Freeze warning issued for much of western Colorado

Temperatures expected to reach the low 20s by sunrise Monday
The Journal file<br><br>A freeze created a field of ice on an irrigated property in Montezuma County in 2016.

The National Weather Service has issued a freeze warning for much of western Colorado and southeast Utah from 6 p.m. Sunday to noon Monday.

The freeze watch, which warned of the potential for a freeze, is no longer in effect.

Towns affected by the freeze in Montezuma County include Cortez, Dolores and Mancos.

Temperatures are expected to drop into the 20s overnight, reaching their lowest point before sunrise Monday.

The freeze warning also includes Dove Creek in Dolores County; New Castle, Parachute, Silt and Rifle in Garfield County; Hotchkiss and Delta in Delta County; Mesa, Grand Junction, Palisade, Fruita, De Beque and Gateway in Mesa County; Montrose and Nucla in Montrose County; Durango, Bayfield and Ignacio in La Plata County; and Pagosa Springs in Archuleta County.

In Utah, the freeze warning includes Blanding, Moab, Castle Valley, Canyonlands National Park, Dead Horse Point State Park and Fry Canyon.

In Montezuma County, temperatures typically start falling below 28.6 degrees in mid-October.

Freezes, which are caused by a mass of cold air, will impact sensitive vegetation, irrigation and swamp coolers, the weather service said.

The week’s forecast for Montezuma County calls for sunny skies on Monday, with a high near 46 degrees and a low of 30. Tuesday through Thursday, there’s a chance of afternoon rain showers, with daily highs around 50 degrees and lows in the mid-30s. Sunny skies are expected to return on Friday.

Much of northern Colorado was under a winter weather advisory Sunday as an early season storm dumped snow across the region.

The National Weather Service said 3 to 6 inches had fallen from Boulder to the Wyoming state line by Sunday morning and an additional 2 inches was expected to fall around Fort Morgans.

Heavy snow was expected to fall in the mountains until Monday morning. That includes up to 12 inches forecast to fall on Pikes Peak.

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