textproduct: Salt Lake City

KEY MESSAGES

- Gusty winds and very low RH will bring another round of critical fire weather conditions across eastern Utah Tuesday, including the San Rafael Swell, Western Canyonlands, and Henry Mountains regions.

- Spring-like temperatures will gradually warm to near normal later this week.

- Southwesterly winds will strengthen during the latter portion of the week. These combined with warming temperatures and very low RH will likely bring Critical Fire Weather conditions over a good portion of central and southern Utah Thursday and Friday.

DISCUSSION

An unusually cool and stable airmass for late June remains settled across northern, central and southwest Utah this evening. Valley temperatures across these areas remained in the low-mid 70s this afternoon...15 or more degrees below normal for June 29th. The surface front associated with this cool airmass extends across southeast and east central Utah, with warmer temperatures and very low RH remaining in place across the southeast CWA.

A longwave trough resides across much of the western CONUS at the present time, and will remain in place through much of the week. A well defined shortwave trough currently digging along the Sierra Crest will eject across the forecast area on Tuesday. This moisture starved wave will bring only a small chance for showers across the northern mountains, but will enhance southwesterly winds across east central and southeast Utah during the afternoon, and a Red Flag Warning is in effect for these areas. Despite the wave lifting through, the modifying airmass will allow temperatures to trend several degrees warmer across northern, central and southwest Utah Tuesday afternoon.

The longwave trough axis will remain west of the forecast area through Thursday, before lifting out of the region Friday. Rising heights and a gradually warming airmass will allow temperatures to continue slowly trending warmer, reaching normal for early July by Thursday across the north, and Friday across the southwest. Increasing southwest flow again Thursday and Friday ahead of this lifting trough will again result in critical fire weather conditions over portions of central and southern Utah.

AVIATION

KSLC...VFR conditions are forecast to persist at the terminal through the TAF period. Mostly clear skies give way to increasing mid-to-high level cloud coverage with a low-end (10-15%) chance for isolated rain showers early Tuesday afternoon before clearing out through the evening. Light, diurnal winds persist with southeasterly winds overnight switching northwesterly after around 15z.

REST OF UTAH AND SOUTHWEST WYOMING...VFR conditions continue for all regional terminals. Clear skies across the airspace persist through late Tuesday morning before mid-to-high level cloud coverage increases through the early afternoon. Some rain showers develop along and east of the Wasatch during the afternoon, but otherwise conditions remain dry areawide. Winds remain generally light with typical diurnal shifts.

SLC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

UT...Red Flag Warning from noon to 9 PM MDT Tuesday for UTZ489-494.

WY...None.