“It’s a pretty good batch of moisture for this time of year,” said Dennis Phillips, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Grand Junction.
Because it is a southerly flow, temperatures are expected to remain fairly warm, meaning no snow is expected, and if there is any, it should occur above timberline and the mountain passes.
Cortez has a 40 percent chance of showers on Friday, and a 20 percent on Saturday. Sunday is expected to be sunny. High temperatures are expected to be in the upper 60s and lower 70s through Sunday, with overnights lows in the lower 40s.
“The hills will be getting the main bulk of the precipitation, and maybe a stray shower in the lower elevations,” Phillips said.
The next chance for moisture arrives mid-week next week, but weather models show the storm could hit either Colorado or favor the northern Rockies.
“The models are taking it a little differently toward mid-week,” Phillips said. “One really wants to dive it in toward Colorado, which would give us a better chance (of moisture), and one is kind of lifting it up toward the northern Rockies.”