A POTENT WINTER STORM TO IMPACT THE WESTERN SLOPE THROUGH THE WEEKEND

FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE IN GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO…

...SNOW WILL RETURN TO THE HIGH COUNTRY THIS WEEKEND...
...AREAS OF FREEZING DRIZZLE WILL IMPACT THE GRAND VALLEY THROUGH
EARLY SATURDAY MORNING...

.A RELATIVELY WARM WINTER STORM WILL MOVE INTO SOUTHEAST UTAH AND
SOUTHWEST COLORADO SATURDAY MORNING THEN PROGRESS THROUGH THE
AREA SATURDAY. THIS SYSTEM WILL BRING ABUNDANT MOISTURE AND
WARMING TEMPERATURES WITH SNOW LEVELS RISING TO AROUND 8500 FEET.
HEAVY SNOW WILL BEGIN OVER THE MOUNTAINS OF SOUTHEAST UTAH AND
SOUTHWEST COLORADO SATURDAY MORNING AND SPREAD NORTHWARD TO
PORTIONS OF THE CENTRAL COLORADO MOUNTAINS DURING THE AFTERNOON...
FAVORING SOUTHWEST-FACING SLOPES. THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL WILL OCCUR
OVER THE SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS. ANOTHER STRONGER SYSTEM IS POSSIBLE
AFTER THIS ONE BEGINNING LATE SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY...SO
STAY UPDATED ON THE LATEST FORECAST.

IF YOU ARE PLANNING ON TRAVELING...EXPECT SNOWPACKED ROADS ABOVE
8500 FT WITH SLUSHY CONDITIONS DOWN TO ABOUT 7000 FEET. SNOW WILL
MIX WITH RAIN AND POTENTIALLY FREEZING RAIN AT THE LOWER
ELEVATIONS. REGARDLESS OF WHERE SNOW FALLS...ROADS WILL BE SLICK
AND ICY IN SPOTS SO BE PREPARED.

MONITOR THE LATEST STATEMENTS AND FORECASTS THROUGH LOCAL MEDIA
AND THE GRAND JUNCTION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEB SITE AT
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/GJT. FOLLOW THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND
JUNCTION ON TWITTER AND FACEBOOK.

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A WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM SUNDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING AREA:

• NORTHWEST SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS
• SOUTHWEST SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS

CITIES IN THE WINTER STORM WARNING INCLUDE OURAY, TELLURIDE, LAKE CITY, SILVERTON, RICO AND HESPERUS.

* TIMING...SNOW WILL DEVELOP SATURDAY MORNING...INCREASING IN
COVERAGE AND INTENSITY SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND CONTINUING
THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

* SNOW ACCUMULATION...8 TO 16 INCHES ABOVE 8500 FEET.

* SNOW LEVEL...9000 FEET...LOWERING TO NEAR 8000 FEET SATURDAY
NIGHT.

* WINDS...SOUTHWEST 10 TO 15 MPH...BECOMING WEST SATURDAY NIGHT.

* VISIBILITY...LESS THAN 1 MILE AT TIMES IN HEAVIER SNOWFALL.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE
EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. STRONG WINDS AND BLOWING SNOW ARE ALSO
POSSIBLE. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.

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A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS UNTIL 5 PM SUNDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS:

• GRAND AND BATTLEMENT MESAS
• WEST ELK AND SAWATCH MOUNTAINS
• UNCOMPAHGRE PLATEAU AND DALLAS DIVIDE
• LA SALE AND ABAJO MOUNTAINS

THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY INCLUDES THE CITIES OF SKYWAY, CRESTED BUTTE, TAYLOR PARK, MARBLE, RIDGWAY, GLADE PARK, MONTECELLO AND VICINITY.

* TIMING...SNOW WILL DEVELOP LATE SATURDAY MORNING...INCREASING

IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND CONTINUING
THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

* SNOW ACCUMULATION...5 TO 10 INCHES WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS
ON FAVORED SOUTHWEST AND WEST-FACING SLOPES.

* SNOW LEVEL...9000 FEET...LOWERING TO NEAR 8000 FEET SATURDAY
NIGHT.

* WINDS...SOUTHWEST 10 TO 15 MPH...BECOMING WEST SATURDAY NIGHT.

* VISIBILITY...LESS THAN 1 MILE AT TIMES IN HEAVIER SNOWFALL.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW AND/OR
BLOWING SNOW WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR
SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES...AND USE CAUTION WHILE
DRIVING.

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For your latest forecast, and most up to date weather conditions, stick with the First Warn 8 Weather Team!