Winter Storm Warning Issued for Grand and Battlement Mesas and West Elk and Sawatch Mountains
A major winter storm is expected to bring up to 16 inches of snow and 70 mph wind gusts to the Colorado mountains starting Monday night.
Alert Details
Type: Winter Storm Warning
Issued by: National Weather Service (NWS) Grand Junction CO
Effective Window: Monday, February 16 at 11:00 PM MST through Thursday, February 19 at 5:00 AM MST
Affected Areas
The warning covers the Grand and Battlement Mesas, as well as the West Elk and Sawatch Mountains in Colorado.
What You Should Do
Travel is expected to be very difficult to impossible. If you must travel, the National Weather Service recommends keeping an extra flashlight, food, warm clothes, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency. Residents can obtain the latest road conditions by calling 5 1 1.
Expected Conditions
- Snow Accumulation: Heavy snow is forecast with total accumulations between 8 and 16 inches. Locally higher amounts are possible.
- Wind Speeds: Winds are expected to gust as high as 70 mph.
- Visibility: Blowing snow may result in near-zero visibility at times.
- Impacts: Hazardous conditions are likely to impact the Tuesday morning and evening commutes. Additionally, strong winds could cause damage to trees.
Timeline
The Winter Storm Warning is scheduled to go into effect at 11:00 PM MST on Monday, February 16, 2026. The hazardous conditions are expected to persist until the warning expires at 5:00 AM MST on Thursday, February 19, 2026.
Source: NOAA Official Notice