


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Grand Junction, CO
Issued by NWS Grand Junction, CO
Versions:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
371 FXUS65 KGJT 100540 AFDGJT Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Grand Junction CO 1140 PM MDT Thu Oct 9 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... - A surge of tropical moisture is moving into the region, bringing peak impacts tomorrow and Saturday. Widespread showers and storms are expected with periods of moderate to heavy rain rates. - Excessive rainfall may result in flooding of slot canyons, normally dry washes, slickrock areas, recent fire scars, urban areas, and other low-lying locations. - Rockslides and mudslides are possible along the highway corridors in the mountains. && .SHORT TERM /THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... Issued at 255 PM MDT Thu Oct 9 2025 Showers and thunderstorms are ongoing across the CWA as moisture moves into the region. This moisture, which is embedded in southwesterly flow between high pressure over Texas and low pressure off the coast of the Pacific Northwest, comes from Tropical Storm Priscilla. So far today we have mostly seen lighter showers, but there have been a few stronger thunderstorms producing stronger rainfall rates. Today`s storms have generally been where CAPE is relatively the greatest, along the Utah and Colorado border. As moisture continues to advect into the region tonight, precipitation chances increase, and remain elevated through at least Saturday night. Today`s sounding shows that PWATs have increased, as the previous sounding (00Z) had 0.42 inches, and the 18Z launch earlier today had 0.74 inches. PWATs in Grand Junction are expected to continue increasing to over an inch, which is well above climatology for this time of the year, and near record setting. By tomorrow morning, PWAT values will exceed 250% of normal across the CWA, even surging above 300% of normal for some areas. As a result, PoPs and QPF really begin to pick up after midnight tonight from southwest to northeast, and will remain elevated through at least Saturday. In general, Stratiform precipitation is expected tomorrow, as cloud cover limits daytime heating and upper level support primarily remains to our northwest. However, orographic lift, breaks in cloud cover, and weak bits of energy passing through may support localized stronger thunderstorms and periods of heavier rain. This raises concerns for flash flooding, particularly over recent burn scars and flood prone areas. Rockslides and mudslides are possible in the higher terrain. As such, a Flood Watch remains in effect from 6 PM this evening through Saturday at 6 PM. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... Issued at 255 PM MDT Thu Oct 9 2025 Increased forcing on Saturday, and more breaks in cloud cover, may allow for some stronger thunderstorms with greater rainfall rates. Although moisture gradually begins to move out during the day Saturday, it still remains abundant through Sunday morning. PWATs are not expected to drop below 200% of normal until overnight Saturday into Sunday. So, considering the rain expected through this event, and the increased potential for heavier rain on Saturday, flash flooding concerns prevail through at least Saturday evening. Thus, the Flood Watch remains in effect from 6 PM this evening through 6 PM Saturday. Drier air pushes in Sunday morning, but the trough passage just to our north, and the passage of a cold front, should support some scattered showers and thunderstorms through Sunday afternoon. This support will mostly be in the northern half of our CWA, so expect precipitation to favor the higher terrain north of I-70. The cold front will drop high temperatures on Sunday, mostly along our northern border, but temperatures will warm a bit early next week. After a brief period of drier weather Sunday evening and night, another push of moisture looks possible Monday afternoon. Ensembles seem to agree on timing, but not the extent of the strongest moisture push, which creates some uncertainty on the details. Regardless, precipitation looks to be in the forecast Monday onwards. && .AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z SATURDAY/... Issued at 1125 PM MDT Thu Oct 9 2025 Deep tropical moisture is moving into the region from the southwest with scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms spreading to the north. Look for these showers to increase through the overnight becoming widespread showers across the region by about 12Z with embedded isolated thunderstorms. Ceilings will drop to MVFR heights at most TAF sites and IFR heights at the mountain TAF sites by 18Z, below ILS breakpoints for KASE, KEGE, KRIL, and most TAF sites. These conditions will persist well into Saturday. && .HYDROLOGY... Issued at 216 PM MDT Wed Oct 8 2025 Tropical moisture will stream northward into the region today, bringing widespread heavy rain and increasing the threat of flash flooding across portions of southeastern Utah and southwest Colorado. An increased risk of flash flooding will continue through at least Saturday evening across the watch area. Excessive rainfall may result in flooding of slot canyons, normally dry washes, slickrock areas, recent burn scars, urban areas, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. Rockslides and mudslides are possible in the mountains. && .GJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CO...Flood Watch through Saturday afternoon for COZ003-009-017>023. UT...Flood Watch through Saturday afternoon for UTZ022-025-027>029. && $$ SHORT TERM...GF LONG TERM...GF AVIATION...DB HYDROLOGY...TGJT