textproduct: Salt Lake City

KEY MESSAGES, Issued 1014 PM MDT Fri Jul 31 2026

- Dangerous heat looks to develop across the entire forecast area starting tomorrow as a strong ridge of high pressure settles in bringing the potential for an increase in heat related illness.

- A dry cold front looks to push through UT Sunday through Monday increasing winds across the state, potentially increasing fire danger.

- Temperatures cool down somewhat before increasing to potentially dangerous levels once again by midweek.

DISCUSSION, Issued 1014 PM MDT Fri Jul 31 2026

A strong ridge of high pressure continues to build over the area resulting in a prolonged heatwave resulting in most valleys seeing temperatures near or break 100F. As such, widespread major HeatRisk (3/4) is expected to develop across nearly all lower elevation locations across UT. This is unfortunately not all the heat we'll see, as Saturday and Sunday continue to trend disgustingly hot across the entire forecast area. For instance, St. George's probabilities of breaking 110F tomorrow afternoon sit around 70-80% with SLC's chances of breaking 105F ranging from 20- 30%. Overnight lows will offer little relief with most valley locations only seeing temperatures getting down to the mid-70s, with St. Georges low's remaining in the low 80s. As a result, HeatRisk continues through Monday with much of the forecast areas lower lying population centers well situated within at least "major" HeatRisk (3/4).

A shortwave trough will move in to the PNW come Sunday afternoon remaining well north of the forecast area. However, with enhanced southwesterly flow aloft, a dry cold front will traverse the area Sunday afternoon through late Monday morning. This will serve to increase winds across the state, potentially increasing fire concerns Sunday afternoon. However, the caveat with this is that the winds will generally be post-frontal and accompanied by some increase in moisture, potentially preventing us from reaching Red Flag conditions. Regardless, this will create some elevated fire danger across southern UT Sunday and potentially Monday.

The "cold front" will also lower temperatures briefly into the mid 90s across most valley locations and "cool" St. George down to just below 110F, which is much more comfortable. However, the heat appears to return with major HeatRisk developing across most UT valley locations come Thursday. Additionally, guidance continues to tease at a monsoonal moisture pattern setting up, though guidance generally remains at a 50/50 split regarding this currently.

AVIATION

KSLC... VFR conditions will persist at KSLC through the TAF period. Elevated wildfire smoke may result in continual hazy skies without surface VIS reductions. South winds will switch to northwesterly between 19-20z, then back to southerly between 03-04z.

REST OF UTAH AND SOUTHWEST WYOMING... VFR conditions with diurnal wind shifts will prevail across all terminals through the TAF period. Elevated wildfire smoke may result in continual hazy skies without surface VIS reductions.

FIRE WEATHER, Issued 403 AM MDT Sat Aug 1 2026

With strong high pressure over the area, hot and dry conditions will settle into place through the weekend. Widespread single digit minimum relative humidities can be expected in the valleys, with generally 15% or less in most mountains. Poor overnight recoveries of 15-25% are also expected in many valleys and some higher elevation locales. Meanwhile, temperatures will reach triple digits in the valleys, and upper 70s through 80s in the mountains.

Winds increase Sunday ahead of a cold front which will cross northern Utah Sunday night/Monday morning. The winds will combine with the dry airmass to produce at least local critical fire weather conditions. Best chance for this will be across southwest Utah and northern mountains. The cold front will cool temperatures down closer to climatological normals for northern Utah on Monday, although southern Utah and central Utah will remain 5-10 degrees above normal. Temperatures are expected to gradually rebound for the middle through latter half of the week. There is potential for moisture to return to southern Utah late week, though northern Utah may have to wait until the following week.

SLC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

UT...Heat Advisory from noon today to 9 PM MDT Sunday for UTZ101- 114>116-120>122.

Extreme Heat Warning from noon today to 9 PM MDT Sunday for UTZ102-104>106.

Heat Advisory from noon today to 9 PM MDT this evening for UTZ103.

Fire Weather Watch from Sunday afternoon through Sunday evening for UTZ495-497.

Extreme Heat Warning until 9 PM MDT Sunday for UTZ123-124- 128>131.

WY...Fire Weather Watch from Sunday afternoon through Monday evening for WYZ277.