National Weather Service National Headquarters

• Home
• Site Map
• News
• Organization
• Search for: NWS All NOAA 

000
FXUS65 KGJT 180430
AFDGJT

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
1030 PM MDT THU APR 17 2014

.SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT)
ISSUED AT 121 PM MDT THU APR 17 2014

HIGH PRESSURE PASSES OVER THE FORECAST AREA TONIGHT GIVING WAY TO
DUAL PACIFIC SYSTEMS COMING ONSHORE FRIDAY MORNING. THE NORTHERN
SYSTEM IN THE PACIFIC NW WILL TRACK THROUGH THE NORTHERN ROCKIES
PROVIDING SOME WEAK UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT. THE MORE IMPORTANT LOW
APPROACHES FROM THE SW TRANSPORTING SIGNIFICANT MOISTURE. FRIDAY
FORECAST SOUNDINGS SHOW INVERTED V PROFILES WITH ENOUGH CAPE TO
JUSTIFY A MENTION OF AFTERNOON-EARLY EVENING THUNDERSTORMS. PRECIP
WATER VALUES SURGE FROM 0.3 INCHES TO 0.6 INCHES INTO THE
SOUTHERN VALLEYS OVERNIGHT. THE TOP-DOWN FILLING OF THE INVERTED V
PROFILE OFTEN LEADS TO GUSTY WINDS AND HAVE ADDED SCATTERED
NIGHTTIME POPS WITH WIND GUSTS TO 25 MPH. THERE IS SOME POTENTIAL
FOR STRONGER GUSTS AND MORE WIDESPREAD SHOWERS. SNOW LEVELS AROUND
10KFT FRIDAY AFTERNOON DROP TO AROUND 8KFT OVERNIGHT. A FEW INCHES
OF ACCUMULATION ARE POSSIBLE IN THE SOUTHERN MTNS OVERNIGHT.

.LONG TERM...(SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY)
ISSUED AT 121 PM MDT THU APR 17 2014

EXPECT A DREARY START TO THE WEEKEND WITH A SWATH OF SUBTROPICAL
MOISTURE OVER THE REGION ON SATURDAY PRODUCING MOSTLY OVERCAST
SKIES AND SCATTERED SHOWERS. THESE SHOWERS WILL SPREAD FROM
SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST THROUGHOUT THE DAY AND BE AIDED IN GROWTH
BY TOPOGRAPHY AND DAYTIME HEATING IN THE AFTERNOON. THE NAM MODEL
IS PARCHED ON ITS PRECIPITATION COVERAGE FORECAST WHICH KEEPS
PRECIP OVER SOUTHWEST COLORADO AND ALONG THE CENTRAL MTNS RATHER
THAN THE GFS/EC SOLN WHICH BRINGS A WIDESPREAD AREA OF SHOWERS
FROM THE FOUR CORNERS NORTHEAST TO THE FLATTOP MTNS. MOST OF
NORTHWEST CO AND NORTHEAST UT LOOKS TO STAY OUT OF THE BULK OF
PRECIPITATION ON SATURDAY BUT THERE COULD STILL BE A FEW ISOLATED
SHOWERS AROUND. THE CHANCE FOR TSTORMS EXISTS ON SATURDAY BUT WITH
NO JET ALOFT TO SUSTAIN UPDRAFTS AND LITTLE DYNAMICS EXCEPT FOR A
WEAKENING TROUGH PASSAGE...NOT OVERLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS
OPPORTUNITY.

WEAK RIDGING BUILDS IN AGAIN ON SUNDAY BUT AS WEAK DISTURBANCES
PASS THROUGH THE CLOCKWISE FLOW THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK...A FEW
ISOLATED AFTERNOON SHOWERS OVER HIGHER TERRAIN ARE EXPECTED.

TUESDAY WILL BE THE DRIEST DAY IN THE LONG TERM PERIOD...ALBEIT
QUITE WINDY. SUSTAINED SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH ARE
PROBABLE ON TUESDAY WITH WIND GUSTS UP TO 55 MPH. JUST 24 HOURS
AGO WE WERE LOOKING AT A POTENTIALLY MOIST AND COLD SYSTEM DIVING
INTO THE AREA ON WED/THURS BUT THE LATEST MODEL RUNS HAVE MOVED
THIS SYSTEM TO OUR NORTH WITH PRECIPITATION IMPACTS MINIMAL AND
LOCALIZED TO THE NORTH AND OCCURRING ON THURSDAY INSTEAD. WITH
SUCH INCONSISTENCY...FORECAST PAST TUESDAY IS LOW CONFIDENCE.

&&

.AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z FRIDAY NIGHT)
ISSUED AT 1030 PM MDT THU APR 17 2014

VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH 20Z FRI AS A HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE
SLIDES EAST ACROSS THE REGION. AFTER 20Z...ISOLATED TO SCATTERED
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOP FAVORING THE MOUNTAINS SOUTH OF
INTERSTATE 70. LOCAL MTN TOPS OBSCURED IN HEAVIER SHOWERS. GUSTY
OUTFLOW WINDS AND RESULTING TURBULENCE ARE POSSIBLE NEAR ANY
SHOWER/STORM.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...
ISSUED AT 121 PM MDT THU APR 17 2014

CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE ON TUESDAY AND
WEDNESDAY ACROSS EASTERN UTAH AND MUCH OF WESTERN COLORADO.
SUSTAINED SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH ARE PROBABLE ON TUESDAY
AND POTENTIALLY INTO WEDNESDAY WITH WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH. THE
HIGHEST THREAT IS NEAR THE 4 CORNERS AND IN EASTERN UTAH WHERE
FUELS ARE DRY. RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES ARE EXPECTED TO BE BETWEEN
10 AND 20% AT LOCATIONS BELOW 8000 FEET. WILL BE KEEPING AN EYE
ON THE POSSIBILITY OF THIS WIND/LOW RH EVENT.

&&

.GJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CO...NONE.
UT...NONE.
&&

$$

SHORT TERM...JOE
LONG TERM...JAM
AVIATION...JAD
FIRE WEATHER...JAM