textproduct: Grand Junction

KEY MESSAGES

- Wind gusts of 45-55 mph continue this afternoon ahead of the storm system moving in tonight. Wind Advisories are in effect across the region with Red Flag Warnings in northwestern Colorado where fuels are critical.

- Light showers are possible over the Uintas and Park Range late this afternoon into Thursday. Virga showers could exacerbate wind concerns.

- Cooler and unsettled weather returns for the weekend into early next week.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 113 PM MDT Wed Apr 22 2026

Models are in good agreement with each other and with satellite imagery placing the low pressure center just moving into southwestern Montana with the cold front extending south along the Idaho-Wyoming Border through Utah and west into central to southern Nevada. This frontal boundary is generating showers with embedded isolated thunderstorms through Wyoming and Utah. Look for this front to move into northeastern Utah late this afternoon pushing to the southeast across the region by tomorrow morning cooling temperatures across eastern Utah and Western Colorado about ten degrees. As little moisture will make it over the Wasatch Range into our region, expect only isolated to scattered light showers across the northern mountains tonight with isolated showers spreading south into the central and southern Colorado mountains by tomorrow morning. We currently have the strong winds ahead of this system gusting 45 to 55 mph across the region validating the Wind Advisories active through all the lower valleys. Be advised these winds will impact travel, especially for high profile vehicles, may cause branch and tree damage and blow around loose objects. Along with the strong winds, the relative humidity across the region is very low creating critical fire weather conditions. A Red Flag Warning is in effect through 9 PM this evening for northwestern Colorado Fire Weather Zones 200 and 202 where fuels are critically dry. Winds will remain breezy through the rest of the week generally gusting 20 to 30 mph and stronger across the northern areas Friday. Zones 200 and 202 will likely have Red Flag conditions again Friday. Stay tuned for updates on this.

A general longwave trough is setting up across the Western States over the next week that will steer shortwave disturbances across eastern Utah and Western Colorado every day or two bringing unsettled weather mostly to the northern mountains. A stronger one of these disturbances digs deeper along the California Coast Saturday that will pull more moisture up through Southern California into the Great Basin and into our region. This system is promising more widespread rain and high elevation snow showers across the region. This system isn't bringing heavy rains, up to a quarter inch in the Four Corners area to a half inch in the northern valleys, but at this point, any rain is welcome.

AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY/

Issued at 1136 AM MDT Wed Apr 22 2026

VFR conditions will prevail through the TAF period. The main concern today is gusty south/southwest winds. Gusts of 30-40 kts are expected, with stronger gusts expected at terminals along and north of I-70. Gusts are expected to decrease in strength as we move closer to sunset. Some of the high country terminals could experience additional gusty winds by the morning hours Thursday. Passing high clouds will be present throughout the day, with some mid level cloud development this evening.

FIRE WEATHER

Issued at 113 PM MDT Wed Apr 22 2026

Today many locations below 7,000 feet are experiencing relative humidities below 15% and wind gusts 45-55 mph. However, currently fuels are only critical in northwestern Colorado. Hence, a Red Flag Warning has been issued for Colorado zones 200 and 202. There is also potential for virga showers to develop over adjacent higher terrain, which could produce strong and erratic wind gusts. Friday afternoon looks like another period of critical fire weather conditions for these zones.

GJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

CO...Wind Advisory until 9 PM MDT this evening for COZ001-002- 006>008-011-020>022. Red Flag Warning until 9 PM MDT this evening for COZ200-202. UT...Wind Advisory until 9 PM MDT this evening for UTZ022-024-027- 029.