Hot weather with uptick in winds across beehive state

SALT LAKE CITY ( ABC4 ) – Happy Monday, Utah! It’s another hot, summer-like afternoon around the Beehive state with a few isolated storms. The best chances for thunderstorms will be south of I-80 in Utah.

Southerly flow remains in place Monday which will allow for isolated showers and thunderstorms across central and southern parts of Utah Monday afternoon. Strong outflow winds will remain the main threat except for the southern half of the state where heavier rainfall is possible due to better moisture in the area.

Flash flood potential is ‘possible’ for Bryce Canyon National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Zion National Park, Grand Staircase-Escalante, and the Swell. Daytime temps will warm into the upper 80s and low 90s across northern Utah, and around 100° across lower Washington County.

Tuesday, a southerly flow will continue to pump in some monsoonal moisture, leading to the chance for a few more isolated showers and storms, especially in central and northern Utah east of I-15.

Temperatures on Tuesday will stay about 5 degrees above normal in the north, with highs in the upper 80s to low 90s along the Wasatch Front. Southern Utah will stay closer to average.

On Wednesday, a big trough digs into the western U.S., bringing stronger south-to-southwesterly winds to much of the area on Wednesday.

Expect windy conditions, especially in western valleys and possibly further east. Relative humidity will drop below 15% in most valleys south of I-80, which could mean fire weather alerts if conditions are dry enough. A Fire Weather Watch has been issued for eastern Nevada, and critical fire conditions are being predicted across at least western Utah.

The timing of a cold front moving into northern Utah is expected Wednesday night, continuing through central, southern, and eastern Utah on Thursday. This may keep winds elevated through Thursday, especially in the southern and eastern valleys.

After the cold front passes, temperatures in the north will drop significantly — around 20 degrees — bringing highs in the Wasatch Front down to the upper 60s. Meanwhile, southern Utah will only cool by about 5 degrees.

Due to the ongoing wildfires in Oregon and Idaho, the front may also bring more smoke into the area. The best chances for measurable precipitation on Thursday will be across northern Utah and southwest Wyoming, especially north of I-80.

By Friday, most models show the upper trough moving away from the area, with drier air moving back in for the weekend. Northern Utah might stay cooler through Friday, but temperatures should bounce back by the weekend as a dry westerly flow takes over.

We’ll give you the latest updates in our 4Warn Weather forecast both on-air and online, we are Good4Utah!

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