603
FXUS65 KSLC 201643
AFDSLC
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SALT LAKE CITY UT
1043 AM MDT FRI MAR 20 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- HIGH PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO BRING HISTORICALLY WARM WEATHER
FOR MARCH THROUGH SATURDAY. DAYTIME MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES WILL
CHALLENGE MONTHLY RECORDS.
- A DRY COLD FRONT WILL BRING A BRIEF COOLING TREND SUNDAY TO THE
NORTHERN HALF OF UTAH, THOUGH DAYTIME HIGHS WILL REMAIN 10 TO 15
DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL IN THESE AREAS. SOUTHERN UTAH WILL COOL BY
A FEW DEGREES BUT REMAIN NEAR TO ABOVE RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES
THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK.
- A RETURN TO NEAR RECORD TEMPERATURES WILL RETURN TO NORTHERN
UTAH TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY.
- THERE IS LESS THAN 5 PERCENT CHANCE OF MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION
FOR THE NEXT 7 DAYS ACROSS THE ENTIRE COUNTY WARNING AREA.
DISCUSSION
A NEARLY 600 DAM 500MB RIDGE REMAINS IN PLACE ACROSS
THE DESERT SOUTHWEST THIS MORNING. TEMPERATURES WILL AGAIN NEAR TO
EXCEED ALL TIME MARCH RECORDS FOR MANY LOCATIONS IN UTAH...WITH
TEMPERATURES IN EXCESS OF THE UNOFFICIAL STATE RECORD (93)
FORECAST ACROSS LOWER WASHINGTON COUNTY AND ZION NATIONAL PARK.
AS THE NORTHERN JET SHIFTS SOUTHWARD THIS WEEKEND, A DRY COLD
FRONT WILL CROSS NORTHERN AND CENTRAL UTAH, BRINGING COOLER
TEMPERATURES FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE WEEKEND. HIGHS SUNDAY,
WHILE APPROXIMATELY 10 TO 15 DEGREES COOLER THAN SATURDAY ACROSS
NORTHERN UTAH, WILL STILL REMAIN WELL ABOVE NORMAL FOR MARCH. FOR
THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE STATE, TEMPERATURES MAY COOL A FEW
DEGREES BUT WILL REMAIN NEAR TO ABOVE RECORD LEVELS FOR MARCH,
ESPECIALLY ACROSS LOWER WASHINGTON COUNTY AND OTHER LOWER
ELEVATION LOCATIONS.
HIGH PRESSURE WILL REBOUND QUICKLY NEXT WEEK, WITH NEAR RECORD TO
RECORD TEMPERATURES RETURNING TO NORTHERN UTAH TUESDAY INTO
WEDNESDAY. THE DETERMINISTIC FORECAST CURRENTLY SUGGESTS A
POTENTIAL COOL DOWN FOR NORTHERN UTAH NEXT THURSDAY AND FRIDAY,
THOUGH THERE IS ABOUT A 12 DEGREE SPREAD FOR MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES
AT KSLC FOR EXAMPLE BETWEEN THE 25TH AND 75TH PERCENTILE. THE
"COOLER" TEMPERATURES ARE SHORT LIVED HOWEVER AS THE 50TH
PERCENTILE FOR HIGHS AT KSLC REACHES BACK TO THE MID TO UPPER 70S
BY THE NEXT WEEKEND.
LOOKING THROUGH THE ENSEMBLE MEMBERS AS AN AGGREGATE OF THE NEXT 7
DAYS, RUN TOTAL PROBABILITIES WOULD SUGGEST AROUND A 10% CHANCE OF
MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION FOR THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS OVER THE 7
DAYS...HOWEVER...IN REALITY, THERE IS A LESS THAN 5 PERCENT CHANCE
OF MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION ON ANY AFTERNOON THROUGH AT LEAST
NEXT THURSDAY ACROSS THE ENTIRE COUNTY WARNING AREA.
THOSE WITH OUTDOOR PLANS, ESPECIALLY ACROSS SOUTHERN UTAH, SHOULD
FOLLOW HEAT SAFETY PRECAUTIONS LIKE IT IS MAY OR JUNE RATHER THAN
MARCH INCLUDING CARRYING ENOUGH WATER, CONSIDERING SCHEDULING
OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE PEAK HEATING, ETC.
AVIATION...KSLC
VFR CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST FOR THE KSLC
TERMINAL THROUGH THE PERIOD. DRY, STABLE CONDITIONS WITH CLEAR
SKIES AND LIGHT DIURNALLY DRIVEN WINDS WILL CONTINUE.
REST OF UTAH AND SOUTHWEST WYOMING
VFR CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST
FOR THE ENTIRE AIRSPACE THROUGH THE PERIOD. DRY, STABLE
CONDITIONS WITH CLEAR SKIES AND LIGHT DIURNALLY DRIVEN WINDS WILL
CONTINUE.
SLC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
UT...NONE.
WY...RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 9 PM MDT SATURDAY FOR WYZ277.
KRUSE/MAHAN
FOR MORE INFORMATION FROM NOAA'S NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE VISIT...
HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/SALTLAKECITY
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