The Science Behind Western Colorado’s Thunderstorms

Grand Junction and the Grand Valley are ideal for anyone who loves sunshine. We get way more blue-sky days than rainy ones, but that doesn’t mean we’re storm-free. Western Colorado can still get hit with intense thunderstorms and hail.

Thunderstorms are common during Colorado’s summer monsoon season, but what about the Western Slope helps fuel storms strong enough to cause flash flooding and damaging winds?

Building Blocks of Western Colorado Storms

The geography of Colorado's high desert means the landscape from Grand Junction to the Grand Canyon has all the ingredients needed for some serious thunderboomers. These building blocks include:

• Moisture: If we get rain in the Grand Valley, it likely traveled a long way—either from the Gulf of America or from the Southwest during the North American monsoon season.
• Instability: Grand Junction in July? Think hot. Those high surface temperatures heat the air fast, and rising warm air is one of the key ingredients for a storm.
• Lift: The canyons, cliffs, and rugged terrain across the Western Slope help stir up the atmosphere, creating the perfect setup for thunderstorms.
• Wind Shear: This is when wind changes speed or direction with height—another factor that can help storms grow stronger and more organized.

Read More: How to Survive a Hailstorm in Grand Junction, Colorado

Mountains and Mesas, and Thunderstorms

What better place for a thunderstorm to get a boost than the Uncompahgre Plateau, the Grand Mesa, or the Rocky Mountains? These land features can help storms form at any time of year, depending on the conditions. Sometimes they bring rain, sometimes snow.

So, when is Grand Junction most likely to experience thunderstorms? How about any time I'm trying to walk at Canyon View Park? Just kidding.

• Spring: Warming temps and increasing moisture mean spring storms.
• Summer: Monsoon moisture makes regular thunderstorm activity even stronger and more likely.
• Fall: Falling temperatures slowly decrease the likelihood of storms.

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Dry Thunderstorms Over Western Colorado

Dry thunderstorms happen when rain or snow evaporates before reaching the ground. Storms that hit the plateau often weaken or break apart as they cross the valley.

Here in western Colorado, we always feel like we could use a little more rain—we know how hot and dry it gets. Still, we embrace our thunderstorms in Grand Junction. The way the atmosphere and landscape work together to bring us rain is something special.

Read More: WATCH: Video of Annoyed Colorado Weatherman Goes Viral