803
FXUS65 KSLC 181843
AFDSLC
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SALT LAKE CITY UT
1242 PM MDT THU JUN 18 2026
KEY MESSAGES, ISSUED 950 PM MDT WED JUN 17 2026
- 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, ISSUED 950 PM MDT WED JUN 17 2026
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, ISSUED 950 PM MDT WED JUN 17 2026
KSLC, ISSUED 950 PM MDT WED JUN 17 2026...
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
AN AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE REMAINS IN PLACE TODAY, BRINGING
CONTINUED HOT AND DRY CONDITIONS TO UTAH. A RELATIVE LULL IN
CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS IS EXPECTED TODAY, THOUGH AREAS
OF ELEVATED TO ISOLATED CRITICAL CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED IN
PORTIONS OF EASTERN UTAH WHERE BREEZY AFTERNOON WINDS CONTINUE.
CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO PICK UP ONCE
AGAIN ACROSS WEST-CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST UTAH ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON
AS HIGH PRESSURE BEGINS TO WEAKEN AS A WEAK AREA OF LOW PRESSURE
MOVES INTO THE REGION, ALLOWING FOR SOUTHWEST WINDS TO INCREASE
ACROSS THE REGION. THESE CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED TO SHIFT EASTWARD ON SATURDAY, AND WILL BECOME MUCH MORE
WIDESPREAD THAN FRIDAY. A SLIGHT INCREASE IN MOISTURE ACROSS THE
NORTHERN AREA ON SATURDAY WILL ALSO BRING A THREAT OF HIGH-BASED
SHOWERS AND DRY THUNDERSTORMS. THESE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO BRING
AN ISOLATED THREAT OF LIGHTNING AND STRONG OUTFLOW WINDS.
THE AREA OF LOW PRESSURE WILL WEAKEN THROUGH SUNDAY WHICH WILL
ALLOW FOR HIGH PRESSURE TO REESTABLISH THROUGH NEXT WEEK. AS A
RESULT, HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL CLIMB SIGNIFICANTLY ACROSS THE
ENTIRETY OF UTAH FROM MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. BREEZY AFTERNOON
CONDITIONS ARE GENERALLY EXPECTED EACH DAY ALONGSIDE THIS BUILDING
HEAT, WHICH WILL BRING ELEVATED TO NEAR-CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER
CONDITIONS IN SOUTHERN UTAH AT THE VERY LEAST.
SLC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
UT...HEAT ADVISORY FROM NOON FRIDAY TO 6 AM MDT SATURDAY FOR UTZ104-
105.
RED FLAG WARNING FROM 3 PM FRIDAY TO 3 AM MDT SATURDAY FOR
UTZ492-495.
FIRE WEATHER WATCH FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SATURDAY
EVENING FOR UTZ482-484-488-489-493-494-496-498.
RED FLAG WARNING FROM 3 PM FRIDAY TO MIDNIGHT MDT FRIDAY NIGHT
FOR UTZ497.
WY...NONE.
PUBLIC...TRAPHAGAN
AVIATION...MAHAN
FIRE WEATHER...WEBBER
FOR MORE INFORMATION FROM NOAA'S NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE VISIT...
HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/SALTLAKECITY
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