Extreme heat targets southern Utah for the weekend, fire danger increases through the state

SALT LAKE CITY ( ABC4 ) — Happy weekend, Utah! A warming trend is underway, and we have a weekend with a dry northwesterly flow in place that will keep our weather mostly calm for the next few days.

A strong ridge of high pressure will slide closer to Utah this weekend and into next week and that results in temperatures climbing above seasonal averages along the Wasatch Front while southern Utah faces a streak of dangerous triple digit heat through the extended holiday weekend. Today, temperatures will top out in the mid to upper 90s for much of northern Utah, while St. George makes a run for 110 today and even hotter Sunday.

This dome of high heat will keep areas underneath it dry, and on the eastern edge of the ridge, a few weak disturbances will graze southwest Wyoming and Colorado. This will lead to an uptick in winds in parts of the state, resulting in a heightened fire risk due to breezy winds. Critical fire danger arrives by Saturday afternoon, with Red Flag Warnings issued and going into effect for the Uinta Basin, San Rafael Swell as well as southwest and south-central Utah. These warnings will hold until 9 p.m. Sunday for some of the mentioned areas. A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or are imminent. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior, so we want to be very vigilant to avoid fire starts.

This monster ridge of high-pressure moving inland this weekend takes us to potentially record-breaking temperatures from Sunday through the midweek throughout Utah. The hottest temperatures will be in southwest Utah, with St. George possibly reaching or exceeding 110 degrees daily through at least Thursday, and potentially setting new record highs on Monday and Tuesday. Because of the extreme heat, lower Washington County, Glen Canyon/Lake Powell, and Zion National Park will have an Excessive Heat Warning going into effect from 9 a.m. Sunday through 9 p.m. Wednesday. Northern Utah will also experience extreme heat, with temperatures possibly exceeding 100 degrees starting Tuesday and lasting through the workweek. Salt Lake City could be very near the hottest temperature ever recorded of 107 by the end of work week! Heat alerts are looming, so you will want to stay tuned.

While temperatures are approaching record territory into next week, it’s important to plan ways to stay cool. Remember to avoid strenuous outdoor activities during peak heat, drink plenty of water, and stay out of the sun as much as possible.

Bottom line? The weather pattern in the west sizzles as high-pressure spikes temperatures in southern Utah this weekend, and highs climb highs across the state next week, with record high temperatures are expected.

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

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