textproduct: Salt Lake City

KEY MESSAGES

- Temperatures across Utah and southwest Wyoming will be quite mild through at least Tuesday, with highs averaging 20F above seasonal normals.

- A series of weak weather disturbances will pass through northern Utah and southwest Wyoming Sunday through early Monday, bringing light high elevation snow, primarily for areas near the Utah/Idaho border.

- Winds will be breezy at times through Tuesday, primarily over western Utah, before becoming stronger Wednesday into early Friday with the arrival of another warm Pacific storm system.

- Another warm storm system will impact the area early next week, bringing mountain snow and valley rain across Utah.

DISCUSSION

Seeing cloudy and very mild conditions for the Winter Solstice across Utah and southwest Wyoming this afternoon, with some light precipitation over northern Utah, primarily focused over the higher terrain where light snow is falling. The associated moisture will gradually lift northward tonight, keeping the majority of precipitation over Idaho. Still, some additional light snow is expected near the Utah/Idaho border into Monday. Breezy conditions continue, primarily over northern Utah, where wind gusts between 30 and 40 mph have been relatively widespread.

A drying trend will continue into Tuesday, with today's breezy winds gradually decreasing to begin the short work week. Temperatures will remain more typical of late October through at least Tuesday, with maxes averaging 20F above seasonal normals.

Confidence is high that a Pacific storm system will approach the California coast on Wednesday, resulting in an increase in southwest flow aloft. This will bring widespread breezy conditions, with the potential for stronger winds over the valleys of western Utah. Latest guidance indicates an approximately 50 percent chance of seeing wind gusts in excess of 40 mph for the wind prone areas of west central and southwest Utah, something to monitor.

Most guidance indicates the Pacific storm system will draw another round of warm atmospheric river moisture into the area from the south beginning Wednesday night, with valley rain and mountain snow becoming widespread for Christmas Day. Uncertainty remains with regard to mountain snow accumulations across the area along with some details on timing, with relatively large spread on both when the precipitation begins and when the precipitation tapers off on Friday. Drier conditions are then most likely for the upcoming weekend before the potential for the atmospheric river hose to return develops early next week.

REST OF UTAH AND SOUTHWEST WYOMING

Strong southerly winds are expected to continue at most regional terminals into Monday morning, with most sites seeing gusts in excess of 20kts through this period. Scattered rain and high elevation snow showers ongoing near the ID border may impact KLGU/KEVW at times through this evening, with another round possible mainly for KLGU mid-Monday morning. However, little impact is expected from these rain showers other than occasional terrain obscuration.

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SLC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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