862
FXUS65 KSLC 180350
AFDSLC
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SALT LAKE CITY UT
950 PM MDT WED JUN 17 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- HOT AND DRY CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE INTO FRIDAY BEFORE A WEAK
AND MOSTLY DRY TROUGH BRINGS TEMPERATURES WITHIN 5F OF SEASONAL
NORMALS FOR THE WEEKEND.
- ANOTHER ROUND OF GUSTY WINDS UP TO 30-40 MPH COMBINED WITH VERY
DRY RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES WILL BRING THE THREAT OF CRITICAL
FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS TO WESTERN UTAH ON FRIDAY, POTENTIALLY
INTO SATURDAY.
- HIGH PRESSURE WILL REBUILD FOR EARLY NEXT WEEK, KEEPING
CONDITIONS DRY WITH A STEADY WARMING TREND IN TEMPERATURES.
DISCUSSION
HIGH PRESSURE REMAINS CENTERED OFF THE PACIFIC COAST
THIS EVENING, WITH A TROUGH MOVING OVER THE TOP OF THE RIDGE INTO
THE CENTRAL UNITED STATES. THE PRESENCE OF THAT TROUGH KEPT
NORTHWESTERLY WINDS BREEZY OVER MUCH OF THE AREA TODAY, BUT AS IT
EXITS AND THE TROUGH STARTS MOVING EASTWARD, WINDS WILL RELAX FOR
THURSDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN ON THE HOT SIDE, HOWEVER, WITH
MAXES RUNNING 5-10F ABOVE SEASONAL NORMALS, WITH THE GREATEST
DEPARTURE FROM NORMAL OVER SOUTHERN UTAH.
FOR FRIDAY, THERE IS HIGH CONFIDENCE THAT THE RIDGE AXIS WILL MOVE
OVERHEAD DURING THE MORNING AND EAST OF THE AREA DURING THE
AFTERNOON AS A POORLY ORGANIZED TROUGH MOVES ONSHORE ALONG THE
PACIFIC COAST. OVER NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA, THE INFLUENCE
OF THE RIDGE AND INCREASING SOUTHWEST FLOW WILL RESULT IN NOTABLY
WARMER TEMPERATURES, WITH MAXES RUNNING 10F OR MORE ABOVE SEASONAL
NORMALS FRIDAY AFTERNOON. IN SOUTHERN UTAH, HOWEVER, TEMPERATURES
WILL TREND THE OTHER WAY AS THE INFLUENCE OF THE TROUGH ADVECTS IN
SOME MOISTURE AND A LESS WARM AIRMASS. BY THE AFTERNOON, WINDS
COULD GET BREEZY ENOUGH OVER WESTERN UTAH TO RESULT IN CRITICAL
FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS. SEE THE FIRE WEATHER SECTION OF THE AFD
FOR MORE DETAILS.
CONFIDENCE IS HIGH THAT THE CENTER OF THE WEAKLY DEFINED TROUGH
WILL GRAZE NORTHERN UTAH FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY, WITH THE
PRIMARY IMPACT BEING ON TEMPERATURES. HIGHS FOR THE WEEKEND SHOULD
BE WITHIN 5F OF NORMAL ACROSS THE AREA. THERE IS A SMALL CHANCE OF
SHOWERS NEAR THE UTAH/IDAHO BORDER AS THE TROUGH PASSES THROUGH,
BUT OVERALL GUIDANCE IS TRENDING A BIT FARTHER NORTH WITH THE
TRACK OF THE TROUGH, WHICH WOULD MAKE THE LOW POTENTIAL OF
PRECIPITATION EVEN LOWER. AS THE TROUGH LINGERS, HIGHS SUNDAY
SHOULD BE SIMILAR TO SATURDAY.
FOR EARLY NEXT WEEK, GUIDANCE IS IN STRONG AGREEMENT THAT THE
PACIFIC RIDGE WILL RETURN AND STRENGTHEN OVER THE GREAT BASIN.
THIS WILL BRING CONTINUED DRY WEATHER AND STEADILY WARMING
TEMPERATURES.
AVIATION...KSLC
VFR CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST FOR THE KSLC
TERMINAL THROUGH THE PERIOD. DRY AND STABLE CONDITIONS WITH MOSTLY
CLEAR SKIES WILL CONTINUE. WINDS WILL REMAIN LIGHT AND NORTHERLY
THROUGH ~08Z BEFORE TRANSITIONING TO A LIGHT SOUTHERLY FLOW
OVERNIGHT. WINDS RETURN NORTH DURING THE DAY TOMORROW.
REST OF UTAH AND SOUTHWEST WYOMING...VFR CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST FOR
THE ENTIRE AIRSPACE THROUGH THE PERIOD. DRY AND STABLE CONDITIONS
WITH A FEW HIGH CLOUDS WILL CONTINUE WITH RELATIVELY LIGHT AND
DIURNALLY DRIVEN WINDS.
FIRE WEATHER
VERY DRY CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST OVER THE NEXT
SEVERAL DAYS. THE ONLY EXCEPTIONS TO THIS WILL BE FOR THE HIGHER
TERRAIN OF SOUTHERN UTAH FOR FRIDAY, WHERE A SMALL AMOUNT OF
MOISTURE MOVING IN WILL INCREASE RELATIVE HUMIDITIES DURING THE
DAY, AND FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY WHEN A WEAK TROUGH TEMPORARILY RAISES
RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES FOR NORTHERN UTAH. THERE IS A HIGH CHANCE
OF SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS BECOMING STRONG ENOUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON TO
BRING AREAS OF CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS TO WEST CENTRAL
AND SOUTHWEST UTAH. AS THE RIDGE REBUILDS OVER THE GREAT BASIN
EARLY NEXT WEEK, WINDS WILL TEND TO STAY GENERALLY LIGHT DESPITE
THE VERY DRY CONDITIONS.
SLC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
UT...FIRE WEATHER WATCH FROM FRIDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE FRIDAY
NIGHT FOR UTZ492-495.
FIRE WEATHER WATCH FROM FRIDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING
FOR UTZ497.
WY...NONE.
PUBLIC...TRAPHAGAN
AVIATION...MAHAN
FIRE WEATHER...TRAPHAGAN
FOR MORE INFORMATION FROM NOAA'S NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE VISIT...
HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/SALTLAKECITY
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