textproduct: Grand Junction

KEY MESSAGES

- Winter Weather Advisories will drop off this morning, with light flurries continuing against the Divide into mid-day

- Unsettled conditions return Sunday with measurable snow on all of our mountain passes and the potential for another round of winter highlights for the high country.

- Temperatures will trend downward today and beyond as cold air remains pooled across the region and regular cloud cover chews into available sunlight.

UPDATE

Issued at 756 AM MST Sat Nov 29 2025

Higher elevations along I-70 heading up to Vail Pass remain slick and snow covered. Snow will likely continue over the next couple hours, so plan on slippery road conditions and poor visibility, thus the winter weather advisory has been extended until 10 AM this morning for COZ010. Otherwise, the winter weather advisory for COZ004 has been allowed to expire as snow threat has come to an end in these areas.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH SUNDAY/

Issued at 245 AM MST Sat Nov 29 2025

Synoptically speaking, not much has changed in the big picture across the West. Broad cyclonic flow dips from the PACNW down to the Four Corners. Much drier air resides south of the longwave trough across AZ/NM. Meanwhile, orographics are taking advantage of the meager moisture in the longwave trough to produce snow showers across our northern mountains and farther south on the higher elevations along the west side of the Continental Divide this morning. SNOTEL sites in COZ004 are picking up 3-6 inches thus far, while southward in COZ010 amounts hover around 2 inches of new snow, mostly above 10000 feet. Dynamically, there just isn't much going on to ramp up rates and thus we are likely to continue accumulating steadily until the jet streak slides east this morning. Winter Weather Advisories are expected to drop off around 0800 MST this morning, with light flurries continuing into mid-day along the terrain west of the Divide. Accumulations will be negligible though.

Sunny skies will keep things pretty mild on the south side of I-70 today, with temperatures only dipping a couple degrees from yesterday. Up north however, temperatures will feel much cooler under the influence of the colder air mass, with highs 10-15 degrees cooler. Clouds will increase this afternoon across the region, as another northerly jet streak digs the trough southward into the Great Basin. This is expected to pick up a fetch of Pacific moisture that will later come in handy for additional snowfall on the southern mountains. Cloud cover tonight should keep some of our cold spots from plummeting behind the cold front. It does look like the Yampa and Gunnison Basins should dip into the mid/low teens tonight.

The deepening open wave drops another frontal boundary into the CWA Sunday afternoon. This will produce additional measurable snowfall from the northern mountains down into the San Juans by Sunday evening, as strong southwest flow converges with the frontal boundary over the southern mountains. Wintry driving conditions are expected across our mountain passes on Sunday afternoon and into Monday morning. Holiday travelers and Monday commuters should stay abreast of local forecasts through this period. Temperatures will trend cooler, yet again, beneath gray skies Sunday afternoon.

LONG TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY/

Issued at 245 AM MST Sat Nov 29 2025

As the trough and front continue to push through Sunday and Monday morning, precipitation will overspread to just about the entire CWA. A few differences with regards to timing still exist but models continue to get into better agreement increasing confidence in the forecast. The latest forecast has all the higher terrain in Colorado receiving between 4 to 8 inches. The Park Range and highest peaks of the West Elks and Elk Mountains look to be the winners with amounts possibly reaching 11 inches. Snow amounts have adjusted upward with this morning's forecast package, but model spread remains a point of contention for snow production. Either way, keep an eye on the forecast Sunday if travelling or recreating in the High Country.

By noon Monday, precip will be over though a few isolated showers will be possible along the Continental Divide. Have no fear snow lovers, as another trough is expected to move in as early as Tuesday night. As of now, large model discrepancies exist so suffice to say that another chance for mountain snow looks probable, mainly for northern mountains, Flat Tops, and portions of the central mountains.

High temperatures trend even cooler next week as reinforcing shots of cold air move in with those upper level troughs.

AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z SUNDAY/

Issued at 434 AM MST Sat Nov 29 2025

A passing frontal boundary will keep (near)breakpoint ceilings in KHDN, KEGE, and KASE for a few hours this morning, but conditions should improve back to VFR around 1600Z. Elsewhere, scattered to broken high clouds will stick around today, with high ceilings developing across the region late this afternoon. Winds remain light and terrain driven today.

GJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

CO...Winter Weather Advisory until 10 AM MST this morning for COZ010. UT...None.