ANOTHER PERIOD OF MOUNTAIN SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED LATE IN THE WEEK AS A STRONG STORM SYSTEM MOVES ACROSS THE REGION.
ON THURSDAY A PACIFIC LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM DRIFTS SOUTHWARD ALONG THE CALIFORNIA COAST THEN SWEEPS INLAND FRIDAY. PRECIPITATION WILL BEGIN TO SPREAD INTO THE MOUNTAINS OF EASTERN UTAH AND SOUTHWEST COLORADO FRIDAY AFTERNOON. SNOWFALL WILL INCREASE AND BECOME WIDESPREAD ACROSS ALL MOUNTAIN AREAS FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY AS THE UPPER LEVEL LOW LIFTS THROUGH ARIZONA AND NORTHERN NEW MEXICO. BY SUNDAY...THE STORM SYSTEM WILL LIFT OVER THE PLAINS THOUGH SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE...FAVORING THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS.
SNOW LEVELS WILL LIKELY START OUT BETWEEN 7000 AND 8000 FEET ON FRIDAY BUT FALL TO NEAR 6000 FEET BY SATURDAY MORNING AND DOWN TO THE LOWER VALLEY FLOORS SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY.
GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL PRODUCE AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT. SATURDAY...WINDS WILL DIMINISH SOMEWHAT...THEN SHIFT TO NORTH BY SUNDAY AS THE SYSTEM BEGINS TO EXIT THE REGION.
WHILE THERE CONTINUES TO BE PLENTY OF UNCERTAINTY ON THE TRACK...
INTENSITY...AND DURATION OF THIS STORM...SIGNIFICANT MOUNTAIN SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ARE POSSIBLE.
IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO TRAVEL FRIDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY...STAY UP TO DATE ON THE LATEST WEATHER FORECASTS. ROAD CONDITIONS COULD BECOME HAZARDOUS ESPECIALLY OVER THE HIGH MOUNTAIN PASSES. YOU CAN MONITOR THE LATEST STATEMENTS AND FORECASTS THROUGH LOCAL MEDIA AND THE GRAND JUNCTION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEB SITE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/GJT.