
A Moderate Risk of severe thunderstorms (level 4 of 5) is in the outlook across portions of the Midwest today. Damaging winds, a few tornadoes and frequent lightning with heavy rainfall are in the forecast. Meanwhile, dangerous heat across the southern Plains into the Great Lakes, mid-Atlantic and Northeast will expand into Friday. Risk for wildfires for the central Rockies and Sacramento Valley. Read More >
COZ205-120030-
COZ205-120030-
Colorado River Headwaters-
227 AM MDT Thu Jun 11 2026
Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Wrn Colorado and Ern Utah
National Weather Service Grand Junction CO
227 AM MDT Thu Jun 11 2026
...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM UNTIL 8 PM MDT THIS
EVENING FOR GUSTY WINDS, LOW HUMIDITY AND DRY FUELS FOR COLORADO
FIRE WEATHER ZONES 207, 293 AND 295...
...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY
EVENING FOR GUSTY WINDS, LOW HUMIDITY AND DRY FUELS FOR COLORADO
FIRE WEATHER ZONES 200, 201, 202, 203, 205, 207, 290, 291, 292,
293, 294 AND 295, AS WELL AS UTAH FIRE WEATHER ZONE 487...
.DISCUSSION...Critical fire weather conditions across southwestern
Colorado up into the central Colorado mountains today as lighter
winds and cooler temperatures limit coverage. Hot,dry, windy
conditions return Friday and Saturday. Shower and thunderstorm
chances return Saturday afternoon through Sunday and into Monday
mostly in the San Juans and along the Divide with potential for
new fire starts due to dry lightning. Wetting rains are unlikely.
Areas of critical fire weather continue daily across the region
into next week, as temperatures climb well above average Friday
and beyond.
...GUSTY ERRATIC WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED NEAR ANY SHOWERS
OR THUNDERSTORMS...
...THE SMOKE DATA IS CALCULATED FROM AN AVERAGE AT 6000 FEET MSL...
...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH
FRIDAY EVENING...
.TODAY...
Sky/weather.........Sunny (0-10%).
Chc of lightning....0 percent.
Max temperature.....65-75 F.
Min humidity........6-11%.
20-foot winds.......Downslope/downvalley 3 to 6 mph becoming
upslope/upvalley 4 to 8 mph by 1100.
CWR.................0 percent.
15K Ft MSL Winds....West 30 to 40 mph decreasing to 20 to 25 mph in
the afternoon.
Mixing Height.......3500 ft AGL until 1100, then 8500 ft AGL.
Transport Winds.....West 5 to 10 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Poor until 0900. Good after 1200.
.TONIGHT...
Sky/weather.........Clear (0-10%).
Chc of lightning....0 percent.
Min temperature.....41-51 F.
Max humidity........27-37%.
20-foot winds.......Upslope/upvalley 4 to 8 mph becoming
downslope/downvalley 3 to 6 mph by sunset.
CWR.................0 percent.
15K Ft MSL Winds....West 20 to 25 mph increasing to 20 to 30 mph
after midnight.
Mixing Height.......6500 ft AGL until 2000, then 1000 ft AGL.
Transport Winds.....West 5 to 10 mph until 2400, then south.
Smoke dispersal.....Fair until 2100, then poor.
.FRIDAY...
Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny (20-30%).
Chc of lightning....0 percent.
Max temperature.....73-83 F.
Min humidity........7-12%.
20-foot winds.......Downslope/downvalley winds 4 to 8 mph becoming
west 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Localized
gusts up to 35 mph.
CWR.................0 percent.
15K Ft MSL Winds....West 30 to 40 mph decreasing to 25 to 35 mph in
the afternoon.
Mixing Height.......1500 ft AGL until 0900, then 14000 ft AGL.
Transport Winds.....Southwest 10 to 15 mph until 1200, then west 20
to 25 mph.
Smoke dispersal.....Poor until 0900. Excellent after 1200.
.FORECAST FOR DAY 3 THROUGH 7...
.SATURDAY...Mostly clear. Lows 43-53. Highs 76-86. West winds
10 to 20 mph with gusts to 35 mph.
.SUNDAY...Partly cloudy. Scattered showers and thunderstorms.
Lows 43-53. Highs 71-81. West winds 10 to 20 mph with gusts to
35 mph.
.MONDAY...Mostly clear. Isolated showers and thunderstorms. Lows
39-49. Highs 70-80. Northwest winds 10 to 20 mph with gusts to
35 mph.
.TUESDAY...Mostly clear. Lows 39-49. Highs 74-84.
.WEDNESDAY...Mostly clear. Lows 43-53. Highs 80-90.