textproduct: Salt Lake City

DISCUSSION, Issued 1128 PM MDT Wed Jun 24 2026

A weak shortwave disturbance continues to ripple through Utah tonight. Moisture that spread into the area earlier today ahead of this disturbance aided in the development of widespread showers and thunderstorms across the area today. Isolated to scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms will continue through late tonight before waning early morning.

Lingering moisture on Thursday will once again allow for scattered convection to develop again during the afternoon and evening hours. Despite increased moisture in the lower levels, hi-res models are still indicating a threat of strong and gusty outflow winds with some of the storms. Additionally, cannot rule out the threat of localized heavy rain across southeast and east- central Utah where PWATs will be higher, which could bring a threat of flash flooding should the stronger cells move into the wrong area.

A drier airmass will then spread into the area for Friday, this as a trough strengthens into the PacNW. Southwest winds will increase over Utah ahead of this trough, with gusts in excess of 40 mph especially in portions of western and southern Utah. These winds, combined with drier conditions, will result in higher-end critical fire weather conditions. Red Flag Warnings are in effect. Later shifts may need to consider the need for Wind Advisories as well. After above normal temperatures for much of this week, a cold front crossing northern Utah Friday late afternoon to Friday night will bring temperatures down on Saturday, mainly for northern and west-central Utah.

As trailing energy continues to carve into the trough, southerly flow will again strengthen again on Saturday, especially across southern and central Utah. This will continue to bring critical fire weather conditions to the area. Some higher elevation sites may see fire weather conditions become moderated a bit due to slightly higher humidities, however. A stronger cold front is expected to push into the area Saturday night into Sunday. The critical fire weather conditions will decrease behind the cold front, but southeast Utah will remain ahead of the front through much of the afternoon and as such, may maintain critical fire weather conditions.

The associated airmass will be quite cold for this time of year, with afternoon max temperatures on Sunday expected to run 20 degrees below normal across the north to 10 degrees below normal across the south, and some northern valleys may fail to even reach 70 degrees. Some precipitation is expected to develop across northern Utah behind the front, but as skies clear out Sunday night, patchy frost may be possible, particularly in the Cache Valley and Wasatch Back.

A general southwest flow will follow through at least the first half of next week. This will allow temperatures to gradually trend warmer again. However, some localized critical fire weather conditions may remain a possibility, especially across the eastern valleys.

AVIATION, Issued 1128 PM MDT Wed Jun 24 2026

Winds will remain out of the southeast overnight, gradually decreasing in magnitude over the next few hours and beginning to increase again after 15z. While the typical diurnal wind shift is expected around ~19-20z, scattered showers and thunderstorms developing after 20z will likely cause gusty and erratic outflow winds at times through the afternoon. Wildfire smoke will continue to produce slantwise VIS reductions at times.

REST OF UTAH AND SOUTHWEST WYOMING...Showers and a few rumbles of thunder will continue to dwindle through the overnight hours, likely ending by 12z statewide. While winds will be largely light and terrain-driven overnight, showers may produce brief periods of more erratic winds. Scattered showers and thunderstorms will develop once again after 19z across Utah and southwest Wyoming, and will be capable of producing gusty and erratic outflow winds in excess of 40- 50kts. Wildfire smoke will continue to produce slantwise VIS reductions, particularly across central/eastern Utah.

FIRE WEATHER

Drier air will start to filter into Utah from the west today. However, lingering moisture and instability will bring another round of scattered showers and thunderstorms, particularly for areas east of I-15. Wetting rains will be more likely today, with a localized flash flood threat over southeast Utah. By Friday, conditions will be very dry across the area with minimum relative humidity values in the upper single digits to low teens. Additionally, southwest winds will become strong ahead of an approaching cold front. Thus, there is high confidence in widespread higher end critical fire weather conditions on Friday, with these conditions continuing into Saturday. A strong cold front will follow Saturday night into Sunday, bringing highs up to 20F below seasonal normals with a decrease in winds and a modest increase in relative humidity. Still, there is some possibility of critical fire weather conditions continuing for Sunday over southeast Utah.

SLC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

UT...Red Flag Warning from noon Friday to midnight MDT Saturday night for UTZ478-482-484-488-489-492-495-497.

Red Flag Warning from noon Friday to 3 AM MDT Sunday for UTZ493- 494-496-498.

WY...None.