Storms and clouds clear in time for a partial lunar eclipse

2 days ago

KJCT8.com

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KJCT) - Our storms have cleared, and the wind will diminish quickly this evening. Now we’re turning cooler... briefly.

Partial Lunar Eclipse Tuesday Night

We’re clearing just in time for a celestial treat! A partial lunar eclipse coincides with tonight’s full moon. Don’t get too excited with this one. Only about 8% of the moon will be covered by Earth’s shadow. It happens, but it’s a “barely eclipse.” The partial eclipse will begin at 8:12 PM. The maximum eclipse will happen at 8:44 PM. The eclipse will end at 9:15 PM. It’s brief, and there’s not a lot to it, but it’s happening.

Wind Subsiding Quickly

Wind has been a little more hesitant to break after this morning’s rain exited our area. Gusts this afternoon have been in the 35-45 mph range. A few gusts have even topped 50 mph - specifically at Meeker and Rangely, which reported 59 mph and 53 mph gusts respectively. Some lingering 20-25 mph gusts are possibly through about 7 PM, but the wind will quickly diminish starting around 7 PM.

Brief Cooling

Some cooling will be evident tonight and Wednesday. Grand Junction warmed to the lower 80s on Tuesday afternoon. Cooler mid-to-upper 70s are expected on Wednesday. That cooling is brief, however, and lower 80s will return on Thursday and Friday ahead of another cold front. That next cold front will pass through Western Colorado on Friday night and bring back some cooler 70s for this weekend.

Fall Color Nearing Peak

Leaves are changing colors, and many in our central and northern mountains are approaching peak fall color this week. Peak seems to be on the early side of the historic peak range. We expect peak color around the Grand Mesa, the Elk Mountains, the central and southern Sawatch Mountains and the San Juans starting around the last week of September and lingering into the first week of October.

Our Next 24 Hours

This evening will be mostly clear. The last bit of wind We’ll cool from low-to-mid 70s at 6 PM to mid-to-upper 60s at 8 PM, then to upper 50s and lower 60s at 10 PM. The rest of tonight will be clear and noticeably cooler. Low temperatures by morning will be near 48 degrees around Grand Junction, 43 degrees around Montrose, 45 degrees around Delta, 39 degrees around Cortez, and 49 degrees around Moab. Wednesday will be sunny and a little cooler than normal. Many of us may want light jackets on the way out the door in the morning. We’ll be in the upper 40s and lower 50s at 8 AM. We’ll warm to the mid-to-upper 60s at noon, and then to the mid-to-upper 70s at 3 PM. High temperatures will be near 78 degrees around Grand Junction, 74 degrees around Montrose, 77 degrees around Delta, 73 degrees around Cortez, and 80 degrees around Moab.