789
FXUS65 KGJT 102049
AFDGJT
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
149 PM MST SAT JAN 10 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- A WARMING TREND BEGINS TOMORROW, WITH TEMPERATURES CLIMBING TO
10-15 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL BY MID-WEEK.
- FAVORED COLD POOL VALLEYS, INCLUDING THE GUNNISON AND YAMPA
RIVER VALLEYS, WILL SEE ANOTHER CHILLY NIGHT WITH LOWS NEAR TO
SEVERAL DEGREES BELOW ZERO AGAIN TONIGHT.
- DRY AND QUIET CONDITIONS PERSIST THROUGH THE WEEK.
SHORT TERM /THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/
ISSUED AT 148 PM MST SAT JAN 10 2026
WITH A DEEP TROUGH ACROSS THE PLAINS AND RIDGING BUILDING IN ACROSS
THE WESTERN CONUS, THE INTERMOUNTAIN WEST REMAINS UNDER COLD, DRY
NORTHERLY FLOW. HIGHS TODAY REMAIN NEAR TO A FEW DEGREES BELOW
NORMAL, UNDER MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES. SOME LOW CLOUDS AND LIGHT FLURRIES
HAVE LINGERED ALONG THE NORTHERN DIVIDE, BUT THESE ARE BEGINNING TO
ERODE AS FLOW ALOFT SHIFTS TO MORE NORTHWESTERLY AND WEAK WARM AIR
ADVECTION KICKS IN. SKIES REMAIN CLEAR TONIGHT, WITH LIGHT WINDS AND
RELATIVELY FRESH SNOW PROMOTING GOOD RADIATIONAL COOLING CONDITIONS.
TYPICAL COLD POOL VALLEYS, INCLUDING THE UPPER GUNNISON AND YAMPA,
WILL SEE ANOTHER COLD NIGHT TONIGHT WITH LOWS IN THE SINGLE DIGITS
ON EITHER SIDE OF ZERO. HAVE HELD OFF COOLING THESE LOCATIONS
FURTHER, AS THEY DON'T SEEM TO BE REACTING THE WAY WE WOULD
TYPICALLY EXPECT UNDER SUCH CONDITIONS. HAVE INSTEAD GONE WITH
PERSISTENCE, WITH LOWS EXPECTED TO FALL TO NEAR WHERE THEY DID LAST
NIGHT.
A WAVE MOVING INTO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST WILL WORK TO FLATTEN OUT
THE RIDGE, TURNING FLOW MORE ZONAL OVER EASTERN UTAH AND WESTERN
COLORADO. A POCKET OF ENHANCED UPPER LEVEL MOISTURE WILL MOVE
THROUGH TOMORROW, BRINGING HIGH LEVEL CLOUDINESS BUT NOT MUCH ELSE.
TEMPERATURES WILL CLIMB TO AROUND 5 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL AS THE WARM
AIR ADVECTION REALLY GETS UNDERWAY. HOWEVER, VALLEY INVERSIONS COULD
THROW A WRENCH INTO THIS FORECAST, KEEPING VALLEYS COLDER THAN
FORECAST. WHERE VALLEY INVERSIONS DO SUCCESSFULLY SET UP, FOG AND
LOW STRATUS MAY DEVELOP OVERNIGHT. OTHERWISE, CONDITIONS REMAIN
QUIET AND MILD AS WE CLOSE OUT THE WEEKEND.
LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/
ISSUED AT 148 PM MST SAT JAN 10 2026
HIGH PRESSURE DRIVES THE FORECAST THROUGH MUCH OF NEXT WEEK. THIS
WILL LEAD TO A STRETCH OF WARM DAYS, COOL NIGHTS, AND DRY
CONDITIONS. THERE MAY BE SOME LIGHT OROGRAPHIC SNOW SHOWERS OVER THE
NORTHERN MOUNTAINS FROM TIME TO TIME DUE TO PERSISTENT NORTHWESTERLY
FLOW ALOFT, BUT IMPACTS ARE NOT ANTICIPATED. ASIDE FROM THE TUESDAY
INTO WEDNESDAY TIMEFRAME, THE AIRMASS OVERHEAD MAY EVEN BE TOO DRY
FOR OROGRAPHIC FLURRIES.
AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SUNDAY/
ISSUED AT 1011 AM MST SAT JAN 10 2026
SKIES WILL REMAIN MOSTLY CLEAR TODAY, WITH PASSING HIGH LEVEL
CLOUDS. THE EXCEPTION IS ALONG THE NORTHERN DIVIDE MOUNTAINS,
WHERE SOME STUBBORN LOW-LEVEL CLOUDS ARE LINGERING, IMPACTING
KHDN. THESE CLOUDS SHOULD LIFT OVER THE NEXT 4-6 HOURS. WINDS
WILL GENERALLY LIGHT, FOLLOWING TYPICAL TERRAIN DRIVEN PATTERNS.
DRAINAGE WINDS BETWEEN 06Z AND 12Z COULD BE ON THE STRONGER
SIDE, PARTICULARLY FOR KHDN AND KGJT, WITH WINDS SUSTAINED UP
TO 15 KNOTS. VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL.
GJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
CO...NONE.
UT...NONE.
SHORT TERM...BGB
LONG TERM...KAA
AVIATION...TGJT
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