133
FXUS65 KSLC 181936
AFDSLC

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Salt Lake City UT
136 PM MDT Thu Jun 18 2026

.KEY MESSAGES, Issued 950 PM MDT Wed Jun 17 2026...

- Hot and dry conditions will continue into Friday before a weak
  and mostly dry trough brings temperatures within 5F of seasonal
  normals for the weekend.

- Another round of gusty winds up to 30-40 mph combined with very
  dry relative humidity values will bring the threat of critical
  fire weather conditions to western Utah on Friday, potentially
  into Saturday.

- High pressure will rebuild for early next week, keeping
  conditions dry with a steady warming trend in temperatures.

&&

.DISCUSSION...Largely cloud free skies exist today as high
pressure remains in control of the region alongside very dry
conditions. In addition to dry and clear conditions, today marks
a relative lull in hazardous weather as winds have weakened enough
to allow for a day without Red Flag Warnings across the area. That
said, high temperatures are still running anywhere from 3 to 7
degrees above normal for this time of year.

As we move into Friday, the area of high pressure that`s been in
control of the region will begin to break down as a shortwave
trough moves across the region Friday afternoon through Saturday.
Increasing southerly flow will spread over Utah through Friday,
allowing for the repositioning of heat that has built over the
Mojave. As such, high temperatures will make a significant jump on
Friday, especially across northern Utah where high`s will increase
by upwards of 10 degrees. With high temperatures pushing into the
mid- to upper-90s on the Wasatch Front and low temperatures only
expected to recover to the upper-60s to around 70 degrees, an
increased risk of heat related illness will arise across the
hottest portions of the Wasatch Front (i.e. Salt Lake, Davis, and
Weber Counties). Breezy conditions will also accompany these hot
and dry conditions during the late afternoon and evening hours on
Friday, shifting from southwest Utah northward into the Wasatch
Front during the overnight hours into Saturday morning. See the
"Fire Weather" portion of the forecast discussion for more
information on expected fire weather conditions.

Upper-level moisture accompanying the aforementioned shortwave
trough on Saturday will bring a threat of high-based showers and
thunderstorms across a portion of northern Utah. Given how dry the
sub-cloud environment will remain, showers will enough strength
will bring the potential for strong outflow winds. In general,
areas north of about Salt Lake City/ the I-80 corridor will see
the highest overall risk for these stronger outflow winds. On a
positive note, this trough will help to bring cooler temperatures
area-wide by Sunday, though high temperatures will still remain
solidly above normal for this time of year.

High pressure will rebuild over the region on Monday and will
persist through the week. As high pressure strengthens, daily high
temperatures will also see a significant warming trend through at
least Wednesday. Along the Wasatch Front, temperatures will climb
into the upper-90s once again, with highs reaching into the
mid-100s in lower Washington County. With multiple days in a row
of well above-normal temperatures, we`ll also likely see the risk
of heat related illness increase across the region.

&&

.AVIATION...

KSLC...VFR conditions prevail at the terminal through the period
under a persistent high level cloud deck. Increasing mid-level cloud
cover is expected Friday, with a 10-15% chance for mainly virga
showers to impact the terminal with gusty outflow winds to 30-35 kts
mainly between 02-04z Saturday. Winds remain generally light out of
the northwest today before transitioning southeast after 04z.
Enhanced southerly flow develops around 18z before switching
northwesterly again after 21-22z.

REST OF UTAH AND SOUTHWEST WYOMING...VFR conditions persist for all
regional terminals. A persistent high-level cloud deck will remain
across the airspace through Friday morning, with more mid-level
clouds developing Friday afternoon across central and northern Utah.
There are slight chances (10-20% chance) for high-based showers and
thunderstorms to impact some central and northern Utah terminals
between 22-06z, with main impacts being gusty and erratic outflow
winds to 30-35 mph.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...An area of high pressure remains in place today, bringing
continued hot and dry conditions to Utah. A relative lull in
critical fire weather conditions is expected today, though areas
of elevated to isolated critical conditions are expected in
portions of eastern Utah where breezy afternoon winds continue.
Critical fire weather conditions are expected to pick up once
again across west-central and southwest Utah on Friday afternoon
as high pressure begins to weaken as a weak area of low pressure
moves into the region, allowing for southwest winds to increase
across the region. These critical fire weather conditions are
expected to shift eastward on Saturday, and will become much more
widespread than Friday. A slight increase in moisture across the
northern area on Saturday will also bring a threat of high-based
showers and dry thunderstorms. These storms are expected to bring
an isolated threat of lightning and strong outflow winds.

The area of low pressure will weaken through Sunday which will
allow for high pressure to reestablish through next week. As a
result, high temperatures will climb significantly across the
entirety of Utah from Monday through Wednesday. Breezy afternoon
conditions are generally expected each day alongside this building
heat, which will bring elevated to near-critical fire weather
conditions in southern Utah at the very least.

&&

.SLC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
UT...Heat Advisory from noon Friday to 6 AM MDT Saturday for UTZ104-
     105.

     Red Flag Warning from 3 PM Friday to 3 AM MDT Saturday for
     UTZ492-495.

     Fire Weather Watch from Saturday afternoon through Saturday
     evening for UTZ482-484-488-489-493-494-496-498.

     Red Flag Warning from 3 PM Friday to midnight MDT Friday night
     for UTZ497.

WY...None.
&&

$$

PUBLIC...Webber
AVIATION...Whitlam
FIRE WEATHER...Webber

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