Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Salt Lake City, UT
Issued by NWS Salt Lake City, UT
375 FXUS65 KSLC 021013 AFDSLC Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Salt Lake City UT 313 AM MST Mon Feb 2 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - Persistent high pressure will bring dry, mild, and stable conditions through at least next Sunday. - Above normal temperatures remain in place through the next 7 days. - Low precipitation chances return as early as next Monday (Feb. 9th). && .DISCUSSION...Little in the way of impactful weather over the forecast area for at least the next 5 to 6 days as high pressure will gradually reestablish over the Great Basin region. A weak shortwave trough, already noted over a portion of northwest Utah, will continue to translate through the area over the next 12-24 hours, with the biggest influence on sensible weather being a slight drop in daytime high temperatures. That said, highs will remain solidly above normal (+10F) for this time of year. A weak pressure gradient is anticipated to develop across southern Utah this afternoon/ evening as a result of weak baroclinic zone forming from the aforementioned shortwave, leading to breezy northerly canyon winds (30-40 mph) between St. George and Cedar City. Following the passage of the shortwave trough, high pressure will strengthen day after day through at least Thursday as a ridge intensifies over the western U.S. Thursday through Sunday there is some disagreement amongst models on how a developing offshore low will evolve as it interacts with the mid-latitudes. Should not note much change in the day to day weather as this low dances to our southwest, however, the evolution of this low may influence our next potential weather maker as we move into the late weekend/ early next week timeframe. Ensemble guidance (12Z) notes a favoring towards a pattern change by the late Sunday/ early Monday period, with around 30% of ensemble members supporting widespread precipitation across Utah and southwest Wyoming. Again, will need to watch how the aforementioned offshore low is going to evolve, which will ultimately have some influence on how this next trough may evolve. Big picture remains the same... dry, relatively stable conditions persist across the forecast area until early next week. Monday forward, conditions could become wet and unsettled as the persistent high pressure looks for an avenue to break down. && .AVIATION...KSLC...The SLC terminal will see VFR conditions through the morning with some high clouds. Southerly winds are expected to become predominately northwesterly between 17Z and 19Z, though some periods of light and variable winds will continue through the early morning. .REST OF UTAH AND SOUTHWEST WYOMING...VFR conditions are expected across the airspace this morning with some high clouds and generally light and terrain driven winds. There is a low (20 percent) chance of fog between 10Z and 15Z at LGU which would result in periods of IFR conditions. && && .SLC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UT...None. WY...None. && $$ PUBLIC...Webber AVIATION...Traphagan For more information from NOAA`s National Weather Service visit... http://weather.gov/saltlakecity