textproduct: Salt Lake City

KEY MESSAGES

- Valley rain and mountain snow across northern Utah and southwest Wyoming will taper off overnight as a storm system exits the area, but some showers will linger over the higher terrain and southwest Wyoming Tuesday morning.

- A colder system will impact the region early Thursday through Friday, bringing better chances for more substantial mountain snow and the potential for light valley snow.

DISCUSSION

A storm system is centered in the vicinity of southwest Wyoming this evening, bringing widespread precipitation there and to northern Utah. Snow levels have primarily been in the 6,500 to 7,000 foot range, but in higher rates have been seen snow in parts of the Cache Valley as well as the benches of Weber County, with little in the way of accumulation. The system and associated cold front will exit overnight, with associated precipitation decreasing in coverage significantly over the next few hours. Some showers will linger over southwest Wyoming as well as the higher terrain into Tuesday morning.

High pressure will briefly move in behind the exiting system for late Tuesday into much of Wednesday, bringing dry conditions and a return of very mild temperatures. Maxes Wednesday are on track to run 10-15F above seasonal normals, a theme that has been common this cool season.

A Pacific Northwest storm system is expected to move onshore during the day Wednesday, before crossing the forecast area early Thursday into Friday. Overall timing in the guidance is a bit slower than what was indicated this time yesterday, with most members allowing the system to linger a bit longer as it closes off. Models can have a bit of trouble with the details of systems that are closing off, so timing of the end of precip with this system is a bit more uncertain than usual. Given its Pacific Northwest origin, it will be colder in nature than the last system, bringing temperatures to or below normal for this time of year, and a chance of accumulating snow to northern Utah valley floors, with the best chance in the Cache Valley and still only a low chance for the Wasatch Front. It is looking increasingly likely that mountain totals could be significant, resulting in some travel difficulties. Those with travel plans in the higher terrain should continue to monitor the forecast.

Once the system exits, drier conditions are expected for the upcoming weekend with temperatures starting to warm again. There remain some indications of a return to unsettled conditions by early next week, with very low confidence in any details.

REST OF UTAH AND SOUTHWEST WYOMING

A cool season system will depart through the night, with precipitation at northern terminals gradually tapering off. CIGS/VIS will lean IFR to MVFR, with the most degraded conditions expected at the far northern and higher elevated terminals where snow can mix in or prevail. Through mid to late morning Tuesday, CIGS will then gradually lift and scatter out, with a return to widespread VFR conditions anticipated late morning to early afternoon at most terminals.

SLC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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