textproduct: Salt Lake City

KEY MESSAGES, Issued 1033 AM MDT Wed Aug 26 2026

- Scattered showers and thunderstorms will develop each afternoon, primarily focused over the higher terrain, across Utah and southwest Wyoming both this afternoon and Thursday. Any storms that develop will be capable of producing gusty winds as well as heavy rain that could lead to flash flooding.

- Coverage of showers and thunderstorms will increase further Friday as moisture returns, with a grazing trough bringing additional instability for the weekend, along with noticeably cooler temperatures. A more active pattern will continue for much of the upcoming week.

DISCUSSION, Issued 1033 AM MDT Wed Aug 26 2026

High pressure remains dominant over the area this morning, with the axis currently centered over Utah and southwest Wyoming. Monsoon moisture continues to linger, however. Though satellite derived PWs indicated a small decrease overall, these values are still in the 0.7 to 0.8 range. This should be more than enough moisture to allow scattered showers and thunderstorms to develop this afternoon. Given the lack of steering flow, these will be primarily focused over the higher terrain, but would not be surprised to see some drift into adjacent valleys.

Subtle drying and warming will continue tomorrow, but guidance is no longer indicating the relative lull in precipitation previously anticipated, so am anticipating another round of afternoon and early evening showers and storms like the next few days. Thursday will also bring the hottest temperatures of the week, with many locations running 5-7F above seasonal normals. Latest HeatRisk forecast indicates some pockets of red (major) HeatRisk values for some western and southern Utah valleys, but guidance indicates overall lower temperatures and more relief overnight than from previous heat waves, keeping the risk of heat related illness lower than it might otherwise be.

By Friday, the ridge axis is expected to return to the Four Corners before continuing eastward out of the area over the weekend. Another Pacific Northwest storm system is on track to move over the ridge Friday into Saturday, pushing a frontal boundary into northern Utah. This will have a noticeable impact on temperatures, with weekend highs averaging 5F below seasonal normals. The front will also provide additional moisture and instability to northern portions of the area, bringing more widespread coverage of showers and thunderstorms.

The absence of the ridge will ultimately lead to a pattern change for the upcoming week, with maxes staying on the cool side for this time of year as a series of troughs impact the area. There remains significant spread in the ensembles, however, with regard to the timing, track, and strength of any particular feature, so expected impacts remain unclear at this time.

AVIATION, Issued 1033 AM MDT Wed Aug 26 2026

The SLC terminal will see VFR conditions throughout the day. Generally light winds are expected to shift to the northwest between 18Z and 20Z. There is a 30 percent chance that outflow from nearby thunderstorms will bring periods of gusty and/or erratic winds to the terminal for periods this afternoon into the early evening.

REST OF UTAH AND SOUTHWEST WYOMING...VFR conditions will persist for the entire airspace through the period with generally light and terrain driven winds. Another round of scattered showers and thunderstorms will develop this afternoon, with most points across the airspace seeing about a 30 percent chance of being impacted by a storm through the early evening. The main impacts with any storms would be gusty and erratic winds, lightning, and brief mountain obscurations.

FIRE WEATHER

High pressure will remain over Utah through Thursday. Though the area will see a subtle drying and warming trend, scattered showers and thunderstorms will develop each day, primarily focused over the higher terrain. Any storms that develop will bring the potential for gusty and erratic winds as well as lightning. Coverage of showers will become more widespread as moisture increases. With the ridge shifting east over the weekend, a Pacific Northwest trough will graze northern Utah, bringing a cold front through. Southwesterly winds ahead of the front will become gusty, but relative humidity values are likely to stay above critical values. This will also bring cooler temperatures and more widespread showers and thunderstorms, particularly for northern Utah, with an increasing chance of wetting rainfall. The more active pattern will persist next week, bringing less warm temperatures, occasionally breezy winds, and the potential for convection.

SLC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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