textproduct: Grand Junction

KEY MESSAGES

- Another round of snow showers will move in to the northern mountains tonight, with light accumulations of 1-2 inches at pass level.

- A slippery morning commute is possible over Rabbit Ears Pass tomorrow.

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

SHORT TERM /THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/

Issued at 225 PM MST Fri Jan 30 2026

Skies are mostly clear across the region at this hour, although some low and mid level clouds and light snow showers are lingering over the northern Divide mountains. High pressure remains to our west, with deep troughing to the east, keeping northwesterly flow dominant. The next wave moves in tonight, bringing light snow to the northern Divide. There will be plenty of moisture to work with, as forecast PWATs are 160-200% of normal for this time of year. The northwesterly flow aloft does favor good orographic lift over the northern ranges, especially the Park Range, but additional dynamic forcing is lacking. So with ample moisture but limited forcing, the northern mountains are looking at another 1-2 inches of accumulating snow by tomorrow afternoon. Light flurries and low clouds will linger into tomorrow evening, but additional accumulation will be minimal at best. Travel over Rabbit Ears Pass could be slippery during the morning hours. High pressure builds in tomorrow afternoon and evening, bringing clearing skies. Good radiational cooling will allow for some chilly overnight temperatures, particularly in favored cold pool locations. Higher elevations will see temperatures continue to run near to a few degrees below normal, while the lower elevations will run 5-10 degrees above normal by tomorrow afternoon.

LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/

Issued at 225 PM MST Fri Jan 30 2026

Going into next week the longwave pattern becomes transient with the ridge over the Great Basin shifting east over the Rockies and a deep through sliding in behind it. The deterministic and ensemble models are in good agreement with this scenario with the trough passing across the northern areas of eastern Utah and Western Colorado bringing a return of the northwesterly flow aloft and orographic snow showers over the Park and central Divide mountains Tuesday into Wednesday morning. Little snow accumulation is forecast with this system as the atmosphere remains on the drier side. As the long wave pattern continuing to march east, the next ridge moves in over the Rockies about Friday with a trough close behind it likely impacting this region Sunday into early the following week. It's way too soon to tell on this latter storm, but patterns are pointing to possible atmospheric river action feeding this system. Keep your fingers crossed.

Temperatures Sunday and Monday will peak about ten degrees above normal in the mountains and 15 degrees above normal in the lower valleys for early February, cooling a few degrees Tuesday and Wednesday with the trough passage, and warming back to 10-15 degrees above normal by Friday under the next ridge. Confidence is high for the warmer temperatures, but the dip mid next week under the trough could be a bit cooler than the current forecast.

AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY/

Issued at 1042 AM MST Fri Jan 30 2026

Clear skies for most terminals, however low clouds linger for KASE and KHDN. These will be below ILS breakpoints for KASE for the next 1-3 hours. Skies will clear after. Another round of high to mid level clouds moves in after 06Z. Winds will be light and terrain driven. VFR conditions will prevail.

GJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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