textproduct: Grand Junction

KEY MESSAGES

- Freezing temperatures will impact the lower basins of northwest Colorado and northeast Utah Tuesday and Wednesday morning. Freeze Warnings are in effect for both mornings.

- Temperatures will start to warm Tuesday onward, finally reaching near-to-above normal levels Thursday and Friday.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 1002 PM MDT Mon May 18 2026

FREEZE WARNINGS IN EFFECT:

Radar returns are diminishing across the area though a stray shower along the I-70 corridor and areas just north can't be ruled out. Clearing skies will allow temperatures to drop thanks to the cold front that passed through yesterday. Freeze Warnings remain in effect for the Uinta Basin and northern valleys. Portions of the I-70 corridor may reach freezing or just below but coverage and timing won't last long enough to warrant any highlights there. Same for the southern valleys. The Freeze Watch for Tuesday night into Wednesday has been upgraded to a Warning with this evening's package for the northern valleys as models have not deviated from sub-freezing temperatures there.

RELATIVELY QUIET WEATHER, SLOW WARMUP:

An upper level trough will remain draped over the area through the end of the week but with drier air moving in, little in the way of precip is expected. Might see an odd shower over the higher terrain but for the most part we can expect partly cloudy skies as below normal highs Tuesday and Wednesday reach normal values towards the end of the week and above normal highs heading into the weekend. The next chance for precipitation looks to be Thursday afternoon through Friday morning as a system drops down from the north.

AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z WEDNESDAY/

Issued at 1144 PM MDT Mon May 18 2026

A weak boundary remains draped across the region through Tuesday. This is going to produce some cloud cover through the TAF period. Breakpoint conditions remain possible tonight up against the Continental Divide, but dry air will help erode some of that cloud cover by daybreak. Scattered to broken mid and upper level clouds will remain Wednesday with winds picking up in the afternoon and gusting to around 20-25 mph around the mountains and 15-20 mph in the lower desert valleys.

GJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

CO...Freeze Warning until 10 AM MDT Tuesday for COZ001-002. Freeze Warning from 1 AM to 9 AM MDT Wednesday for COZ001-002. UT...Freeze Warning until 10 AM MDT Tuesday for UTZ024.