190 

FXUS65 KGJT 301056

AFDGJT



Area Forecast Discussion

National Weather Service Grand Junction CO

356 AM MST Tue Dec 30 2025



.KEY MESSAGES...



- Dry conditions persist with above normal temperatures.



- Valley rain and mountain snow showers return on Thursday and

  Friday.



&&



.SHORT TERM /THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/...

Issued at 1240 AM MST Tue Dec 30 2025



A ridge building over the West Coast will gradually slide

eastward and keep us under dry conditions. Warm advection has 

allowed temperatures to warm and that will continue through 

tomorrow. A few snow covered valleys may struggle to warm as 

fast as other locations. Today will be mostly sunny although 

clouds begin to move in from the southwest tonight and tomorrow.



&&



.LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...

Issued at 154 PM MST Mon Dec 29 2025



Moisture moves in for Thursday and Friday as an open wave 

trough moves across the area, with PWAT anomalies increasing to 

200 to 300 percent of normal...which amounts to PWAT between 0.5

and 0.6 inches. What is concerning is the temperatures which 

are still fairly mild with this moisture, getting down to the 0C

to -3C range at H7 at best. There is not much dynamic forcing 

with this system either as the jet stays south of the region, so

snowfall rates at this time appear on the lighter side for the 

mountains with orographics being the main driver. Details are 

still uncertain with regards to how high snow levels will be 

since we are lacking the deep cold air needed for productive 

snowfall. Most valley locations should remain rain throughout 

this event with snow levels at this time varying between 8kft 

and 9kft although snow levels potentially could be higher at 

times which complicates the forecast. Ridging moves overhead 

behind this system for the coming weekend, bringing a return to 

dry conditions and well above normal temperatures although we 

never really cool down much in the first place...maybe by about 

5 degrees cooler on Thursday as this moisture passes through 

before warming back up to 10 to 15 degrees above normal this 

coming weekend.



&&



.AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z WEDNESDAY/... 

Issued at 355 AM MST Tue Dec 30 2025



VFR conditions and light terrain driven winds are expected

through the taf period.



&&



.GJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...



CO...None.

UT...None.



&&



$$



SHORT TERM...KJS

LONG TERM...MDA

AVIATION...TGJT