Slow warming through this weekend

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KJCT) - The weekly Drought Monitor update released on June 8 shows some dry spots over the Eastern Plains, but the only sliver of drought left in Colorado is in the extreme southeastern corner of the state. This represents only about 1% of the state’s total area and fewer than 1,800 people. That’s the smallest area of drought in Colorado since 2019.

Weather This Weekend

The weekend is quickly approaching. Both Saturday and Sunday will be mostly sunny to partly cloudy. High temperatures will be mainly in the middle and upper 80s - lower 80s in the cooler areas like Montrose. Morning low temperatures will range from upper 40s to middle 50s. Showers and thunderstorms will be scattered across the mountains both afternoons, but we likely will stay dry here across the Western Slope.

Our Weather Setup

The weather set up involves a wavy jet stream right now. The wavy jet stream has a low pressure trough set up near us. That’s helping to keep us unseasonably cool - even as warm as we’ve been. Downstream, a high pressure ridge is keeping the central U.S. warm and dry. That ridging in the jet stream is carrying that smoke from the wildfires over western Canada and blowing it eastward toward New York.

Our Next 24 Hours

This evening will be mostly clear and warm. Sunset is at 8:39 PM. We’ll cool from mid-80s at 6 PM to lower 80s at 8 PM, then to the upper 60s by 10 PM. The rest of tonight will be mostly clear. Low temperatures by morning will be near 55 degrees around Grand Junction, 48 degrees around Montrose, 50 degrees around Delta, and 43 degrees around Cortez. Friday will be mostly sunny to partly cloudy. High temperatures will be near 85 degrees around Grand Junction, 80 degrees around Montrose, 85 degrees around Delta, and 81 degrees around Cortez.