Drought significantly worsened across much of eastern Utah and western Colorado during the week between the March 24th US Drought Monitor update and the March 31st update. Nearly every zone in eastern Utah and western Colorado was now experiencing Extreme (D3) Drought conditions, or worse.
Every event with a place to put it; 4 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS GJT wrote it up.
Drought significantly worsened across much of eastern Utah and western Colorado during the week between the March 24th US Drought Monitor update and the March 31st update. Nearly every zone in eastern Utah and western Colorado was now experiencing Extreme (D3) Drought conditions, or worse.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Grand Junction, CO wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 30, 10:56 PM MST, 1 hour 4 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Grand Junction CO
1156 PM MDT Mon Mar 30 2026
.KEY MESSAGES...
- An incoming pattern shift brings cooler temperatures, valley
rain, and mountain snow above 9000 feet Tuesday evening
through Wednesday night.
- Winter Weather Advisories are in effect from 6PM Tuesday
through 9PM Wednesday for the Colorado Divide ranges above
9000 feet with bursts of accumulating snow likely.
- Another low pressure system moves through on Friday before
high pressure builds back in over the weekend.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 1021 PM MDT Mon Mar 30 2026
COOLER AND WET WEATHER INCOMING:
A weak trough is currently passing over the Northern Plains.
While the trough itself will remain well to our north, its
attendant cold front will sag southward through the Great Basin
bringing a burst of moisture and cooler temperatures. Meanwhile,
another trough moves toward the West Coast, turning flow over
eastern Utah and western Colorado more southwesterly. This
allows us to tap into some remnant AR moisture from the
southwest. PWATs of 200-250% of normal will completely
overspread the region by Tuesday evening, beginning first as
clouds as the atmosphere saturates down to the surface. The
increased cloud cover and marginal cool air advection will cool
temperatures down to around 10 degrees above normal tomorrow.
Precipitation will fill in throughout the evening before
becoming widespread overnight. Valleys can expect all rain from
this system, while elevations above 9,000 feet will see
accumulating snowfall. The peak of this storm will be late
Tuesday night through Wednesday morning as the cold front moves
through and the West Coat trough tracks overhead. This could
create a messy morning commute over the mountains, particularly
for Rabbit Ears Pass, Vail Pass, and along Highway 550. There is
still some uncertainty over snow totals due to the very, very
warm antecedent conditions and the general lack of a snowpack
impacting how much snowfall accumulates versus quickly melts.
But the general model consensus is 6-12 inches of fresh snow for
the ranges along the Colorado Divide. Winter Weather Advisories
have been issued from Tuesday evening through Wednesday night.
Eastern Utah ranges, including the eastern Uintas and La Sals,
will see lesser amounts, generally 4-8 inches of snow. With the
much cooler airmass and widespread clouds and precipitation on
Wednesday, temperatures are expected to cool to around 5 degrees
below normal for early April.
LOOKING AHEAD:
Precipitation should taper off Thursday as transient ridging
builds in between the departing trough and the next system
moving into the Pacifc Northwest. Seasonal temperatures return
during this period but are not likely to last. There is high
model confidence for a second, late week system bringing another
substantial cool down. Blended guidance drops temperatures to
5-10 degrees below early April climo for Friday and Saturday.
Confidence on preciptation remains low, although model agreement
is gradually improving. Valley rain and valley snow will be
possible, with current guidance favoring the northeastern Utah
and western Colorado. Breezy conditions are likely through the
entire week.
&&
.AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z WEDNESDAY/...
Issued at 1156 PM MDT Mon Mar 30 2026
Unsettled weather moving in will result in SCT to BKN cloud
cover throughout the TAF period, gusty winds and precipitation
chances increasing late in the day Tuesday. Showers will start
off late this afternoon across mountain terminals with better
chances of precipitation after 00Z or by Tuesday evening. Winds
will increase after 16Z late Tuesday morning with peak gusts in
the 30 to 40 mph range Tuesday afternoon. Winds remain breezy
through Tuesday evening. VFR conditions will prevail until after
00Z when any showers could reduce CIGS and VSBY to ILS
breakpoints with MVFR/IFR conditions mainly at mountain
terminals. CIGS will gradually lower through the day.
&&
.GJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CO...Winter Weather Advisory from 6 PM Tuesday to 9 PM MDT
Wednesday for COZ004-009-010-012-013-018-019.
UT...None.
&&
DISCUSSION...TGJT
AVIATION...TGJTHazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Grand Junction CO 230 AM MDT Mon Mar 30 2026 COZ001>014-017>023-UTZ022>025-027>029-310830- Lower Yampa River Basin-Central Yampa River Basin- Roan and Tavaputs Plateaus-Elkhead and Park Mountains- Upper Yampa River Basin-Grand Valley-Debeque to Silt Corridor- Central Colorado River Basin-Grand and Battlement Mesas- Gore and Elk Mountains/Central Mountain Valleys- Central Gunnison and Uncompahgre River Basin- West Elk and Sawatch Mountains-Flat Tops-Upper Gunnison River Valley- Uncompahgre Plateau and Dallas Divide-Northwest San Juan Mountains- Southwest San Juan Mountains-Paradox Valley/Lower Dolores River- Four Corners/Upper Dolores River-Animas River Basin- San Juan River Basin-Southeast Utah-Eastern Uinta Mountains- Eastern Uinta Basin-Tavaputs Plateau-Arches/Grand Flat- La Sal and Abajo Mountains-Canyonlands/Natural Bridges- 230 AM MDT Mon Mar 30 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northwest Colorado, southwest Colorado, west central Colorado, east central Utah, northeast Utah and southeast Utah. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. Hot, dry and windy conditions today will lead to one more day of critical fire weather conditions with wind gusts up to 45 mph. Red Flag Warnings are in effect for lower elevations of northwest and west-central Colorado from noon to 8 pm MDT today where fuels are critical. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday. A pattern change towards cooler and unsettled weather is expected Tuesday through the coming week with cooler temperatures, valley rain and mountain snow above 9000 feet. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
With the 3/31 US Drought Monitor update, 100% of Utah Zone 028 - La Sal & Abajo Mountains was under Extreme (D3) Drought conditions. No reports of impacts or losses related to drought conditions in the zone have been received.
With the 3/31 US Drought Monitor update, Utah Zone 029 - Canyonlands/Natural Bridges was analyzed as having 100% of the zone under Extreme (D3) Drought conditions. No reports of impacts or losses related to the drought conditions in the zone have been received.
With the 3/31 US Drought Monitor update, Extreme (D3) Drought was analyzed as covering approximately 75% of Utah Zone 022 - Southeast Utah, with the remaining 25% under Severe (D2) Drought conditions. No reports of impacts or losses related to drought conditions in the zone have been received.
With the 3/31 US Drought Monitor update, Extreme (D3) Drought was analyzed as covering 100% of Utah Zone 027 - Grand Flat and Arches. No reports of impacts or losses related to drought conditions in the zone have been received.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Utah in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Utah, March 2026
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1319266, 1319267, 1319268, 1319269.