649
FXUS65 KSLC 131037
AFDSLC
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SALT LAKE CITY UT
337 AM MST TUE JAN 13 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- AN INVERSION WILL REMAIN IN PLACE ACROSS UTAH VALLEYS INTO NEXT
WEEK, RESULTING IN STAGNANT AIR WITH DECREASING AIR QUALITY AND
VISIBILITY, PARTICULARLY ALONG THE WASATCH FRONT.
DISCUSSION
STRONG HIGH PRESSURE WILL REMAIN CENTERED OVER THE WEST COAST
THROUGH THE 7-DAY FORECAST. A TROUGH WILL DIVE THROUGH THE
NORTHERN PLAINS FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY, FOLLOWED BY RE-EXPANSION
OF THE RIDGE EASTWARD OVER THE GREAT BASIN NEXT WEEK.
THUS MILD MOUNTAIN TEMPERATURES AND INVERTED VALLEYS WILL REMAIN
THE STATUS QUO THROUGH THE 7 DAY FORECAST. AS THE AFOREMENTIONED
TROUGH MOVES THROUGH THE PLAINS LATE THIS WEEK, THERE WILL BE
SUBTLE COOLING FOR THE MOUNTAINS AS HEIGHTS ALOFT BRIEFLY FALL.
THIS WILL SLIGHTLY WEAKEN THE INVERSION STRENGTH, BUT WITH
ENSEMBLES REMAINING LOCKED IN A FARTHER EAST TRACK WITH THIS
TROUGH, THIS IS UNLIKELY TO OFFER ANY RELIEF FOR THE VALLEY
INVERSIONS. AS THE RIDGE EXPANDS EASTWARD AGAIN EARLY NEXT WEEK,
WARMING WILL AGAIN FOLLOW FOR THE MOUNTAINS, WHILE THE VALLEYS
SINK FURTHER INTO AN INVERSION.
PATCHY VALLEY FOG WILL REMAIN AN ISSUE IN THE BEAR RIVER VALLEY
THROUGH MUCH OF THE FORECAST, WITH POTENTIAL SLOW EXPANSION OF FOG
AT NIGHT INTO THE CACHE OR PORTIONS OF THE WASATCH FRONT AROUND
THE GREAT SALT LAKE.
MULTI MODEL ENSEMBLES, INCLUDING THE AI ENSEMBLES FROM THE EURO
AND THE GFS, ALL SEEM TO BE IN LOCK-STEP THAT THE NEXT POTENTIAL
FOR PRECIPITATION WON'T ARRIVE UNTIL AROUND JANUARY 22ND. HOWEVER
THIS DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE A STRONG PRECIPITATION SIGNAL JUST YET,
AS THE CPC 8-14 DAY OUTLOOK IS ONLY SLIGHTLY LEANING ABOVE NORMAL
ON PRECIPITATION (33-40% CHANCE).
AVIATION...KSLC
HAZE AND FOG WITH MVFR VISIBILITY WILL CONTINUE
MUCH OR ALL OF THE TAF PERIOD. THERE IS SOME UNCERTAINTY AS TO IF
CONDITIONS WILL IMPROVE INTO VFR RANGE. IF THEY DO, IT WOULD BE FROM
ROUGHLY 19-03Z WITH LOW END VFR CONDITIONS. LIGHT SOUTHEAST WINDS
WILL TRANSITION TO NORTHWEST AROUND 19Z.
REST OF UTAH AND SOUTHWEST WYOMING
HAZE AND FOG WITH MVFR
VISIBILITY FOR THE SALT LAKE VALLEY WILL LAST MUCH OR ALL OF THE TAF
PERIOD. OTHER NORTHERN VALLEYS, ESPECIALLY THE URBAN CORRIDOR, WILL
HAVE VISIBILITY RANGING FROM MVFR TO VFR. VFR CONDITIONS WOULD BE
MOST LIKELY FROM ROUGHLY 19-03Z. WINDS WILL BE RELATIVELY LIGHT,
WITH SOUTHWEST GUSTS AROUND 20 KNOTS FOR SOUTHWEST WYOMING FROM 19-
00Z.
SLC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
UT...NONE.
WY...NONE.
CHURCH/WILSON
FOR MORE INFORMATION FROM NOAA'S NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE VISIT...
HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/SALTLAKECITY
CLICK HERE TO GO TO PREVIOUS BULLETINS.
Main Text Page