textproduct: Grand Junction

KEY MESSAGES

- A few inches of snow is on tap for the northern Colorado mountains late tonight and tomorrow. Slippery stretches will develop over mountain passes.

- Warming days, cool nights with dry weather persist through the weekend for most of the region.

- A pattern change is possible early next week with the ridge to the west breaking down.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY/

Issued at 225 PM MST Wed Jan 28 2026

Models are in good agreement with each other and with satellite imagery placing the quick-moving shortwave trough over northern Utah. Though the upper-level dynamics with this system pushes through the central Colorado mountains, there isn't much moisture for it to act upon with the moisture staying well to the north restricting the limited impacts to mainly the Park Range and Hwy-40 over Rabbit Ears Pass where four to eight inches snow accumulation is possible. Look for the heavier snow showers through the evening and into the overnight period with the frontal boundary and trough passage. Orographic showers will taper off through the morning and afternoon Thursday, ending by evening. Farther south along the I-70 corridor, little snow is likely, but can't rule out zero to two inches snow and some slick spots on Vail Pass. Allow extra travel time tonight if you need to drive in these areas. Elsewhere skies will remain mostly clear with dry weather. The northwesterly flow behind the trough will keep temperatures a bit on the cool side with morning lows running a little below normal and the daytime highs about five degrees above normal for late January.

LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/

Issued at 225 PM MST Wed Jan 28 2026

A pair of weaker shortwave troughs advect through the northwesterly flow, one on Friday and one early Saturday. Light snow showers are likely over the northern Colorado mountains as they move through, but impactful accumulation is not anticipated. Otherwise, warm days, cool nights, and dry conditions will be mainstays through the weekend.

A pattern shift is possible next week as the high pressure system over the western CONUS breaks down. A low pressure system could bring precipitation to the region in its wake, but the details are still unclear at this time. How strong will it be? Where will it track? How much moisture will it bring? Stay tuned...

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z THURSDAY/

Issued at 417 PM MST Wed Jan 28 2026

A quick moving system moving along the CO/WY border will spread mid level clouds across the lower valleys and snow across the higher valleys and mountains of the north overnight into Thursday morning. KHDN has the highest probability of MVFR or below conditions with lower cigs and light snow this evening and KASE could see ILS/MVFR cigs as the moisture works through. Otherwise VFR is expected most areas under light wind conditions.

GJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

CO...None. UT...None.