081
FXUS65 KGJT 092358
AFDGJT
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
458 PM MST FRI JAN 9 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- MUCH COLDER TEMPERATURES MOVE IN TODAY WITH BELOW SEASONABLE
VALUES LINGERING INTO SATURDAY.
- WELL BELOW ZERO TEMPERATURES EXPECTED IN THE
GUNNISON...SLATE...EAST AND TAYLOR RIVER VALLEYS TONIGHT.
- DRY AND MILDER CONDITIONS RETURN FOR NEXT WEEK.
SHORT TERM /THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/
ISSUED AT 305 PM MST FRI JAN 9 2026
IT WILL CONTINUE TO FEEL MORE LIKE JANUARY THIS WEEKEND WITH
COOLER HIGH TEMPERATURES THAN WHAT WE'VE SEEN FOR MUCH OF THE
WINTER SEASON. WITH A MUCH DRIER AIRMASS MOVING IN AND CLEARING
SKIES, TEMPERATURES WILL BOTTOM OUT OVERNIGHT AND THIS MEANS OUR
TYPICAL COLD POOL AREAS THAT WE HAVE NOT SEEN MUCH ACTION FROM
THIS WINTER SHOULD REACT TO THE INFLUX OF SNOW AND COLD AIR.
DOUBLE-DIGIT BELOW ZERO READINGS ARE FORECAST FOR THE GUNNISON
BASIN AND SURROUNDING COLD VALLEYS. THE FORECAST CHALLENGE WILL
LIKELY CONTINUE TO BE TEMPERATURE BASED WITH THE COLD AIR IN
PLACE AND A STRENGTHENING INVERSION SET UP ON THE HORIZON. THERE
COULD BE SOME AREAS OF LOW CLOUD AND FOG TOMORROW MORNING AS
WELL, BUT DROPPING DEW POINTS MAKE THIS A LOW CONFIDENCE
FORECAST AT THE MOMENT.
LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/
ISSUED AT 305 PM MST FRI JAN 9 2026
RIDGING BUILDING OVER THE WEST WILL DRIVE A PERIOD OF WARM,
QUIET WEATHER THAT WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE LONG TERM PERIOD.
MOISTURE WILL REMAIN WELL TO OUR NORTH UNTIL A REDUCTION IN THE
AMPLITUDE OF THE RIDGE ALLOWS FOR ANOMALOUS MOISTURE TO ADVECT
INTO THE NORTHWEST. AN INCREASE IN THE AMPLITUDE OF THE WEST
COAST RIDGING, AND A TROUGH DIGGING EAST OF THE ROCKIES, WILL
ALLOW FOR THIS ANOMALOUS MOISTURE (MAX PWATS NEAR 175% OF
NORMAL) TO ADVECT INTO OUR HIGHER TERRAIN IN NORTHWESTERLY FLOW.
SO, THIS INCREASES POPS BY A BIT MIDWEEK IN THE NORTHERN
MOUNTAINS WHERE OROGRAPHIC LIFT IS FAVORED IN NORTHWESTERLY
FLOW. HOWEVER, POPS DON'T INCREASE BY MUCH, AND PRETTY MUCH NO
ACCUMULATING SNOW IS IN THE LONG TERM FORECAST RIGHT NOW. OF
COURSE, THIS COULD CHANGE DEPENDING ON HOW THE RIDGE TO OUR WEST
AND TROUGH TO OUR EAST ENDS UP DEVELOPING. OTHERWISE,
TEMPERATURES WILL WARM TO AROUND 10 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL FOR THE
MAJORITY OF THE WORKWEEK.
AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z SUNDAY/
ISSUED AT 451 PM MST FRI JAN 9 2026
BREEZY NORTH TO NORTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE UNTIL SUNSET WITH
LIGHT TERRAIN DRIVEN WINDS OVERNIGHT. CIGS WILL CONTINUE TO BE
NEAR ILS BREAKPOINTS AT KASE AND SOME HIGHER ELEVATIONS UNTIL
SKIES SCATTER OUT THIS EVENING AND EVENTUALLY CLEAR BY SATURDAY
MORNING AS DRIER AIR CONTINUES TO MOVE IN. KGUC AND KDRO MAY
DEVELOP SOME FOG OR LOW STRATUS OVERNIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING
WITH SNOW ON THE GROUND. FOG DEVELOPMENT WILL BE LIMITED
ELSEWHERE DUE TO THE DRIER AIR. OUTSIDE OF THE POTENTIAL FOG
DEVELOPMENT AT KGUC AND KDRO, CONDITIONS SHOULD REMAIN VFR OVER
THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
GJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
CO...NONE.
UT...NONE.
SHORT TERM...KAA
LONG TERM...GF
AVIATION...TGJT
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