Brighton

000
FXUS65 KSLC 011003
AFDSLC

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Salt Lake City UT
403 AM MDT Sat Aug 1 2026

.KEY MESSAGES, Issued 1014 PM MDT Fri Jul 31 2026...


- Dangerous heat looks to develop across the entire forecast area 
starting tomorrow as a strong ridge of high pressure settles in 
bringing the potential for an increase in heat related illness. 

- A dry cold front looks to push through UT Sunday through Monday 
increasing winds across the state, potentially increasing fire 
danger.

- Temperatures cool down somewhat before increasing to potentially 
dangerous levels once again by midweek. 

&&

.DISCUSSION, Issued 1014 PM MDT Fri Jul 31 2026...
 A strong ridge of high pressure continues to build 
over the area resulting in a prolonged heatwave resulting in most 
valleys seeing temperatures near or break 100F. As such, widespread 
major HeatRisk (3/4) is expected to develop across nearly all lower 
elevation locations across UT. This is unfortunately not all the 
heat we'll see, as Saturday and Sunday continue to trend 
disgustingly hot across the entire forecast area. For instance, St. 
George's probabilities of breaking 110F tomorrow afternoon sit 
around 70-80% with SLC's chances of breaking 105F ranging from 20-
30%. Overnight lows will offer little relief with most valley 
locations only seeing temperatures getting down to the mid-70s, with 
St. Georges low's remaining in the low 80s. As a result, HeatRisk 
continues through Monday with much of the forecast areas lower lying 
population centers well situated within at least "major" HeatRisk 
(3/4). 

A shortwave trough will move in to the PNW come Sunday afternoon 
remaining well north of the forecast area. However, with enhanced 
southwesterly flow aloft, a dry cold front will traverse the area 
Sunday afternoon through late Monday morning. This will serve to 
increase winds across the state, potentially increasing fire 
concerns Sunday afternoon. However, the caveat with this is that the 
winds will generally be post-frontal and accompanied by some 
increase in moisture, potentially preventing us from reaching Red 
Flag conditions. Regardless, this will create some elevated fire 
danger across southern UT Sunday and potentially Monday. 

The "cold front" will also lower temperatures briefly into the mid 
90s across most valley locations and "cool" St. George down to just 
below 110F, which is much more comfortable. However, the heat 
appears to return with major HeatRisk developing across most UT 
valley locations come Thursday. Additionally, guidance continues to 
tease at a monsoonal moisture pattern setting up, though guidance 
generally remains at a 50/50 split regarding this currently. 



&&

.AVIATION, Issued 1045 PM MDT Fri Jul 31 2026...
 
KSLC... VFR conditions will persist with diurnal wind shifts 
expected at KSLC through the TAF period. Elevated wildfire smoke may 
result in continual hazy skies without surface VIS reductions. 

REST OF UTAH AND SOUTHWEST WYOMING... VFR conditions with diurnal 
wind shifts will prevail across all terminals through the TAF 
period. Elevated wildfire smoke may result in continual hazy skies 
without surface VIS reductions. 

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...With strong high pressure over the area, hot and dry
conditions will settle into place through the weekend. Widespread
single digit minimum relative humidities can be expected in the
valleys, with generally 15% or less in most mountains. Poor
overnight recoveries of 15-25% are also expected in many valleys
and some higher elevation locales. Meanwhile, temperatures will 
reach triple digits in the valleys, and upper 70s through 80s in 
the mountains. 

Winds increase Sunday ahead of a cold front which will cross 
northern Utah Sunday night/Monday morning. The winds will combine 
with the dry airmass to produce at least local critical fire 
weather conditions. Best chance for this will be across southwest 
Utah and northern mountains. The cold front will cool 
temperatures down closer to climatological normals for northern 
Utah on Monday, although southern Utah and central Utah will 
remain 5-10 degrees above normal. Temperatures are expected to 
gradually rebound for the middle through latter half of the week. 
There is potential for moisture to return to southern Utah late 
week, though northern Utah may have to wait until the following 
week. 


&&

.SLC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
UT...Heat Advisory from noon today to 9 PM MDT Sunday for UTZ101-
     114>116-120>122.

     Extreme Heat Warning from noon today to 9 PM MDT Sunday for 
     UTZ102-104>106.

     Heat Advisory from noon today to 9 PM MDT this evening for 
     UTZ103.

     Fire Weather Watch from Sunday afternoon through Sunday evening 
     for UTZ495-497.

     Extreme Heat Warning until 9 PM MDT Sunday for UTZ123-124-
     128>131.

WY...Fire Weather Watch from Sunday afternoon through Monday evening 
     for WYZ277.

&&

$$

PUBLIC...Worster
AVIATION...Worster
FIRE WEATHER...Cheng

For more information from NOAA's National Weather Service visit...
http://weather.gov/saltlakecity