FXUS65 KGJT 270603 AFDGJT Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Grand Junction CO 1203 AM MDT Mon Oct 27 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... - Showers will spread out of the Uintas eastward across the Yampa Basin and areas North through the evening. with snow after midnight across our northern mountains. - Pass level road conditions will likely be at their worst around daybreak Monday, specifically Rabbit Ears, with snow and blowing snow impacting travel. - The highest snow will be across the northern Colorado mountains where 2-5 inches are expected in most areas. Amounts over 6 inches are more likely to be limited to the highest terrain of the Park Range. - Temperatures drop below normal Monday and Tuesday, but rebound Wednesday onward as a warmer and drier pattern sets up. Freeze Watches are in effect for several valleys Tuesday morning. && .SHORT TERM /THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/... Issued at 247 PM MDT Sun Oct 26 2025 Forecast thinking today is unchanged over the past several shifts with a quick moving system bringing snow to the northern mountains tonight through tomorrow evening. High level moisture in the flow is slowly saturating the top of the column but with minimal lift there has been little if any precipitation making it to the ground yet today. The bulk of the QG forcing is forecast to remain north of our CWA but we will get some forcing from a strong jet aloft and eventually a cold front dropping through tomorrow morning. Much of the cold air for decent SLR and even dendritic saturation stays along or north of our border through mid morning on Monday before being forced southward as by the trough digging eastward. Therefore elevated snow level and low SLR will limit the impacts from this storm which is acting more like a clipper. A general 2-5 inches of snow over the Park and Elkheads is expected with amounts over 5 inches limited to the higher peaks above Steamboat. That is not to say it will be pleasant driving over Rabbit Ears for a time tomorrow morning due to snow and blowing snow. With overall wintery impacts remaining limited in coverage do plan on hoisting winter headlines with this event. As the front drops through tomorrow SLR will increase but most of the snow appears to be limited to the spine of the northern mountains before things dry out by evening. Clouds and mixing are likely to keep things mild tonight before much cooler temperatures arrive tomorrow night. Clearing skies under a colder and drier regime promises good radiational cooling which means probability is increase for a season ending freeze of some of our valleys and watches have been issued. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... Issued at 247 PM MDT Sun Oct 26 2025 High pressure slowly builds in on behind the departing trough and its attendant cold front. After a chilly Tuesday, temperatures will rebound throughout the week, climbing above seasonal normals late in the week. Precipitation chances will be hard to come by with a persistent dry airmass in place, but forecast confidence decreases heading into next weekend with the global ensembles leaning towards a more active weather pattern and the return of moisture to the region. && .AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z TUESDAY/... Issued at 1159 PM MDT Sun Oct 26 2025 Scattered rain and snow showers will continue across northern Colorado this morning. Precipitation will continue on the high country along the Divide through Monday afternoon then taper off by evening. Strong winds aloft will lead to some LLWS at the terminals this morning too. Skies will clear up west to east on Monday, while some cloud cover is expected to hang around the west side of the Continental Divide through the day, then clear out late Monday evening. && .GJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CO...Freeze Watch from Monday evening through Tuesday morning for COZ007-011-021-022. UT...Freeze Watch from Monday evening through Tuesday morning for UTZ024. && $$ SHORT TERM...15 LONG TERM...KAA AVIATION...TGJT