Grand Junction and Western Colorado are set to see rain diminish tonight and Friday, offering a drier weekend before more significant wet weather arrives early next week, according to KKCO. This next system is expected to bring rain to the Western Slope and could transition to snow on high mountain passes, potentially affecting travel. Meanwhile, the latest Drought Monitor update indicates some limited improvements in drought conditions for the first time in months, though severe and extreme drought remain widespread across the region.
For Friday, residents can expect partly to mostly cloudy skies. A few showers and thunderstorms are possible in the afternoon, though many areas are likely to remain dry. Any rain that does develop will be widely scattered, offering brief periods of heavy rain in some locations. Showers around kickoff for high school football games are expected to end fairly quickly, leading into a dry Friday night and weekend. Temperatures around Grand Junction are forecasted to reach near 78 degrees in the afternoon, with morning lows near 56 degrees. Montrose will see highs near 73 degrees and lows around 50, while Delta can expect highs near 78 and lows around 53.
Tonight, rain is more likely for areas well east of the Colorado-Utah state line, specifically from Montrose and Nucla north through Delta and the Grand Mesa. While rain is possible around Grand Junction, it is expected to be more limited. The region will warm from mid-to-upper 50s at 7 AM on Friday to mid-to-upper 60s at noon, reaching low-to-mid 70s by 4 PM. Following Friday's scattered showers, the weekend is anticipated to be dry across Western Colorado.
The next significant weather maker is on track to arrive early Monday, bringing rain across Western Colorado through Monday night and into early Tuesday morning. This system has the potential for rain to change to snow at elevations as low as about 10,000 to 10,500 feet. Accumulating snow is possible above approximately 11,500 feet, according to KKCO.
This mountain snow could lead to slushy road conditions and low visibility on high passes by Tuesday morning. Commuters and travelers should be aware that Vail Pass, Red Mountain Pass, and Loveland Pass could be impacted. Additionally, some snow is also possible at high elevations on the Grand Mesa.
The weekly Drought Monitor update, released today, showed some limited improvement for the first time in several months. These improvements are most noticeable in areas stretching from Nucla southeast through the San Juan Mountains to near Durango. While moderate drought is still present in these areas, it represents a significant improvement from the severe and extreme drought levels previously observed. However, severe and extreme drought conditions remain widespread elsewhere across the region. Exceptional drought, which is the highest level of drought, continues to be widespread along and on either side of the Continental Divide.
