textproduct: Salt Lake City

KEY MESSAGES, Issued 1014 PM MDT Fri Jul 31 2026

- Dangerous heat looks to develop across the entire forecast area starting tomorrow as a strong ridge of high pressure settles in bringing the potential for an increase in heat related illness.

- A dry cold front looks to push through UT Sunday through Monday increasing winds across the state, potentially increasing fire danger.

- Temperatures cool down somewhat before increasing to potentially dangerous levels once again by midweek.

DISCUSSION, Issued 1014 PM MDT Fri Jul 31 2026

A strong ridge of high pressure continues to build over the area resulting in a prolonged heatwave resulting in most valleys seeing temperatures near or break 100F. As such, widespread major HeatRisk (3/4) is expected to develop across nearly all lower elevation locations across UT. This is unfortunately not all the heat we'll see, as Saturday and Sunday continue to trend disgustingly hot across the entire forecast area. For instance, St. George's probabilities of breaking 110F tomorrow afternoon sit around 70-80% with SLC's chances of breaking 105F ranging from 20- 30%. Overnight lows will offer little relief with most valley locations only seeing temperatures getting down to the mid-70s, with St. Georges low's remaining in the low 80s. As a result, HeatRisk continues through Monday with much of the forecast areas lower lying population centers well situated within at least "major" HeatRisk (3/4).

A shortwave trough will move in to the PNW come Sunday afternoon remaining well north of the forecast area. However, with enhanced southwesterly flow aloft, a dry cold front will traverse the area Sunday afternoon through late Monday morning. This will serve to increase winds across the state, potentially increasing fire concerns Sunday afternoon. However, the caveat with this is that the winds will generally be post-frontal and accompanied by some increase in moisture, potentially preventing us from reaching Red Flag conditions. Regardless, this will create some elevated fire danger across southern UT Sunday and potentially Monday.

The "cold front" will also lower temperatures briefly into the mid 90s across most valley locations and "cool" St. George down to just below 110F, which is much more comfortable. However, the heat appears to return with major HeatRisk developing across most UT valley locations come Thursday. Additionally, guidance continues to tease at a monsoonal moisture pattern setting up, though guidance generally remains at a 50/50 split regarding this currently.

AVIATION

KSLC... VFR conditions will persist with diurnal wind shifts expected at KSLC through the TAF period. Elevated wildfire smoke may result in continual hazy skies without surface VIS reductions.

REST OF UTAH AND SOUTHWEST WYOMING... VFR conditions with diurnal wind shifts will prevail across all terminals through the TAF period. Elevated wildfire smoke may result in continual hazy skies without surface VIS reductions.

FIRE WEATHER, Issued 1256 PM MDT Fri Jul 31 2026

Building high pressure will bring an increasingly hot and dry airmass to the state through Saturday, with dangerously hot temperatures expected for many valleys on Saturday. A Pacific Northwest trough will graze northern Utah Sunday into Monday. Winds are expected to increase ahead of the front, particularly over western Utah where there is a high chance that winds will become breezy enough to result in areas of critical fire weather conditions over at least southwest Utah, which could linger into Monday. The passage of a dry cold front will bring temperatures back to near seasonal normals over northern Utah on Monday before a westerly flow develops for much of the remainder of the week. There is a chance that some monsoon moisture could return to southern Utah late in the upcoming week, bringing an increased potential of showers and thunderstorms.

SLC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

UT...Heat Advisory from noon Saturday to 9 PM MDT Sunday for UTZ101- 114>116-120>122.

Extreme Heat Warning from noon Saturday to 9 PM MDT Sunday for UTZ102-104>106.

Heat Advisory from noon to 9 PM MDT Saturday for UTZ103.

Fire Weather Watch from Sunday afternoon through Sunday evening for UTZ495-497.

Extreme Heat Warning until 9 PM MDT Sunday for UTZ123-124- 128>131.

WY...Fire Weather Watch from Sunday afternoon through Monday evening for WYZ277.