875
FXUS65 KGJT 151902
AFDGJT
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
102 PM MDT WED APR 15 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED IN VARIOUS VALLEYS
TONIGHT AND TOMORROW NIGHT BEFORE A WIDESPREAD HARD FREEZE
SETS IN ON FRIDAY NIGHT.
- AFTER A BRIEF MID-WEEK WARM UP, COOLER AND UNSETTLED WEATHER
RETURNS TO THE REGION THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING.
DISCUSSION
ISSUED AT 1256 PM MDT WED APR 15 2026
WARM DAYS, COOL NIGHTS, WINDY THROUGH THURSDAY:
TRANSIENT HIGH PRESSURE IS BUILDING IN AND WILL PROMOTE WARM
DAYS AND COOL NIGHTS TODAY AND TOMORROW. A FREEZE WARNING IS IN
EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHWEST COLORADO VALLEYS THIS EVENING WHERE
SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED.
AS OUR NEXT WEATHER SYSTEM APPROACHES FROM THE NORTHWEST
TOMORROW, THE STRENGTHENING PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL PROMOTE GUSTY
AFTERNOON WINDS. NORTHEAST UTAH AND NORTHWEST COLORADO WILL SEE
THE STRONGEST WINDS WITH VALLEY GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH. AS A
RESULT, WIND ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT TOMORROW FROM 11 AM TO 8
PM.
LATE WEEK HARD FREEZE, LIGHT SNOW:
PRECIPITATION CHANCES INCREASE THURSDAY PM INTO FRIDAY AS THE
AFORMENTIONED LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVES THROUGH. EXPECT
SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ALONG THE UINTA
MOUNTAINS THURSDAY AFTERNOON, WITH PRECIPITATION PUSHING
SOUTHEAST THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING.
SNOW LEVELS DROP ON FRIDAY AS A STRONG COLD FRONT TRAVERSES THE
REGION. THIS WILL BRING LIGHT SNOW TO THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL
MOUNTAINS, WITH LIGHT SNOW POSSIBLE IN THE VALLEYS AS WELL. AS
OF NOW ACCUMULATIONS DO NOT LOOK IMPRESSIVE, BUT PERIODS OF
WINTER TRAVEL CONDITIONS CANNOT BE RULED OUT, ESPECIALLY AT PASS
LEVEL. WE WILL NEED MODERATE THE HEAVY SNOWFALL RATES IN THE
VALLEYS IN ORDER TO SEE ACCUMULATING SNOW ON THE WARM PAVEMENT,
WHICH IS ONLY POSSIBLE AS THE COLD FRONT IS MOVING THROUGH.
PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY, A HARD FREEZE VERY LIKELY FRIDAY
NIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING AS THIS SYSTEM MOVES OFF TO THE
EAST. MANY OF THE VALLEYS ACROSS THE REGION WILL SEE LOWS IN THE
TEENS TO UPPER 20'S. FREEZE WATCHES HAVE BEEN ISSUED AS WE GEAR
UP FOR THIS IMPACTFUL EVENT.
LOOKING AHEAD:
A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS BACK IN THIS WEEKEND INTO EARLY
NEXT WEEK RESULTING IN THE RETURN OF UNSEASONABLY WARM
TEMPERATURES.
AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY/
ISSUED AT 1256 PM MDT WED APR 15 2026
ILS CIGS ARE POSSIBLE AT KASE AND KEGE THROUGH THE EVENING.
SEVERAL SITES MAY SEE GUSTY WINDS THIS AFTERNOON OTHERWISE VFR
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED.
GJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
CO...WIND ADVISORY FROM 11 AM TO 8 PM MDT THURSDAY FOR COZ001-002-
007-008.
FREEZE WATCH FROM LATE THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING
FOR COZ001-002.
FREEZE WATCH FROM FRIDAY EVENING THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING FOR
COZ001-002-006>008-011-020>023.
FREEZE WARNING FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 9 AM MDT THURSDAY FOR
COZ008-021>023.
UT...WIND ADVISORY FROM 11 AM TO 8 PM MDT THURSDAY FOR UTZ024-027.
FREEZE WATCH FROM LATE THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING
FOR UTZ024.
FREEZE WATCH FROM FRIDAY EVENING THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING FOR
UTZ022-024-027-029.
DISCUSSION...TGJT
AVIATION...TGJT
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