555
FXUS65 KGJT 012329
AFDGJT
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
529 PM MDT WED APR 1 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- VALLEY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS, AS WELL AS MOUNTAIN SNOW
ABOVE 8000 FEET EXPECTED THROUGH THIS EVENING.
- WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES REMAIN IN EFFECT THROUGH 9PM
WEDNESDAY FOR MOST MAJOR MOUNTAIN GROUPS ON THE WEST SLOPE.
- WIDESPREAD FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED JUST ABOUT EACH
NIGHT THROUGH THE WEEKEND.
- ADDITIONAL MEASURABLE SNOW EXPECTED FOR THE MOUNTAINS THURSDAY
INTO EARLY FRIDAY, WITH A WARMER, DRIER TREND THIS WEEKEND
AND BEYOND.
DISCUSSION
ISSUED AT 1220 PM MDT WED APR 1 2026
RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS
THE SHORTWAVE TROUGH RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THE ACTIVE WEATHER WILL
TRACK OVER THE FORECAST AREA THIS AFTERNOON. WIDESPREAD CLOUDS AND
PRECIPITATION MAY TRANSITION TO MORE SCATTERED SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS DURING THE TROUGH PASSAGE THROUGH THE EVENING. AFTER
SUNSET THE PRECIPITATION DECREASES TO JUST THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS.
IMPACTS FROM THE SNOW WILL BE CONFINED TO MOUNTAIN TOWNS AND PASSES
TONIGHT AS TEMPERATURES COOL DOWN. WE GET A SHORT BREAK THURSDAY
BEFORE THE NEXT TROUGH...A COLDER SYSTEM...MOVES THROUGH LATE
THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. THAT SYSTEM LOOKS TO BRING ANOTHER ROUND OF
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO THE AREA MAINLY THURSDAY AFTERNOON INTO
THE OVERNIGHT. THE FOCUS FOR PRECIPITATION WILL BE THE NORTHERN AND
CENTRAL MOUNTAINS AS WELL AS SURROUNDING VALLEYS. SNOW LEVELS WILL
BE LOWER WITH THE COOLER TEMPERATURES. MAINLY AFTER THE FRONTAL
PASSAGE. IMPACTS TO THE ROADS FROM SNOW ARE POSSIBLE THURSDAY NIGHT
INTO FRIDAY MORNING. THIS SYSTEM WILL ALSO BRING GUSTY WINDS BACK TO
THE AREA WITH MANY VALLEYS SEEING GUSTS ABOVE 45 MPH MAINLY IN THE
AFTERNOON. THE FRONTOGENESIS IS PARTICULARLY STRONG TOMORROW
AFTERNOON AND EVENING SO EXPECT THE FOCUS FOR DEVELOP ALONG THAT
FRONT. WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED IF THERE WERE A FEW EVEN HIGHER WIND
GUSTS WITHIN THE STRONGER STORMS. THE HIGHWAY 40 CORRIDOR COULD SEE
A QUICK CHANGE OVER TO SNOW AND ALONG WITH THE WIND COULD MAKE FOR
POTENTIALLY DIFFICULT TRAVEL.
FREEZING TEMPERATURES
AS THAT SECOND SYSTEM EXITS THE REGION COLDER AIR SETTLES INTO THE
FORECAST AREA THURSDAY NIGHT. AS PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED THE GROWING
SEASON HAS STARTED FOR MANY LOCATIONS. SOME OF THOSE LOCATIONS HAVE
HIGH CHANCES OF DROPPING BELOW FREEZING. THOSE CHANCES ARE MORE
BORDERLINE FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST COLORADO AND SOUTHEAST UTAH.
THE ONE ISSUE WITH THIS FORECAST IS CLOUD COVER, WHICH WOULD KEEP
TEMPERATURES WARMER THAN SUGGESTED. IF THOSE CLOUDS WERE TO CLEAR
THE CHANCES FOR FREEZING TEMPERATURES INCREASE. DECIDED TO ISSUE A
FREEZE WATCH WHERE THERE IS A POTENTIAL. ON FRIDAY NIGHT THE CHANCES
FOR CLEAR SKIES IS MUCH HIGH, SO CONFIDENCE IS BETTER FOR SEEING
WIDESPREAD FREEZING TEMPERATURES. TEMPERATURES MODERATE SLIGHTLY
GOING INTO SATURDAY NIGHT, SO NOT AS MANY LOCATIONS ARE GOING SEE
THOSE FREEZING TEMPERATURES, BUT THERE ARE STILL SEVERAL VALLEYS.
WARM RETURNS
TEMPERATURES REBOUND ABOVE NORMAL THIS WEEKEND, AS WEAK HIGH
PRESSURE BUILDS BACK IN. MODELS KEEP THINGS ON THE PROGRESSIVE SIDE,
LIKELY SENDING A FEW CLOUDS ACROSS THE REGION, BUT LITTLE IN THE WAY
OF PRECIPITATION AT THE MOMENT. TEMPERATURES CLIMB BACK UP AROUND 10
DEGREES OVER NORMAL EARLY NEXT WEEK.
AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z FRIDAY/
ISSUED AT 529 PM MDT WED APR 1 2026
POTENT AND MOIST SYSTEM WILL BE TRACKING OUT OF THE AREA THOUGH
THE EVENING. LINGERING MVFR TO IFR CONDITIONS WILL REMAIN
POSSIBLE FROM KHDN TO KRIL TO KTEX AND EASTWARD THROUGH MIDNIGHT
WITH LOW CLOUDS...PRECIPITATION AND A THREAT OF THUNDERSTORMS
LINGERING THROUGH THEN. ILS AND TERRAIN OBSCURATION IS LIKELY
TO LINGER INTO THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OVER THE EASTERN TAF
AIRFIELDS. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF FOG/STRATUS DEVELOPING OVER
THE KDRO OVERNIGHT IN THE WAKE OF THE HEAVY PRECIPITATION
TODAY. CONFIDENCE NOT HIGH BUT WILL BE USING SATELLITE AND OBS
TO MONITOR AND UPDATE AS NECESSARY.
GJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
CO...WIND ADVISORY FROM 11 AM TO 9 PM MDT THURSDAY FOR COZ001-002-
005>008-011-020-021.
FREEZE WATCH FROM LATE THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING
FOR COZ001-006>008-011-020>023.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR COZ004-
009-010-012-013-018-019.
FREEZE WARNING FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 8 AM MDT THURSDAY FOR
COZ021>023.
UT...WIND ADVISORY FROM 11 AM TO 9 PM MDT THURSDAY FOR UTZ024-027-
029.
FREEZE WATCH FROM LATE THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING
FOR UTZ024-027-029.
DISCUSSION...TGJT
AVIATION...GJT
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