National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Extreme Heat and Tropical Storm Bertha Impacts

Dangerous heat will expand from the Gulf Coast into the Southern Plains and Desert Southwest through week's end. Additional extreme heat impacting the Pacific Northwest will shift to the northern Plains by the weekend. Tropical Storm Bertha is expected to continue to impact portions of the northern Gulf Coast from the western Florida Panhandle to southeastern Louisiana through tonight. Read More >

COZ205-231100-
COZ205-231100-
Colorado River Headwaters-
1249 PM MDT Wed Jul 22 2026

Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Wrn Colorado and Ern Utah
National Weather Service Grand Junction CO
1249 PM MDT Wed Jul 22 2026

.DISCUSSION...Anomalous moisture and moderate instability will 
lead to another round of thunderstorms today and tonight with 
rainfall rates of 1 to 2" per hour (locally higher amounts 
possible). A Flash Flood Watch is in effect for all of western 
Colorado and eastern Utah through 0300 tonight. Burn scars will 
be especially susceptible to debris flows. Showers and storms 
linger into Thursday with a downturn in coverage expected Friday 
into the weekend.


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


.TONIGHT...
Sky/weather.........Mostly cloudy (70-80%). Numerous showers and 
                    scattered thunderstorms until 2400, then 
                    scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. 
Chc of lightning....50 percent. 
Min temperature.....51-61 F. 
Max humidity........76-91%. 
20-foot winds.......Upslope/upvalley 4 to 8 mph becoming 
                    downslope/downvalley 3 to 6 mph by sunset.
CWR.................70 percent. 
15K Ft MSL Winds....Southwest 20 to 25 mph. 
Mixing Height.......3000 ft AGL until 2000, then 1000 ft AGL. 
Transport Winds.....South 5 mph. 
Smoke dispersal.....Poor. 

.THURSDAY...
Sky/weather.........Mostly cloudy (70-80%). Isolated thunderstorms 
                    until 1200. Numerous showers. Numerous 
                    thunderstorms after 1200. 
Chc of lightning....70 percent. 
Max temperature.....71-81 F. 
Min humidity........43-53%. 
20-foot winds.......Upslope/upvalley winds 4 to 8 mph. Localized 
                    gusts up to 20 mph in the afternoon. 
CWR.................80 percent. 
15K Ft MSL Winds....West 15 to 20 mph. 
Mixing Height.......4500 ft AGL. 
Transport Winds.....West 5 mph. 
Smoke dispersal.....Poor until 1200, then fair until 1500, then 
                    poor. 

.THURSDAY NIGHT...
Sky/weather.........Partly cloudy (40-50%). Scattered showers and 
                    thunderstorms until 2400, then isolated showers 
                    and thunderstorms. 
Chc of lightning....40 percent. 
Min temperature.....52-62 F. 
Max humidity........75-90%. 
20-foot winds.......Upslope/upvalley 4 to 8 mph becoming 
                    downslope/downvalley 3 to 6 mph by sunset.
CWR.................50 percent. 
15K Ft MSL Winds....Northwest 15 to 20 mph. 
Mixing Height.......3500 ft AGL until 2000, then 1000 ft AGL. 
Transport Winds.....Southwest 5 mph. 
Smoke dispersal.....Poor. 

.FRIDAY...
Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny (20-30%) until 1200, then partly 
                    cloudy (30-40%). Isolated showers and 
                    thunderstorms after 1200. 
Chc of lightning....10 percent. 
Max temperature.....77-87 F. 
Min humidity........24-34%. 
20-foot winds.......Downslope/downvalley 3 to 6 mph becoming 
                    upslope/upvalley 4 to 8 mph by 1100.
CWR.................10 percent. 
15K Ft MSL Winds....Northwest 10 to 15 mph decreasing to 5 to 10 
                    mph in the afternoon. 
Mixing Height.......1000 ft AGL until 0900, then 9000 ft AGL. 
Transport Winds.....Northwest 5 mph. 
Smoke dispersal.....Poor until 0900. Fair after 1200. 

.FORECAST FOR DAY 3 THROUGH 7...
.SATURDAY...Mostly clear. Scattered showers and thunderstorms.
Lows 52-62. Highs 79-89. Winds less than 15 mph. 
.SUNDAY...Partly cloudy. Scattered showers and thunderstorms.
Lows 54-64. Highs 80-90. Winds less than 15 mph. 
.MONDAY...Partly cloudy. Scattered showers and thunderstorms.
Lows 53-63. Highs 79-89. Winds less than 15 mph. 
.TUESDAY...Partly cloudy. Numerous showers and thunderstorms.
Lows 52-62. Highs 77-87. 
.WEDNESDAY...Partly cloudy. Numerous showers and thunderstorms.
Lows 51-61. Highs 76-86.