Colorado River Basin (UTZ490) - Fire Weather Forecast

Thunderstorms Expected From the Ozarks to the Middle Mississippi Valley: Watching the Tropics

Isolated severe thunderstorms are forecast Monday afternoon from the Ozarks into parts of the Tennessee and lower Ohio Valleys. A tropical disturbance could form by the middle part of next week over the northwestern Caribbean Sea. Gradual development is possible as it moves into the Gulf of Mexico late week with possible U.S. impacts next weekend. Read More >

UTZ490-240145- UTZ490-240145- Colorado River Basin- 341 AM MDT Mon Sep 23 2024 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Wrn Colorado and Ern Utah National Weather Service Grand Junction CO 341 AM MDT Mon Sep 23 2024 .DISCUSSION...A weak disturbance is expected to bring isolated showers and/or thunderstorms to the higher terrain this afternoon with the southern San Juan Mountains favored. A ridge builds over the West through midweek, followed by dry southwest flow aloft during the remainder of the week and into the weekend. Forecast winds aloft are unlikely to be strong enough to result in critical fire weather conditions, though rising temperatures are expected to approach record levels beyond Thursday. ...GUSTY ERRATIC WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED NEAR ANY SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS... ...THE SMOKE DATA IS CALCULATED FROM AN AVERAGE AT 6000 FEET MSL... .Today... Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny (20-30%). Max temperature.....76-86 F near 5000 feet 62-72 F near 7000 feet. 24 hr trend......5 degrees warmer. Min humidity........11-21%. 24 hr trend......12% drier. 20-foot winds.......Downslope/downvalley 3 to 6 mph becoming upslope/upvalley 4 to 8 mph by 1100. CWR.................0 percent. LAL.................1. Haines Index........4 or low. Mixing Height.......2000 ft AGL until 1100, then 9500 ft AGL. Transport Winds.....East 5 mph until 1200, then west. Clearing Index......Less than 500 until 1300, then 800. .TONIGHT... Sky/weather.........Partly cloudy (30-40%). Min temperature.....48-58 F. 24 hr trend......3 degrees warmer. Max humidity........34-44%. 24 hr trend......22% drier. 20-foot winds.......Upslope/upvalley 4 to 8 mph becoming downslope/downvalley 3 to 6 mph by sunset. CWR.................0 percent. LAL.................1. Haines Index........5 or moderate. Mixing Height.......7000 ft AGL until 1900, then 1500 ft AGL. Transport Winds.....West 5 mph until 2400, then northeast. Clearing Index......550 until 1900, then less than 500. .TUESDAY... Sky/weather.........Mostly sunny (20-30%). Max temperature.....79-89 F near 5000 feet 68-78 F near 7000 feet. 24 hr trend......3 degrees warmer. Min humidity........10-15%. 24 hr trend......2% drier. 20-foot winds.......Downslope/downvalley 3 to 6 mph becoming upslope/upvalley 4 to 8 mph by 1100. CWR.................0 percent. LAL.................1. Haines Index........4 or low. Mixing Height.......2000 ft AGL until 1100, then 6000 ft AGL. Transport Winds.....Northeast 5 mph. Clearing Index......Less than 500. .FORECAST FOR DAY 3 THROUGH 7... .WEDNESDAY...Clear. Lows 50-60. Highs 82-92. Winds less than 15 mph. .THURSDAY...Clear. Lows 52-62. Highs 84-94. Winds less than 15 mph. .FRIDAY...Mostly clear. Lows 53-63. Highs 84-94. Winds less than 15 mph. .SATURDAY...Clear. Lows 52-62. Highs 84-94. .SUNDAY...Clear. Lows 52-62. Highs 83-93.