textproduct: Salt Lake City

KEY MESSAGES, Issued 1006 AM MDT Tue Oct 27 2026

- Generally dry and seasonable conditions will persist through Thursday, with a weak grazing system tonight into Wednesday morning bringing a low chance of precipitation near the Utah/Idaho border.

- Moisture will increase over the area beginning Friday, bringing an increasing threat of flash flooding. The area will see a more substantial increase in moisture and instability and thus the potential for flooding Sunday into Monday as a strong Pacific storm crosses the area.

- Much cooler temperatures will accompany the system for early next week, allowing snow levels to potentially drop as low as 7500 feet by Monday morning.

DISCUSSION, Issued 1006 AM MDT Tue Oct 27 2026

Seeing a roughly zonal flow across Utah and southwest Wyoming this morning between an exit weak storm system and another Pacific Northwest storm system that will graze northern portions of the area tonight into Wednesday morning. Currently seeing mostly clear skies with some mid-level clouds near the Utah/Idaho border. Maxes today should run close to seasonal normals across the vast majority of the area.

With the passage of the next grazing system and associated front overnight, impacts should be similar to the one that just moved through. That is, the front will act to curb any warming trend and will bring a few showers near the Utah/Idaho border. Seasonable temperatures will continue through Thursday, with southerly flow gradually increasing.

Two storm system are expected to approach the Pacific coast Thursday, with the weaker southern one merging with the Pacific Northwest one by Friday. The southerly flow is expected to tap into some deeper moisture during the day Friday, with ejecting shortwaves out ahead of the main system providing additional instability. This will bring scattered showers and thunderstorms focused over southern Utah, bringing the potential for isolated flash flooding. Guidance overall is trending downward with coverage of precipitation with this part of the event, though at least some potential remains. In between systems, there should be a relative lull in convection on Saturday.

For Sunday, the previously mentioned Pacific Northwest storm system is expected to merge with a decaying tropical system before tracking across the area Sunday into Monday. The amount of moisture anticipated to accompany the system should be near records for this time of year, with the potent system and its strong associated cold front providing additional lift. This should bring widespread coverage of precipitation across utah and southwest Wyoming during the day Sunday, and given how saturated soils already are across southern Utah from the previous tropical events as of late, additional heavy rain has the potential to be that much more impactful. It should be noted, however, that this system is expected to be more progressive in nature than previous events and the associated precipitation a bit more steady in nature, providing a little bit in the way of limiting factors.

Given its Pacific Northwest origin, this system will also bring much colder air into the region, resulting in temperatures averaging 10-15F below seasonal normals to start the upcoming week. This influx of cold air will steadily lower snow levels through Monday morning, with a high chance of those snow levels moving into the 7000 to 8000 ft range.

Behind the exiting system, a ridge is expected to develop off the Pacific coast, likely bringing an at least temporary end to the active pattern as of late.

AVIATION

KSLC...Winds remain generally light out of the south through around ~20z, but periods of variable winds are possible. Winds switch northwesterly after 20z, prevailing overnight before returning back southeasterly around 10z. VFR conditions overall prevail under mostly clear skies.

REST OF UTAH AND SOUTHWEST WYOMING...VFR conditions prevail for most regional terminals through the TAF period. As an exception, KLGU and KEVW may see periods of MVFR to IFR CIGS/VIS at times overnight into early Wednesday morning as a weak frontal passage brings rain and high elevation snow showers. Winds remain generally light across the northern half of the airspace, with breezy southwesterly winds across southwest Utah through this evening.

SLC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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