKLY CHANGE FROM VFR
TO IFR IN PASSING SNOW SHOWERS THROUGH MID AFTERNOON. MOST OF
THE PRECIPITATION SHOULD BE DONE BY EARLY EVENING WITH SKIES
CLEARING OVERNIGHT. WIND BEHIND THE FRONT WILL BRING GUST OF 25
TO 40 MPH WHICH WILL ABATE AFTER SUNSET. LOW CONFIDENCE FORECAST
OF FOG DEVELOPMENT IN WAKE OF THIS NEW PRECIPITATION.
KEGE...KASE...KHDN AND KGJT COULD ALL SEE FOG/LOWER CLOUDS IN
THE VICINITY OF THE AIRFIELDS DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS.
GJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
CO...FREEZE WARNING FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 10 AM MDT SATURDAY
FOR COZ001-002-006>008-011-020>023.
FREEZE WATCH FROM LATE SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING
FOR COZ001-002-007-008-011-020>023.
UT...FREEZE WARNING FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 10 AM MDT SATURDAY
FOR UTZ022-024-027-029.
FREEZE WATCH FROM LATE SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING
FOR UTZ024.
DISCUSSION...KAA
AVIATION...TGJT
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