Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Salt Lake City, UT
Issued by NWS Salt Lake City, UT
638 FXUS65 KSLC 121022 AFDSLC Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Salt Lake City UT 322 AM MST Wed Nov 12 2025 .SYNOPSIS...High pressure will keep conditions dry and mild today. Southerly winds will slowly increase through Friday ahead of a Pacific storm system that will impact the area over the weekend. Another system is expected to follow for early next week. && .DISCUSSION...High pressure is centered over Utah and southwest Wyoming this morning, with some high clouds streaming in due to some weak shortwave energy rotating through the ridge. Temperatures will stay mild today with maxes running up to 10F above seasonal normals. As a Pacific storm system moves toward the California coast, the ridge axis over the area will shift east, moving into Colorado by late afternoon. This will bring southwest flow over the area, which will increase tomorrow into Friday as the system slowly makes its way to the Pacific coast. Though winds will be breezy, this no longer looks like a strong wind event. Seeing a shift in the guidance to a much slower track for the weekend storm system, as all ensemble members now keep the system offshore on Friday, with it moving onto the southern California coast as a closed low on Saturday and meander east to northeast on Sunday, which now looks to be the day with the highest probability of precipitation. At this point, confidence decreases in the details significantly, with some guidance keeping the system primarily south of the area, but a large portion moving it into Utah. However, there is the question of whether or not the storm will split, and where this will happen if it does. The ensembles, as one would expect, have a wide range of opinions on this, which will impact the strength of the system as it moves across Utah and southwest Wyoming. Overall, though, confidence is high on at least some impacts from the storm over the weekend and that given its Pacific origin, the storm system will be relatively warm in nature, keeping snow levels on the high side. Behind that system, another Pacific system looks to follow quickly on its heels, but the ensemble spread on the details is even high than with the weekend system. && .AVIATION...KSLC...VFR conditions prevail at the KSLC terminal today. A persistent deck of high clouds is expected today, with increasing mid-level cloud cover this afternoon and evening. Winds remain generally light again today, with southeasterly winds this morning transitioning to the northwest around roughly 19z. .REST OF UTAH AND SOUTHWEST WYOMING...VFR conditions persist for all regional terminals through the TAF period. High clouds continue to increase across the airspace today, with mid-level cloud cover increasing this afternoon and evening. Winds remain generally light and terrain driven for most locations, except southwest Utah terminals where breezy southwesterly winds are expected to develop this afternoon. && .SLC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UT...None. WY...None. && $$ PUBLIC...Traphagan AVIATION...Whitlam For more information from NOAA`s National Weather Service visit... http://weather.gov/saltlakecity