


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Salt Lake City, UT
Issued by NWS Salt Lake City, UT
003 FXUS65 KSLC 280944 AFDSLC Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Salt Lake City UT 344 AM MDT Thu Aug 28 2025 .SYNOPSIS...A general drying trend will result in a decreasing threat of precipitation through the beginning of next week. However, this will be interrupted by a brief increase in moisture Thursday night into Friday morning across southern Utah. && .SHORT TERM (AFTER 12Z SATURDAY)...A west-soutwest flow aloft is in place over Utah this morning, helping to spread drier air into the area. Latest PWAT analysis has between 0.9-1 inch over northern Utah, with 0.6-0.7 inches over southern Utah, and values in between those across central Utah. Within the pocket of moisture across northern Utah, lingering instability has maintained a few showers overnight, but these should mostly wind down by sunrise. With the drier air in place, afternoon convection will see more limited coverage today, and storms should be less intense. While some of the stronger storms could still produce decent rainfall rates and amounts, the potential for heavy rain and associated flooding should be very isolated. A brief blip in the drying trend is noted tonight, when remnants of what is now post-tropical cyclone Juliette becomes absorbed into the mean flow and ejects across the desert southwest and into southern Utah. PWATs are expected to increase back to generally between 0.9-1.2 inches across southern and portions of central Utah tonight. Not much in the way of instability is expected, so precipitation should manifest as generally broad stratiform rain. However, locally moderate rain falling in the wrong areas could still result in hydrologic issues, given the many rain-sensitive areas across southern Utah. The bulk of the moisture associated with Juliette should be out of the area by tomorrow afternoon. However, enough lingering moisture will once again produce some afternoon convection, with limited heavy rain potential. Otherwise, temperatures, while gradually trending warmer, will remain below normal for this time of year. Afternoon maxes will be 6-12 degrees below normal today, warming slightly to 5-10 degrees below normal for tomorrow. .LONG TERM (After 12Z/6AM Saturday)...Drier air will continue to push into Utah and southwest Wyoming as high pressure builds, with precipitation chances decreasing through the weekend. Despite drying conditions, with solar insolation and PWATs still only a smidge below normal, expect chances for isolated showers and thunderstorms over higher terrain through at least Monday, particularly across southern Utah. As mid-level heights rise, temperatures will gradually increase back to around normal with highs in the upper- 80s/low-90s along the Wasatch Front and near 100F in St. George. Next week, model guidance favors some sort of modest increase in moisture around the Wednesday-Thursday timeframe. As the ridge shifts slightly eastward, moisture will stream into the western Great Basin from the south, with the best moisture likely remaining to our west...at least through Day 7. So, while this moisture surge won`t be nearly as strong as this past week, the threat for thunderstorms, dry microbursts, and/or flash flooding still exists. && .AVIATION...KSLC...Light, southeasterly winds will continue through the morning, becoming light and variable at times. Winds will likely transition to northwesterly around 17-18z. There is a low chance of showers developing after 20z, mainly across higher terrain. VFR conditions will prevail, with a very low chance of MVFR VIS if a rogue heavier shower makes it over the terminal. .REST OF UTAH AND SOUTHWEST WYOMING...Nocturnal showers across northern Utah and southwest Wyoming will continue to diminish through the overnight hours with largely light and terrain-driven winds outside of any showers. Isolated showers and thunderstorms may develop again Friday afternoon, likely limited to higher terrain (and the UT-NV border after 22z). MVFR VIS will be possible with any heavier shower or thunderstorm. && .FIRE WEATHER...Moisture will continue to decrease across the area today. While showers and thunderstorms are expected once again, they will be more isolated to widely scattered in coverage and will have a smaller potential for wetting rain. Tonight, a brief increase in moisture is expected for southern and portions of central Utah as remnants of a tropical system ejects across the desert southwest and into southern Utah, bringing an area of light to potentially moderate rain. Most of this moisture will be out of Utah by tomorrow afternoon, but there will be enough to maintain isolated to widely scattered showers and thunderstorms through the afternoon. Over the weekend, much drier conditions are anticipated, and any showers will be quite isolated and confined to near the higher terrain. Afternoon relative humidities will fall into the teens and low 20s for most valley areas this weekend. Temperatures will also gradually trend warmer into the weekend, although not reaching climatological normals until Sunday for most areas. Next week, a modest increase in moisture will bring increased shower and thunderstorm activity back to the area. However, wetting rain chances with these showers are likely to remain low. && .SLC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UT...None. WY...None. && $$ Cheng/Cunningham For more information from NOAA`s National Weather Service visit... http://weather.gov/saltlakecity