857
FXUS65 KSLC 031151
AFDSLC

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Salt Lake City UT
451 AM MST Sat Jan 3 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Southwesterly winds increase areawide today ahead of our next
  storm system moving in overnight.

- A warm, moisture rich storm brings valley rain and mountain snow
  tonight through Monday. Heaviest precipitation is expected late
  Sunday through Monday afternoon, resulting in travel impacts
  for mountain routes.

- After another relative lull, there is the potential for a colder
  system to impact the area late Wednesday into early Friday,
  bringing a relatively high chance of snow to most valley floors.

&&

.DISCUSSION...Today, our region will be wedged between a ridge
exiting to our east and a low pressure system deepening along the
west coast. Southwesterly winds are expected to increase across
the region today as a result, with strongest gusts to 30-35 mph
across the southern West Desert. Exposed ridgelines could see
winds in excess of 70 mph, especially late this evening into early
Sunday morning.

A shortwave trough ejecting off the aforementioned parent low off
the west coast is expected to traverse northern Utah late tonight
into Sunday. This system will bring a pulse of Pacific moisture
as an associated upper-level jet quickly moves through the region,
resulting in a period of valley rain and mountain snow beginning
late tonight and persisting through early Sunday afternoon.
Precipitation during this timeframe will be more showery in
nature given the weak dynamics of this shortwave, with greatest
coverage favoring northern Utah, though more isolated showers are
possible across far southwest Utah. Snow levels will vary between
7500 feet from northern Utah to 8500 feet across southern Utah.

A stronger shortwave ejecting off the parent low Sunday afternoon
is expected to yield more widespread, heavier precipitation
across Utah and southwest Wyoming late Sunday through Monday. Peak
precipitation rates are expected Monday morning as the associated
upper- level jet maximum moves overhead. During this period, snow
levels are expected to drop to around 6000-6500 feet, resulting in
higher snow ratios and thus a period of heavy snowfall for
mountain locations above this elevation. A Winter Weather Advisory
is in effect from late Saturday through Monday night due to
accumulating mountain snow. Greatest travel impacts are
anticipated during the late Sunday into Monday timeframe across
mountain routes due to the invigoration of snow. Expect delays and
use extra caution if traveling into the mountains through this
period.

Ensembles still remain in good agreement that a longwave trough
will across the western US the latter half of next week,
introducing much cooler temperatures areawide. This system is
trending a bit earlier, with precipitation chances first
increasing early Wednesday before becoming widespread through the
latter half of the day. Specific impacts from this system are
uncertain at this time, but guidance still favors accumulating
valley snowfall across a majority of Utah and southwest Wyoming
given strong cold air advection associated with this system.

&&

.AVIATION...KSLC...VFR conditions will prevail through the valid TAF
period. Clouds will lower through the afternoon and evening hours,
but are expected to remain above 6kft until at least 03z this
evening when rain showers begin, at least in the vicinity.
Otherwise, light southerly winds will persist into the morning
hours, becoming increasingly gusty by early afternoon.

REST OF UTAH AND SOUTHWEST WYOMING...VFR conditions are expected
across much of the area through the next 24 hours, with the
exception of pockets near the Idaho border and across the eastern
and south-central Utah valleys where low clouds and fog will result
in localized LIFR to IFR conditions into mid-morning. Valley rain
and mountain snow is expected to begin across northern Utah and
southwest Wyoming this evening, leading to local mountain top
obscurations. Otherwise, all terminals are expected to see light,
diurnally driven flows through this morning with increasingly breezy
south to southwest winds expected in the afternoon.

&&

.SLC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
UT...Dense Fog Advisory until 9 AM MST this morning for UTZ107.

     Winter Weather Advisory from 11 PM this evening to 11 PM MST
     Monday for UTZ110>112.

WY...None.
&&

$$

PUBLIC...Whitlam
AVIATION...Cheng

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