textproduct: Grand Junction

KEY MESSAGES

- Unseasonably warm and dry conditions dominate the forecast through early next week.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH SATURDAY/

Issued at 153 AM MST Fri Dec 12 2025

The upper level jet associated with a large cold trough over the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes region hasn't really left, still parked to our northeast. This is evidenced by IR satellite imagery with continued high cloud cover moving across northeast Utah and northwest Colorado, as well as mountain wave activity further downstream over the Front Range mountains. A ridge of high pressure is building across the west, so our weather is mostly influenced by high pressure with dry conditions and milder temperatures with highs expected to continue being in the 10 to 15 degrees above normal range at least through the weekend. Mostly sunny skies will be the rule with relatively light winds although gusty conditions are possible over the highest ridges due to the presence of this upper level jet. The influence of the northern jet will also keep scattered high clouds in the picture mainly across the north through the weekend.

Some low level moisture remains trapped in the cold pool basins, such as the Gunnison River Basin, resulting in patchy low stratus and fog at times early this morning. Expect this to slowly erode as drier air continues to move in with conditions less supportive of fog tonight as the jet slowly lifts further to the northeast and high pressure slowly nudges eastward on Saturday. Did lower temperatures a bit in these cold pool basins, due to inversions setting in and relatively stable conditions with limited mixing.

LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/

Issued at 153 AM MST Fri Dec 12 2025

Conditions remain largely unchanged through early next week with unseasonably warm and dry conditions driving the forecast.

A pattern change is possible around the middle of next week with westerly flow bringing a slight uptick in moisture to locations along and north of Interstate 70. Unfortunately both moisture and forcing look limited, so the best we can hope for is a few periods of upslope precipitation over the northern mountains given the projected synoptic setup. Valleys along and north of I-70 and most locations south of I-70 favor a dry week ahead.

AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY/

Issued at 1034 AM MST Fri Dec 12 2025

High clouds continue to stream overhead for much of NE Utah and NW Colorado and will remain few to scattered, maybe a few occurrences of broken. Either way, VFR conditions continue for the next 24 hours. Some question at KGUC if low stratus and some early morning fog will form. Didn't include that in TAF for now.

GJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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