textproduct: Salt Lake City

KEY MESSAGES

- A weak system traverses the Great Basin today, bringing light valley rain and high elevation snowfall to northern and central Utah.

- A second weak storm system may graze northern Utah on Friday before high pressure builds for the weekend, keeping temperatures around 5 degrees below normal.

DISCUSSION

Morning satellite imagery reveals an apparent circulation shifting across Utah, associated with a mid-level closed low that brought scattered light showers to the area. As this low continues to track eastward, these showers will do the same, largely ending by midnight tonight. Low-level clouds are likely to linger into the morning hours across much of the area, potentially inhibiting fog potential even for fog-prone locations such as the Cache Valley.

A weak shortwave trough moving through the area late Thursday night/early Friday morning is trending stronger with recent model runs, though moisture will be very limited, even moreso than today. Still, isolated showers may develop across far northeastern Utah/southwest Wyoming Thursday night; sometimes, a vort max will provide enough lift to produce showers despite this lack of moisture. Increased cloud cover, alongside slightly better mixing, may once again inhibit valley fog development early Friday morning, something that looked more likely in prior forecasts. Finally, this wave will also act to keep temperatures around 5 degrees below normal through Friday.

High pressure will build heading into the weekend, resulting in a steady warming trend that will bring temperatures closer to 5-10 degrees above normal by early next week. Forecast confidence is low in our next precipitation chances; model guidance suggests a return as early as next Thursday, but likely not until Friday or later.

AVIATION

KSLC...Area of low pressure moving through the region will bring generally BKN VFR CIGS around 4-8 kft and a low chance (~30%) of showers. Winds through Wednesday favored to be light out of the NW, with some VRB possible near any passing showers. Showers will taper off 23-02Z or so, with winds then expected to shift SE after 02Z Thursday.

REST OF UTAH AND SOUTHWEST WYOMING...An area of low pressure will gradually churn through the area Wednesday. It will bring a low chance (~20-40%) of showers primarily to northern terminals, and generally SCT to BKN VFR CIGS around 3-8 kft. Shower activity will wane through Wednesday evening with clearer skies expected overnight. Winds will generally be light (less than 10 kts) and follow a typical diurnal pattern, or be somewhat variable.

SLC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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