For 8/9/09: We were given a visual aid in the shift of the cold pattern out of the north through the afternoon yesterday as the smoke that gathered on the ridge settled south just before dark. The result was some incredible colors at sunset and a red moon through most of the night but also the full shift of that cold front to the south. The air was feeling a little crisper all day but we got a shot of the super cold air overnight.

Overnight lows in Crested Butte dropped well below the freezing mark to bottom out at 28 degrees this morning while Gunnison held right at 32 degrees. While sunny skies will dominate and we will rebound quickly from the cold temperatures this morning, daytime highs will still feel cool topping out in the high 60’s and low 70’s. Expect another cold clear night with the below freezing temperatures likely again for the higher elevations.

The dominant flow in the west will switch back around to the west for milder conditions into next week with above normal daytime highs returning to the area but this dry air will hold until the end of the week. There is almost no chance of any convective action through this afternoon and more gusting winds through the heat of the day will clear the remaining smoke. As usual be prepared for all conditions as you head out and respect the danger presented by these cold over night lows especially on the higher terrain.

Look for a complete Crested Butte and Gunnison weather report, 24 hour trends and real time weather information now available at WWW.CBTV.TV.