textproduct: Grand Junction

KEY MESSAGES

- Winter Storm Warnings and Winter Weather Advisories continue tonight into Sunday morning.

- Hazardous travel conditions continue tonight with wet roads refreezing following the cold front passage.

- The most likely window for snow in valleys below 8,000 feet will be tonight into Sunday.

- Dry air returns by Sunday night with above normal temperatures returning to the forecast by mid week.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/

Issued at 208 PM MST Sat Dec 27 2025

Models continue to struggle with the evolution of this winter storm today. A pronounced dry layer with the jet stream and dry boundary layer conditions are evident on this morning's sounding. Unidirectional, southwesterly flow through the column isn't helping with any cold air or lapse rate benefits. Up in northwest CO, where we've seen light snow all day, wet bulbing has managed to get temperatures down to about freezing, but the fight against warm air advection has put us in a split decision with both camps sharing the win. Shower activity is focused along the southwesterly jet streak from southwest UT through northwest CO. As these showers work upvalley, a few could produce heavier snow in the I-70 corridor from the Eagle County line to Vail Pass. This cluster of showers is expected to push snow totals up this evening across the Park Range as well, where the Winter Storm Warning continues. Elsewhere, Winter Weather Advisories continue across the high country for the 4-12 inches of snow expected to fall by Sunday morning.

Meanwhile, the cold front is working southeast out of southwest WY. High res models point to a few showers developing along the front this evening, as it taps into the moisture pool where showers have saturated the column. A few of these banded snow showers this evening could produce some travel headaches on area roadways as it works south and east. Wet roads could refreeze rather quickly too, as cold, dry air sweeps across northwest Colorado. Advisories will come down after midnight for the eastern Uintas and then follow suit Sunday morning for our remaining zones. I wouldn't be surprised to see a few of these products end early, given the rapid drying that models are painting currently. Regardless, motorists are reminded to check local conditions if traveling now through Sunday morning.

Sunday will find us beneath a much colder air mass than we have been accustomed to. Afternoon highs will trend nearly 20 degrees cooler than we've had...near normal. A few clouds and scattered flurries will hang up against the Continental Divide Sunday afternoon, but most of the region will get some much needed sunshine. Clear skies will see temperatures drop rapidly Sunday night and morning lows in the subzero range for our cold basins. Elsewhere, lows will be near normal. Again, cool, following the record warmth we've been under the last week.

LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/

Issued at 208 PM MST Sat Dec 27 2025

Quiet weather looks to be the forecast Monday through at least late in the work week. An anomalously dry airmass will keep precipitation chances near zero through the day Monday, despite there being a bit of forcing from a narrow band of vorticity moving across the region. Weak moisture advection will increase PWATs on Tuesday, primarily north of I-70, but a lack of forcing will keep precipitation chances near zero. Ridging will persist through midweek, keeping chances of unsettled weather out of the forecast until the end of the workweek. There is some model suggestion of a strong moisture push towards the weekend, but confidence is very low at this point as model disagreement is significant. High temperatures will be near normal on Monday, but will climb to 10 degrees above normal by Wednesday, and remain well above normal through the remainder of the long term.

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z MONDAY/

Issued at 427 PM MST Sat Dec 27 2025

Rain and snow showers are expected to continue over most of western Colorado through tonight. Cigs and visibility may occasionally drop to MVFR or ILS conditions with these storms at KASE, KEGE, KRIL, KMTJ, KTEX, KGUC, and KHDN. Additionally, ILS breakpoints are likely to be reached at these terminals. Winds may gust to 20-25 knots across the region during the night as well. Until storms begin to dissipate late tomorrow morning or early in the afternoon, mechanical turbulence and mountain obscuration will be additional concerns.

GJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

CO...Winter Weather Advisory until 10 AM MST Sunday for COZ003-009- 010-012-013-017>019. Winter Storm Warning until 5 AM MST Sunday for COZ004. UT...Winter Weather Advisory until 10 AM MST Sunday for UTZ028. Winter Weather Advisory until 11 PM MST this evening for UTZ023.