Rain chances start winding down this weekend

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) - Scattered showers and thunderstorms continue for another afternoon around the Western Slope, but things should start to turn drier and warmer into the weekend.

Rest of Tonight

Scattered showers and thunderstorms continue mostly over the higher terrain of the region through the evening and into the early overnight hours. A couple of quick showers could be possible in the valleys, but afternoon radar trends have shown most of the rain ending as it enters the Grand Valley from the Book Cliffs. It’s looking like it will be another unseasonably cool night for us as temperatures fall into the middle and upper 40s and lower 50s. Skies will clear as rain comes to an end tonight and into early Saturday morning.

This Weekend

We’ll still mention a small chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms for Saturday afternoon, but it looks like those rain chances are coming down in our valley locations. Most of the rain on Saturday should fall over the higher terrain, but don’t completely rule out a quick shower or two in the valleys. We’ll continue to dry out on Sunday with partly cloudy skies, and temperatures will start climbing back into the lower and middle 80s as well.

JUCO World Series Forecast

Tonight, 7 PM - (1) Central Florida vs. (4) Weatherford

Coverage of rain on radar has been about as high as what we saw yesterday afternoon around the Western Slope, but it looks like most of the rain trying to enter the Grand Valley from the Book Cliffs has been dissipating as it does so. We’ll still mention a small chance of rain right around when the game starts, but any rain should come to an end pretty quickly from there. Cloudy to mostly cloudy skies continue, and temperatures will once again be unseasonably cool through the game. If you’re not a fan of those cooler temperatures, bring a light jacket with you to the stadium.

Tomorrow, 7 PM - (3) Wabash Valley vs TBD - National Championship Game

Scattered showers and thunderstorms are back across mostly the higher terrain of the Western Slope by Saturday afternoon, and it for now looks like the valleys will stay mostly dry. A very quick shower or two cannot be completely ruled out, but mostly expect dry conditions with partly to mostly cloudy skies. Temperatures should also be a little warmer as well, but expect things to cool off rather quickly once again as the game progresses.

River Updates

A Flood Watch is in effect for Plateau Creek near Cameo including State Highway 65 between Interstate 70 and the Grand Mesa until further notice.

Flood Advisories continue for Surface Creek including Orchard City, Cedaredge, and Eckert, and the North Fork of the Gunnison River until further notice.

Plateau Creek near Cameo was observed at 6.35 feet as of Friday afternoon, well below the 7-foot action stage. Water levels are expected to continue to fall through the weekend and into early next week, but rise once again close to that 7-foot action stage by early Wednesday morning.

Tropical Storm Arlene

No impacts to the Western Slope, but just something to file under “take a look at this...” is Tropical Storm Arlene in the central Gulf of Mexico. We have our first named storm of the 2023 Atlantic Hurricane Season just 2 days into the season. Arlene will continue to weaken as it moves south through the weekend.