Strong weather system heading for Utah — wind, rain, snow expected in some areas

SALT LAKE CITY ( ABC4 ) — Happy Tuesday, Utah! It’s another mild and sunny day for much of the Beehive state with temperatures still trending well above seasonal averages.

The low-pressure system along the southern end of the state continues to weaken and drift south. There’s just a small chance of a few isolated showers in the far southern Utah highlands this afternoon and evening.

As we get closer to Wednesday, a strong weather system will start moving toward the western U.S. coast, making its way east by Thursday morning. The forecast shows an initial cold front breaking off from the main system and moving through the Great Basin on Thursday.

This will bring an uptick in winds on Wednesday, especially in the west desert, with gusts up to 30 mph. These winds could increase fire risks, so keep an eye on fire weather alerts. Fire weather watches are currently in place for the western half of the state.

Ahead of this initial front, some scattered showers and thunderstorms could pop up across northern Utah by Wednesday afternoon. These could bring some gusty, unpredictable winds up to 45 mph.

On Wednesday night, the cold front will move across northern Utah, bringing some light rain or snow to the mountains by early Thursday morning. The main storm system is expected to move in Thursday and Friday and is set to bring the first significant mountain snowfall of the season to Utah.

The cold front moving in Thursday morning will bring light to moderate rain and high-elevation snow. Snow levels will start around 9,000 feet, though heavier precipitation could bring the snow down a bit.

As the storm slides further inland, it will strengthen as it moves through Utah Thursday night into Friday, causing heavier snowfall in the mountains, with snowfall rates potentially reaching over 2 inches per hour.

Temperatures will drop, potentially lowering snow levels to around 5,000-5,500 feet, meaning some lower valleys could see a mix of rain and snow. While valley snow accumulation will likely be minimal, mountain areas like the Cottonwoods could see up to 18 inches of snow, with the Western Uinta Mountains expecting 12 to 24 inches.

Our first winter storm watch is in place Thursday morning through Friday evening for the Western Uintas and the Wasatch Mountains south of I-80 for heavy snowfall. Heavy snowfall will occur above 7,500 ft from Thursday into Friday.

As the system continues south on Friday, the northern areas will start to dry out, but southern Utah could see rain and snow into Saturday. There’s a slight chance for east canyon winds on Saturday, but strong gusts are not very likely. Stay tuned.

Either way, we have some big changes on the way to the Beehive State later this week, and it’s best to stay 4Warned with the latest updates on air and online. We are Good4Utah!

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