Grand Junction residents can anticipate a weekend filled with abundant sunshine and unseasonably warm conditions, a trend expected to persist into much of next week. Temperatures will be significantly warmer than is typical for this time of year, impacting weekend plans, including the Grand Junction Air Show.
This evening, skies are forecasted to be mostly clear, with temperatures hovering in the mid to upper 70s around 7 p.m., then cooling to the mid to upper 60s by 9 p.m.
Saturday will continue the trend of mostly sunny skies. Morning lows across the region are predicted to be around 54 degrees in Grand Junction, 47 degrees in Montrose, 48 degrees in Delta, 44 degrees in Cortez, and 58 degrees in Moab. By noon, temperatures are expected to climb into the low to mid 70s. Afternoon highs for Saturday will reach approximately 83 degrees in Grand Junction, 77 degrees in Montrose, 82 degrees in Delta, 79 degrees in Cortez, and a hotter 88 degrees in Moab.
The Grand Junction Air Show, taking place on both Saturday and Sunday, will unfold under these warm and sunny conditions. The event is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. each day, with the much-anticipated Blue Angels performance expected around 2:30 p.m. Highs for both days of the Air Show are projected to be in the mid-80s amidst abundant sunshine. Attendees are advised to stay hydrated and use sunglasses and sunscreen to protect their eyes and skin from the strong sun.
The unseasonably warm pattern is attributed to high pressure that is expected to remain over the area for an extended period, keeping temperatures elevated for much of the upcoming week. Forecasters indicate that daily highs will range from the upper 70s to the mid-80s for the next several days.
While the warmth is notable, Grand Junction is not expected to reach record-breaking temperatures immediately. The record high for Saturday, Sunday, and Monday in Grand Junction stands at 87 degrees. Current forecasts suggest that daily highs will likely be a few degrees short of this record during the weekend and early next week. However, even if records are not set, temperatures will still be approximately 10 to 15 degrees above the normal average for this time of year. As the warmth continues, forecasters will monitor the situation, as records could potentially be tied or broken by midweek.
Looking further ahead, long-range trends suggest a continuation of dry and warm conditions for Western Colorado. The Climate Prediction Center projects about a 70% chance of above-normal temperatures for the region between October 8 and 12. During the same five-day period, Western Colorado also has about a 50% chance of experiencing below-normal precipitation, according to the Climate Prediction Center.
