COZ205-160900-
COZ205-160900-
Colorado River Headwaters-
1047 AM MDT Fri May 15 2026

Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Wrn Colorado and Ern Utah...UPDATED
National Weather Service Grand Junction CO
1047 AM MDT Fri May 15 2026

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON UNTIL 8 PM MDT THIS
EVENING FOR GUSTY WINDS, LOW HUMIDITY AND DRY FUELS FOR COLORADO
FIRE WEATHER ZONES 200, 202, 203 BELOW 8000 FEET, 205 BELOW 8000
FEET AND 293, AS WELL AS UTAH FIRE WEATHER ZONES 486 AND 487... 
...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON UNTIL 8 PM MDT SATURDAY 
FOR GUSTY WINDS, LOW HUMIDITY AND DRY FUELS FOR COLORADO FIRE 
WEATHER ZONES 203 BELOW 8000 FEET, 205 BELOW 8000 FEET, 290 AND 
292, AS WELL AS UTAH FIRE WEATHER ZONE 490... 

.DISCUSSION...Warm, dry and windy conditions will continue
through Saturday ahead of strong and cold system arriving by 
Sunday. As a result localized to widespread critical fire weather 
conditions will develop with Red Flag Warnings in place for
portions of the area where fuels are critical. The critical fire 
weather conditions will be replaced by mountain snow and valley 
rain as we go into the new week with temperatures dropping back 
below normal for a few days.

...GUSTY ERRATIC WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED NEAR ANY SHOWERS
OR THUNDERSTORMS...
...THE SMOKE DATA IS CALCULATED FROM AN AVERAGE AT 6000 FEET MSL...


...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR
GUSTY WINDS, LOW HUMIDITY AND DRY FUELS BELOW 8000 FEET...
...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 8 PM MDT SATURDAY FOR
GUSTY WINDS, LOW HUMIDITY AND DRY FUELS BELOW 8000 FEET...

.REST OF TODAY...
Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny (20-30%). 
Chc of lightning....0 percent. 
Max temperature.....71-81 F. 
Min humidity........7-12%. 
20-foot winds.......Downslope/downvalley winds 4 to 8 mph becoming 
                    west 10 to 15 mph with gusts to 30 mph in the 
                    afternoon. 
CWR.................0 percent. 
15K Ft MSL Winds....West 20 to 25 mph. 
Mixing Height.......13000 ft AGL. 
Transport Winds.....West 10 to 15 mph. 
Smoke dispersal.....Good until 1200, then excellent. 

.TONIGHT...
Sky/weather.........Partly cloudy (40-50%). 
Chc of lightning....0 percent. 
Min temperature.....42-52 F. 
Max humidity........40-50%. 
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. 
Mixing Height.......11500 ft AGL until 2000, then 500 ft AGL. 
Transport Winds.....West 5 to 10 mph until 2400, then northeast. 
Smoke dispersal.....Very good until 2100, then poor. 

.SATURDAY...
Sky/weather.........Partly cloudy (40-50%). Isolated showers until 
                    1200, then scattered showers and isolated 
                    thunderstorms. 
Chc of lightning....20 percent. 
Max temperature.....69-79 F. 
Min humidity........12-22%. 
20-foot winds.......Downslope/downvalley winds 4 to 8 mph becoming 
                    west 10 to 15 mph with gusts to 35 mph in the 
                    afternoon. 
CWR.................10 percent. 
15K Ft MSL Winds....Southwest 20 to 30 mph. 
Mixing Height.......1000 ft AGL until 0900. 12000 ft AGL after 
                    1100. 
Transport Winds.....South 5 to 10 mph until 1200, then southwest 20 
                    to 25 mph. 
Smoke dispersal.....Poor until 0900. Excellent after 1200. 

.FORECAST FOR DAY 3 THROUGH 7...
.SUNDAY...Cooler. Mostly cloudy. Numerous showers and scattered
thunderstorms. Lows 36-46. Highs 57-67. Southwest winds 10 to
20 mph with gusts to  35 mph. 
.MONDAY...Cooler. Showers and scattered thunderstorms. Lows
31-41. Highs 42-52. West winds 10 to 20 mph with gusts to 
35 mph. 
.TUESDAY...Partly cloudy. Isolated showers and thunderstorms.
Lows 22-32. Highs 48-58. Winds less than 15 mph. 
.WEDNESDAY...Mostly clear. Isolated showers and thunderstorms.
Lows 25-35. Highs 55-65. 
.THURSDAY...Mostly clear. Isolated showers and thunderstorms.
Lows 30-40. Highs 62-72.