Drier air is expected to move through Utah through Thursday, according to a National Weather Service Salt Lake City forecast issued on August 25. The weather pattern is expected to shift starting Friday as moisture and instability increase, leading to a more active pattern for much of the following week.
High pressure is expected to remain over the area through at least Thursday. Lingering monsoon moisture may allow for the daily development of showers and thunderstorms each afternoon and evening, with limited drift off of the terrain. Officials noted that any storms that develop could produce gusty and erratic winds.
Relative humidity values for the valleys of western and southern Utah are expected to move closer to critical values for Wednesday and Thursday, though winds are expected to remain generally light. A ridge is forecasted to track east of the area from Friday through early next week, while a Pacific Northwest system may provide increasing southerly winds from Friday into Saturday. This southerly flow is expected to draw additional moisture northward.
A cold front on Saturday is expected to bring less warm temperatures and an increased potential for convection, particularly for northern Utah. While the absence of the persistent ridge may bring a more active pattern beginning early next week, confidence regarding the specific details remains low at this time.
Thunderstorms are noted to imply the potential for strong, gusty, and erratic winds.
