SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) – Happy Friday, Utah! It’s a tale of two air masses as we close out the work week– a drier and warmer air mass over Northern Utah, with monsoon moisture surging into Southern Utah.
Monsoon moisture will creep a little further north today and that means we will close the work week with the threat of strong thunderstorms in Central and Southern Utah.
Bottom Line? Increasing monsoon moisture pushes further north with storms expected in Central, Southern and Eastern Utah today, and eventually along the Wasatch Front into the weekend.
A ridge of high pressure near the Four Corners is allowing for Utah’s typical monsoon setup as moisture pushes into the state. We have another day of afternoon and evening thunderstorms ahead of us, and we will keep this routine as monsoon moisture will linger through the weekend and into next week.
We are expecting isolated thunderstorms by the afternoon and evening, and these storms are capable of heavy downpours, gusty winds, and abundant lightning. With rain accompanying these storms, the flash flood risk becomes elevated today with a “probable” ranking for flooding at all our National Parks and surrounding low-lying areas in areas like the San Rafael Swell, Lake Powell, Natural Bridges, and Grand Staircase.
You can expect more cloud cover in Northern Utah today, but we will see a slight improvement when it comes to smoke! Our westerly flow will push some thicker smoke and it’s the first time in a while the majority of counties in Northern Utah will see moderate air as opposed to unhealthy air for sensitive groups. Davis and Salt Lake County are still expected to see unhealthy air, but Southern Utah is forecast to see clean air with the help of storms allowing for mixing.
When it comes to temperatures, daytime highs will remain slightly above seasonal averages for the state with mid to upper 90s expected along the Wasatch Front, St. George will see temperatures climb to 103.
Slightly cooler temperatures are expected through the weekend statewide and by Sunday, temperatures will return to average. Moisture will remain in the area through midweek next week, with a chance of strong to severe storms. While afternoon thunderstorms will be possible across the state over the weekend and into the new work week, the highest risk for flash floods will be on Sunday and Monday. The best chance for storms in Northern Utah will be Monday, as a shortwave capitalizes on monsoon potential.
Drier air looks to move in by the midweek and the threat of storms is expected to dwindle and focus on areas east of I-15. Temperatures are forecast to stay close to seasonal averages, which is a nice break for the stretch of record-breaking heat we have seen.
Keep your eyes on the skies as we get through the next few days with active skies, and we will keep you updated on the latest developments in our 4Warn Weather forecast both on-air and online. We are Good4Utah!
Post a Comment