Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Salt Lake City, UT
Issued by NWS Salt Lake City, UT
336 FXUS65 KSLC 200957 AFDSLC Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Salt Lake City UT 257 AM MST Thu Nov 20 2025 .SYNOPSIS...An active pattern continues with several upper level lows crossing the region through Sunday. The northern stream becomes active, bringing several disturbances through the West Tuesday into Thursday. && .DISCUSSION...An active pattern continues across the West, with several upper level lows rotating through the mean flow. The first upper level low is near Yuma, AZ this morning, followed by the next one near the Washington Coast. As far as this morning, dense fog has developed in several locations. Across the Cache Valley and eastern Box Elder County (particularly the I-15 corridor north of Brigham City to the Idaho stateline), dense fog has developed. Visibilities at or below 0.25 mile to 0.10 mile have been reported in locations such as Plymouth, Wellsville, Logan, and Richmond. Those with travel plans across the Cache Valley and the I-15 corridor north of Brigham City should be prepared for dense fog, with visibility quickly dropping below 0.25 miles. Issued a dense fog advisory for these locations through 8 AM. Patchy dense fog has been reported in other areas such as Castle Country, near Dugway, and in areas where stratus is intersecting terrain. Will continue to monitor for expansion of the going dense fog advisory. As the upper level low near Yuma continues to shift east and then northeast through early Friday and an upper level circulation shifts across eastern Utah, valley rain and mountain snow will continue across much of the region. Amounts will be light however, with valleys largely ranging from around 0.05-0.15", mountains seeing 0.10-0.25". The next upper level low will be off the southern California Coast Friday. This upper level low will shift east and the northeast (just like the low previous) Saturday into Sunday. Around 25% of the guidance brings the upper level low across the 4 Corners area, with around 0.10-0.25" of valley rain/mountain snow across southeastern and south central Utah Sunday. Around 25% shift this upper level low further south, bringing around 0.05-0.10" of precipitation to south central and southern Utah. The last 50% of ensemble members are even further south and east and this path would bring less than 0.05" to all but far southeastern Utah. Regardless, all scenarios would remain below any advisory criteria. As the second upper level low ejects into the central Plains, the northern stream begins to get more active across the region. A digging upper level trough will impact at least portions of the Intermountain Region Monday into Tuesday. There are wide variations in depth and timing, with the majority of the ensemble members keeping the best forcing for precipitation across Montana, but bringing at least a weak, dry cold front into northern Utah Monday into early Tuesday. Somewhere around 25% of the ensemble members bring the shortwave trough through the central Rockies, with a period of light precipitation associated with the cold front across northern Utah. Either solution shows little threat of impactful precipitation at this time, however, with guidance suggesting around 0.05-0.10" of SWE for the northern mountains. Looking ahead to Thanksgiving...a jet max coincident with northwest flow across northern Utah is increasing the threat of precipitation...especially across northern Utah. Around 40% of ensemble members bring 0.15-0.50" of precipitation to northern Utah, highest in mountain areas. Right now there is about a 50% chance of snow levels around northern valley bench locations Thursday, around 25% for valley floors, lowest near the Utah/Idaho border. Something to keep an eye on, but it`s still quite far into the extended forecast period. && .AVIATION...KSLC...VFR conditions will persist through the period for the KSLC terminal. Isolated light showers are possible (30% chance) throughout the day with CIGs lowering enough for intermittent mountain obscuration. Winds will be light and diurnally driven with some light variable winds associated with showers. .REST OF UTAH AND SOUTHWEST WYOMING...Mostly VFR conditions will persist for the airspace with morning LIFR across valleys near the Idaho border as dense fog continues through the mid morning. Elsewhere, lowered CIGs causing intermittent mountain obscuration and brief showers will be possible (30% chance) throughout the period. Winds will be light and diurnally driven with light variable winds near showers. && .SLC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UT...Dense Fog Advisory until 8 AM MST this morning for UTZ103-107. WY...None. && $$ Kruse/Mahan For more information from NOAA`s National Weather Service visit... http://weather.gov/saltlakecity