115
FXUS65 KGJT 261918
AFDGJT
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
118 PM MDT SUN APR 26 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- WIDESPREAD RAIN AND MOUNTAIN SNOW THROUGH EARLY MONDAY AS A
PACIFIC SYSTEM WORKS ACROSS THE ROCKIES.
- WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT
THROUGH MIDNIGHT SUNDAY NIGHT FOR SOME MOUNTAIN AREAS ABOVE
9,000 FEET. TRAVEL OVER MOUNTAIN PASSES MAY BECOME DIFFICULT
DURING THE NIGHTTIME HOURS.
- UNSETTLED CONDITIONS PAUSE BRIEFLY MID-WEEK, BUT ANOTHER
STRONGER SYSTEM WORKS ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST WITH POTENTIAL
IMPACTS LATE WEEK.
DISCUSSION
ISSUED AT 1201 PM MDT SUN APR 26 2026
UNSETTLED WEATHER CONTINUES
A DIGGING UPPER LEVEL TROUGH CONTINUES TO SEND PACIFIC MOISTURE
ACROSS THE GREAT BASIN THIS AFTERNOON. AREA RAIN GAUGES HAVE
ALREADY PICKED UP MEASURABLE RAIN ACROSS THE REGION, AS WELL AS
SOME MORE SNOW FOR THE MOUNTAINS ABOVE 9000 FEET. ENOUGH
INSTABILITY IN THE AIR MASS EXISTS FOR A FEW THUNDERSTORMS TOO.
SNOW WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE FLAT TOPS, CENTRAL MOUNTAINS AND
THE SAN JUANS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING, WITH WINTER WEATHER
ADVISORIES CONTINUING FOR 6-12 INCHES OF TOTAL SNOW
ACCUMULATION.GIVEN THE POTENTIAL FOR CONVECTIVE SNOW SHOWERS,
WENT AHEAD AND ADDED COZ010 TO THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES.
VAIL PASS WILL BEAR THE BRUNT OF THESE IMPACTS THIS AFTERNOON
AND OVERNIGHT, AS POOR VISIBILITY AND SLICK ROADS IMPACT TRAVEL
THERE. BREAKS IN THE CLOUD COVER THIS AFTERNOON WILL LIKELY
ENHANCE THESE STORMS. BROAD CYCLONIC FLOW ACROSS THE WEST
CONTINUES TONIGHT AND TOMORROW, WITH A ZONAL JET STREAK ANCHORED
OVER THE SOUTHWEST KEEPING THINGS UNSETTLED. THE COLD AIR POOL
IN THIS TROUGH REMAINS SEASONALLY CONSISTENT AND TEMPERATURES
HOVER AROUND THE NORMAL MARK THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. COOLER AIR
ALOFT SHOULD KEEP SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IN THE PICTURE TOO.
MOISTURE RESERVES START DRYING AROUND THE FOUR CORNERS AND
ACROSS THE SAN JUANS TUESDAY THANKS TO SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW
DRIVING HEIGHTS UP AND DRYING THINGS BACK OUT. HOWEVER UP NORTH,
REMNANT MOISTURE WITHIN THE TROUGH WILL KEEP SOME LIGHT
PRECIPITATION GOING FOR THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE CWA THROUGH
TUESDAY, AS A SERIES OF WAVES RIPPLE THROUGH. ADDITIONAL SNOW
CAN BE EXPECTED ACROSS THE FLAT TOPS AND THE PARK RANGE, WITH
LESSER AMOUNTS GLANCING THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS. AT THE PRESENT, 3
TO 5 INCHES OF NEW SNOW FOR THE FLAT TOPS AND PARK RANGE LOOKS
GOOD THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT. RIDGING BUMPS THE JET NORTHWARD ON
WEDNESDAY AND ANOTHER LOW WORKS ASHORE IN SOCAL WEDNESDAY NIGHT,
THIS WILL QUIET THINGS DOWN A BIT.
LATE WEEK OUTLOOK
DETERMINISTIC MODELS ARE CONTINUING TO SELL A BOWLING BALL LOW
WORKING ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST LATE THIS WEEK. ENSEMBLES ARE
KEEPING A RICH POOL OF MOISTURE TO OUR SOUTH. IT LOOKS LIKE WE
GET SOME BENEFITS OF THAT IN OUR SOUTHERN COUNTIES ON THURSDAY
AND FRIDAY, LIKELY WORKING UP THE DIVIDE TOO. TEMPERATURES AT
THE MOMENT MAKE THIS LOOK LIKE A NIGHT TIME SNOW PRODUCER FOR
THE MOUNTAINS AND LIKELY RAIN/SNOW MIX THROUGH THE DAY. MOISTURE
DOES LOOK IMPRESSIVE WITH THIS SYSTEM. THE TRACK OF THE LOW IS
GOING TO HAVE SOME STRONG INFLUENCE ON IMPACTS THOUGH. LOOKS
LIKE A GOOD ONE TO KEEP AN EYE ON IN THE COMING DAYS.
AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z MONDAY/
ISSUED AT 1147 AM MDT SUN APR 26 2026
WIDESPREAD SHOWERS ARE ONGOING AROUND THE REGION. A FEW STORMS
HAVE PRODUCED LIGHTNING. THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED TO
INCREASE THIS AFTERNOON, ALTHOUGH COVERAGE OF PRECIPITATION
SHOULD DECREASE. SCATTERED RAIN AND MOUNTAIN SNOW SHOWERS ARE
POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT. GUSTY WINDS ARE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON,
ESPECIALLY AROUND SHOWERS, BUT WINDS WILL BECOME LIGHT TONIGHT.
SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED TO LEAD TO BRIEF PERIODS OF MVFR TO LIFR
CONDITIONS, AND DROPS BELOW ILS BREAKPOINTS.
GJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
CO...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT MDT TONIGHT FOR COZ009-
012-013-019.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM MDT MONDAY FOR COZ010.
UT...NONE.
DISCUSSION...LTB/TGJT
AVIATION...TGJT
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