Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Salt Lake City, UT
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FXUS65 KSLC 021830
AFDSLC
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Salt Lake City UT
1230 PM MDT Sun Aug 2 2026
.KEY MESSAGES, Issued 1146 AM MDT Sun Aug 2 2026...
- Very hot temperatures will again bring an increased threat of
heat related illness to portions of the area, with high
temperatures near or above 100F expected for all valley
locations.
- A dry cold front moving through the area late Sunday into Monday
will drop temperatures below seasonal normals for Monday for
northern Utah and southwest Wyoming as dangerous heat continues
over southeast Utah.
- Breezy winds will combine with very dry conditions to produce
areas of critical fire weather conditions over southwest
Wyoming, Utah`s mountains, and the valleys of southwest and
south central Utah. Critical fire weather conditions will
continue Monday for portions of southern and eastern Utah.
&&
.DISCUSSION, Issued 1146 AM MDT Sun Aug 2 2026...
High pressure is centered over the Four Corners
region late this morning as a trough moves onshore along the
Pacific Northwest coast. Between these two features, Utah and
southwest Wyoming are under a dry and breezy southwest flow.
Temperatures will again be dangerously hot, with maxes similar to
yesterday over central and southern Utah. Over northern Utah,
temperatures will be slightly less warm due to the eastward
movement of the trough, but with elevated overnight lows providing
poor overnight recovery, there will still be an increased threat
of heat related illness. There is a chance that wildfire smoke in
the area could limit warming a bit more than what is forecast, but
would also keep low temperatures elevated.
The increasing southerly winds should not get strong enough to
reach advisory criteria. However, with the airmass over Utah and
southwest Wyoming remaining quite dry, there will be areas of
critical fire weather conditions, particularly for the mountains
and portions of southern Utah. The trough itself will stay well
north of the area but will bring a dry cold front into northern
and central portions of the area tonight into Monday. Highs on
Monday are expected to run up to 5F below seasonal normals for
northern Utah. Southeastern Utah, however, will only see a slight
change in temperatures, so heat will remain at dangerous levels.
Thus, have extended going heat headlines for that area into Monday
evening. Winds will also remain breezy ahead of the boundary over
southeast Utah on Monday, bringing another day of critical fire
weather conditions.
Highs Tuesday are expected to be similar to Monday under the
influence of the cold front. However, there is increasing
confidence that ridging will redevelop in the vicinity of the
southern California coast for the middle to latter part of the
upcoming week. This will bring a steady warming trend, with the
threat of heat related illness expected to increase again by the
upcoming weekend. There is also a chance of the position of the
ridge allowing for some return of monsoon moisture to southern
Utah late in the week. However, ensembles this morning look to be
increasingly favoring a solution that would bring the ridge axis
back overhead, keeping conditions hot and very dry.
&&
.AVIATION, Issued 1146 AM MDT Sun Aug 2 2026...
KSLC, Issued 1146 AM MDT Sun Aug 2 2026...
VFR conditions will persist for the KSLC terminal
through the period. Dry conditions will continue with some
noticeable wildfire smoke, but a significant reduction in VIS is
not expected. Light northerly winds will persist through the day.
Winds will become light out of the west/southwest overnight before
a weak cold front arrives overnight to bring back northerly flow.
There is ~40% chance that flow stays northerly overnight.
REST OF UTAH AND SOUTHWEST WYOMING...VFR conditions will persist for
the entire airspace through the period. Dry conditions will continue
with some noticeable wildfire smoke across the northern and eastern
airspace, but significant VIS reduction is not expected. Winds
during the day will increase out of the southwest ahead of a weak
cold front that pushes into the northern airspace overnight with
northerly winds behind it and southwesterly winds remaining ahead of
it.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...High pressure centered over the Four Corners will
continue to dominate the weather pattern today, resulting in hot
and very dry conditions across Utah once again. Southwesterly
winds will become breezy today ahead of an approaching dry cold
front. This combination will result in areas of critical fire
weather conditions for much of Utah`s mountains as well as
portions of southern Utah. The front will move through northern
and central Utah tonight into Monday. Areas behind the front will
see temperatures drop to up to 5F below seasonal normals with a
modest increase in moisture, enough for northern mountain
locations to move above critical RH values. Over southern and
eastern Utah, however, very dry and breezy conditions will
continue, and Red Flag Warnings will be in effect Monday for those
areas. Dry conditions are expected to continue thereafter with
light winds prevailing. However, storm system will occasionally
move over the top of the ridge during the week, bringing periods
of elevated winds and the possibility of local critical fire
weather conditions. Some guidance indicates a return of monsoon
moisture to southern Utah late in the week, though other models
indicate a longer period of hot and dry conditions.
&&
.SLC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
UT...Heat Advisory until 9 PM MDT this evening for UTZ101-103-115-116-
122.
Extreme Heat Warning until 9 PM MDT this evening for UTZ102-
104>106-123-124.
Red Flag Warning until 10 PM MDT this evening for UTZ479-488-492-
493-495>497.
Red Flag Warning until 10 PM MDT Monday for UTZ481>484-498.
Heat Advisory until 9 PM MDT Monday for UTZ114-120-121.
Red Flag Warning from noon to 10 PM MDT Monday for UTZ489.
Extreme Heat Warning until 9 PM MDT Monday for UTZ128>131.
WY...Red Flag Warning until 9 PM MDT Monday for WYZ277.
&&
$$
PUBLIC...Traphagan
AVIATION...Mahan
FIRE WEATHER...Traphagan
For more information from NOAA`s National Weather Service visit...
http://weather.gov/saltlakecity
