textproduct: Salt Lake City

KEY MESSAGES, Issued 1104 PM MDT Fri Aug 28 2026

- Scattered to numerous showers with isolated to scattered thunderstorms will continue through the night into Saturday morning, increasing in coverage for Saturday afternoon and evening.

- The potential for strong to severe thunderstorms over northern portions of the area will increase on Saturday afternoon with strong winds and hail being the main threats.

- The threat of flash flooding will be elevated across the area on Saturday.

- An active pattern will continue through at least the first half of next week.

DISCUSSION, Issued 1104 PM MDT Fri Aug 28 2026

High pressure centered just south of the Four Corners area earlier today will shift east into the southern Plains this weekend. Meanwhile, upstream, an upper low is currently noted over Vancouver Island and will move across the PacNW on Saturday. Utah will be under an increasing southwesterly flow aloft, while weak ripples will continue to cross the area. Latest analysis shows around 0.8 inches of PWAT across southern Utah to around 1.2 inches across northwest Utah.

The weak disturbances rippling through northern Utah tonight will maintain scattered to numerous showers and isolated to scattered thunderstorms tonight, especially across northern Utah. This activity will continue into Saturday morning before thunderstorm activity increases for the afternoon hours. An unstable airmass with SBCAPE values near to greater than 1kJ/kg and deep-layer shear of 40-50kt will bring the potential for strong to severe storms. There is currently a Slight Risk for severe weather across northern Utah for Saturday, with the main threats being strong winds and hail. With more widespread and stronger convection and potential for training storms on Saturday, the flash flood potential will also increase. There is currently a Marginal Risk of excessive rainfall across the entirety of the forecast area for Saturday.

Showers and thunderstorms will continue through Saturday night as the upper low crosses Idaho. By Sunday afternoon, this low will be ejecting east across Montana. Owing to a more stable airmass behind it, convection is expected to decrease across northwest Utah while scattered convection will continue across the south and east, with continued potential for locally strong storms and flash flooding. While PWATs will trend lower for next week, an active weather pattern will continue through at least midweek as several additional weather disturbances continue to eject across the area.

This active, wet weather pattern will lead to cooler and largely below normal temperatures Saturday through as least the middle of next week.

AVIATION

KSLC...Light southeast winds in place are expected to prevail this morning, but a 20% chance exists that passing showers will temporarily create erratic directions as they pass. Widespread showers and thunderstorms will redevelop across northern Utah after 21z and are expected to impact the terminal at times through the remainder of the evening. Storms this afternoon will be capable of producing gusty and erratic outflow winds in excess of 50 kts, hail, and heavy rainfall that may result in periods of MVFR to IFR conditions.

REST OF UTAH AND SOUTHWEST WYOMING...In large, a brief lull in convective activity is expected across central and southern Utah this morning into the early afternoon, with widespread showers and thunderstorms redeveloping across much of the airspace after 18z...lasting through this evening. Storms this afternoon will be capable of producing gusty and erratic outflow winds in excess of 50 kts, hail, and heavy rainfall that may result in periods of MVFR to IFR conditions, mainly across northern Utah.

FIRE WEATHER, Issued 411 AM MDT Sat Aug 29 2026

Active weather pattern ahead with deep moisture in place, and further encroachment of a low pressure system from the northwest. A frontal boundary over northern Utah will be the focus for strong to severe thunderstorm development today, with storms capable of producing gusty and erratic winds in excess of 60 mph, small hail, and heavy rainfall later this morning through this afternoon. With high pressure remaining south of the four-corners region, deep monsoonal moisture will continue to get pumped into the system from the south aiding an enhanced flash flood potential from scattered thunderstorms this afternoon and evening across the south as well. Conditions will remain similar but a bit more subdued for Sunday, with focus of storm development gradually shifting more into central and southeastern Utah in time. Bottom line through the remainder of the weekend...much higher humidity, elevated wetting rain chances, and cooler temperatures across the board.

Early next week active weather will remain in place across south- central and south-eastern Utah, while cooler/drier conditions will dominate the northwestern half of the district. Drier conditions are expected to eventually overspread the area mid to late week, but temperatures will continue to run roughly 5 degrees below seasonal norms, and RH will continue to run at above normal levels for this time of the year.

SLC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

UT...None. WY...None.