611
FXUS65 KSLC 051814
AFDSLC
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SALT LAKE CITY UT
1114 AM MST THU MAR 5 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- A COLD AIRMASS HAS SETTLED INTO THE REGION WITH SNOW SHOWERS,
PARTICULARLY IN THE MOUNTAINS, REINVIGORATING THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING BEFORE GRADUALLY TAPERING OFF ON FRIDAY.
- A CLOSED LOW TO OUR SOUTH WITH THE JET STREAM TO OUR NORTH WILL
KEEP MOISTURE TO OUR NORTH AND SOUTH WHILE WE STAY RELATIVELY
DRY WITH INCREASING TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE WEEKEND AND MOST OF
NEXT WEEK.
DISCUSSION
A COLD AIRMASS HAS SETTLED INTO THE REGION WITH 700
MB TEMPERATURES ~-10C. THIS IS RESULTING IN SNOW REACHING VALLEY
FLOORS THIS MORNING FROM SCATTERED SHOWERS ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE
WASATCH FRONT AND SOUTHERN UTAH NEAR CEDAR CITY. MOST OF THIS
ACTIVITY HAS PUSHED INTO EASTERN UTAH ALLOWING FOR A BRIEF LULL
IN ACTIVITY THIS MORNING BEFORE THE TROUGH AXIS PUSHES THROUGH
THIS AFTERNOON. THIS WILL REINVIGORATE SHOWERY ACTIVITY ACROSS
NORTHERN AND CENTRAL UTAH. MOISTURE, STEEP LAPSE RATES, AND
NORTHWEST FLOW WILL AID IN BRIEF, BUT HEAVY, SNOW ACROSS VALLEY
AND MOUNTAIN LOCATIONS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. REDUCED
VISIBILITIES <1/4 MILE AND A QUICK SLUSH UP ON AREA ROADS WILL BE
POSSIBLE UNDERNEATH THE HEAVIEST SHOWERS. ADDITIONALLY, NORTHERLY
WINDS WILL REMAIN ELEVATED ACROSS CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN UTAH TODAY
AND TOMORROW, BUT WIND GUSTS WILL REMAIN BELOW ADVISORY LEVELS.
THE TROUGH THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COLD AIR AND SHOWERY
ACTIVITY WILL START TO SPLIT OVERHEAD. AS IT SPLITS, FLOW ALOFT
WILL GRADUALLY GO MORE NORTHERLY DURING THE DAY ON FRIDAY WITH
SNOW CONTINUING IN THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTHERN AND CENTRAL UTAH.
SNOW TOTALS BETWEEN 6 TO 12 INCHES WITH LOCALLY HIGHER TOTALS UP
TO 18 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL
MOUNTAINS, PARTICULARLY ASPECTS THAT DO WELL IN NORTHERLY FLOW.
PRECIPITATION WILL TAPER OFF LATER IN THE DAY ON FRIDAY AS THE
TROUGH CONTINUES TO SPLIT.
THE SPLITTING TROUGH WILL DEVELOP A CLOSED LOW OFF THE BAJA COAST
WITH THE JET STREAM STAYING NORTH INTO IDAHO. THIS WILL KEEP
WEATHER MOSTLY DRY WITH GRADUALLY WARMING TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE
WEEKEND AND INTO NEXT WEEK. HIGH TEMPERATURES ON MONDAY WILL BE
IN THE 60S ACROSS MOST VALLEYS WITH MID TO UPPER 70S ACROSS THE
LOWER ELEVATIONS OF SOUTHWESTERN UTAH. THE ONLY CHANCES FOR
PRECIPITATION WILL EXIST ON TUESDAY ACROSS FAR NORTHERN UTAH/SW
WYOMING AND FAR SOUTHERN UTAH AS THESE AREAS WILL BE CLOSE ENOUGH
TO THE MOISTURE FROM THE JET TO OUR NORTH AND CLOSED LOW TO OUR
SOUTH MOVING ACROSS THE DESERT SOUTHWEST.
AVIATION...KSLC
WINDS AT THE SLC TERMINAL WILL REMAIN OUT OF THE
NORTHWEST THROUGH THE VALID TAF PERIOD. PERIODS OF LIGHT SNOW
SHOWERS ARE LIKELY THIS AFTERNOON, WITH A 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF MVFR
CONDITIONS. A SECOND ROUND OF ENHANCED SNOW AFTER 03Z IS MORE LIKELY
TO INDUCE MVFR TO IFR CONDITIONS THROUGH ABOUT 06Z.CIGS ARE EXPECTED
TO REMAIN AT OR BELOW 6KFT AGL THROUGH AT LEAST THE EARLY MORNING
HOURS.
REST OF UTAH AND SOUTHWEST WYOMING
PERIODS OF LIGHT SNOW
SHOWERS ARE LIKELY AT MOST NORTHERN TERMINALS THIS AFTERNOON, WITH
BRIEF ACCOMPANYING MVFR TO IFR CONDITIONS. A SECOND ROUND OF
ENHANCED SNOW AFTER 03Z IS MORE LIKELY TO INDUCE MVFR TO IFR
COUNTDOWNS THROUGH ABOUT 08Z. CDC MAY SEE A BRIEF MVFR PERIOD WITH
VICINITY SHOWERS AFTER MIDNIGHT.
SLC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
UT...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 5 PM MST FRIDAY FOR UTZ108-110>113-
117>119-125.
WY...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 5 PM MST FRIDAY FOR WYZ021.
PUBLIC...MAHAN
AVIATION...VERZELLA
FOR MORE INFORMATION FROM NOAA'S NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE VISIT...
HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/SALTLAKECITY
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