Grand Junction, CO – A sharp cold front sweeping through western Colorado is expected to drive overnight temperatures well below freezing across several communities, prompting an urgent freeze watch through the weekend.
According to the National Weather Service in Grand Junction, sub-freezing lows are forecast from late Friday night through Sunday morning, with some areas, including Grand Junction and Montrose, potentially dipping as low as 21°F. A second wave of freezing temperatures is expected Saturday night, continuing into early Sunday.
The Grand Valley, Four Corners, and Central Gunnison Basin are all under the alert, with nearby communities such as Fruita, Palisade, Delta, Cortez, and Durango also at risk. This rare late-season cold could damage unprotected plumbing, kill blooming fruit trees, and threaten early garden crops—posing a significant concern for local growers and residents alike.
Authorities urge residents to cover or bring in tender vegetation, insulate exposed pipes, and keep pets indoors. In agricultural zones, additional frost-prevention measures such as irrigation or wind machines may be necessary to avoid crop loss.
Although spring typically signals thawing in Colorado’s high desert, these projected lows are nearly 10 degrees colder than April averages, signaling a brief but potent return to winter-like conditions.
