998
FXUS65 KGJT 020434
AFDGJT
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
1034 PM MDT WED APR 1 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TONIGHT OVER THE SOUTHERN
VALLEYS. A FREEZE WARNING IS IN EFFECT.
- ADDITIONAL MEASURABLE SNOW EXPECTED OVER THE NORTHERN AND
CENTRAL COLORADO MOUNTAINS THURSDAY EVENING INTO EARLY FRIDAY.
- WIDESPREAD FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED FRIDAY NIGHT. A
FREEZE WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED WHERE VEGETATION IS SUSCEPTIBLE
TO FREEZING TEMPERATURES.
DISCUSSION
ISSUED AT 1030 PM MDT WED APR 1 2026
MORE ACTIVE WEATHER THURSDAY & FRIDAY:
WE GET A SHORT BREAK THURSDAY BEFORE THE NEXT TROUGH...A COLDER
SYSTEM...MOVES THROUGH LATE THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. THIS
SYSTEM LOOKS TO BRING ANOTHER ROUND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
TO THE AREA MAINLY THURSDAY AFTERNOON INTO THE OVERNIGHT. THE
FRONTOGENESIS IS PARTICULARLY STRONG THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND
EVENING SO EXPECT THE FOCUS FOR DEVELOP ALONG THAT FRONT. 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, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE FRONTAL
PASSAGE. HAZARDOUS TRAVEL IS POSSIBLE AT PASS LEVEL THURSDAY
NIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING.
THIS SYSTEM WILL ALSO BRING GUSTY WINDS WITH MANY VALLEYS
SEEING GUSTS ABOVE 45 MPH THURSDAY AFTERNOON. HIGHER GUSTS ARE
POSSIBLE 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 THE NEXT SYSTEM EXITS THE REGION, COLDER AIR SETTLES INTO
THE FORECAST AREA. 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. AS
A RESULT, A FREEZE WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR AREAS MOST
SUSCEPTIBLE TO SUB FREEZING TEMPERATURES. 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. REMAIN
VIGILANT IN PROTECTING SUSCEPTIBLE VEGETATION FOR THE NEXT FEW
NIGHTS.
LOOKING AHEAD:
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.
FREEZE WARNING UNTIL 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...TGJT
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