FIRST ALERT | Heavy mountain snow means harmful journey beginning Tuesday

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) – An lively week is organising for Western Colorado. Tuesday, and Wednesday are First Alert Weather Days for valley rain altering to snow and heavy snow within the mountains that may closely disrupt journey between the Western Slope and the Front Range. Travel towards Metro Salt Lake City will also be slowed.

Weather Alert: Winter Storm Warning

A Winter Storm Warning is in impact from 11 PM Monday till 5 AM Thursday for the Grand Mesa, the Uncompahgre Plateau, the Dallas Divide, Battlement Mesa, the Elk Mountains, the San Juan Mountains, the Gore Mountains, the central mountain valleys, the Flat Tops, the Elkhead Mountains, and the Park Mountains. This contains Glade Park, Vail Pass, Aspan, Snowmass, Crested Butte, Monarch Pass, Marble, Skyway, McClure Pass, the Colorado National Monument, Ridgway, Telluride, Ouray, Red Mountain Pass, Lizard Head Pass, Coal Bank Pass, and Silverton. A Winter Storm Warning means winter climate situations could possibly be harmful. Travel via the mountains could possibly be troublesome to inconceivable. Snowfall of 10 to 18 inches is anticipated. Wind gusts as excessive as 60-70 mph can blow the snow, decreasing visibility to close zero at instances. We typically get Winter Weather Advisories, that are issued when climate can develop into inconvenient. A Winter Storm Warning is issued when climate is anticipated to develop into harmful.

Weather Alert: Winter Weather Advisory

A Winter Weather Advisory is in impact from 11 PM Monday till 5 AM Tuesday for the Roan and Tavaputs Plateaus in northwestern Colorado, together with Rio Blanco and the Bookcliffs, and for the La Sal Mountains, the Abajo Mountains and surrounding areas, together with La Sal, Monticello, and Spanish Valley in jap Utah. Snowfall of 4-10 inches is anticipated together with wind gusts of as much as 60 mph. Travel might be troublesome at instances.

Weather Alert: Wind Advisory

A Wind Advisory is in impact for a lot of Southwest Colorado and Northwest Colorado from 5 AM Tuesday till 5 PM Tuesday for the Yampa River Basin, the Paradox Valley, the Dolores River Valley, and the Animas River Basin Wind gusts as much as 50 mph are potential in these areas together with Rangeley, Dinosaur, Craig, Meeker, Gateway, Nucla, Norwood, Cortez, Dove Creek, Towaoc, Mesa Verde National Park, and Durango.

Wind Outside The Advisory Area

Wind is probably going exterior of that Wind Advisory space, too. Wind gusts will enhance after 10 PM Monday round Grand Junction, Delta, and Montrose. Gusts of 30-40 mph are potential Monday evening via Tuesday. Wind gusts of as much as 30 mph are potential on Wednesday.

Timing The Rain & Snow

The rain and snow are prone to arrive in a number of waves all through the week. A fast spherical of valley rain and mountain snow will sweep from west to east throughout our space between about midnight Monday evening and 6 AM Tuesday. New rain and mountain snow will start growing between about 10 AM and midday Tuesday with on-and-off rain and snow via Tuesday night. Areas of snow might be scattered throughout the High Country Tuesday night, then snow will enhance, even within the valleys, between 2 AM and 6 AM. Another wave of valley rain and mountain snow seems to be to reach between 10 AM and midday Wednesday with nonetheless. More snow nonetheless can fall on each Thursday and Friday earlier than a shift within the climate sample brings a return of some sunshine in time for the weekend.

Expected Snowfall Through Midday Wednesday

Snowfall quantities could also be negligible within the valleys via noon Wednesday. An inch or two could fall, however it can soften greater than it can accumulate. As a lot as 1-2 toes of snow can fall excessive on the Grand Mesa and throughout the Elk Mountains. Locally increased quantities are potential within the central Elk Mountains. The San Juans are inline for as much as 1 to 2 toes of snow, too, although not all areas will get that a lot. Some areas close to Wolf Creek Pass may high 3 toes of snow via noon Wednesday. Areas alongside and north of I-70 will typically get 5-10 inches of snow with 1-4 inches within the northern excessive valleys. Again, that is simply via noon Wednesday. More snow can fall on Thursday and Friday.

Monday Forecast

Monday might be cloudy however dry. We’ll heat from mid-to-upper 30s at 7 AM to low-to-mid 50s and midday, then to mid-to-upper 50s at 4 PM. High temperatures within the afternoon might be close to 61 levels round Grand Junction, 60 levels round Montrose, 62 levels round Delta, 59 levels round Cortez, and 61 levels round Moab. Low temperatures within the morning might be close to 35 levels round Grand Junction, 34 levels round Montrose, 35 levels round Delta, 31 levels round Cortez, and 36 levels round Moab.

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