FXUS65 KSLC 200418

AFDSLC



Area Forecast Discussion

National Weather Service Salt Lake City UT

1018 PM MDT Thu Mar 19 2026



.KEY MESSAGES...



- High pressure will continue to bring historically warm weather

  for March through Saturday. Daytime max temperatures will 

  challenge monthly maximum temperature records as they approach

  30 degrees above seasonal normals.



- A dry cold front will bring a brief cooling trend Sunday, 

  though daytime highs will remain 10 to 15 degrees above normal.

  

- A return to near record temperatures is expected early next week

  as high pressure returns to the region. 



&&



.DISCUSSION...Strong high pressure currently centered over Arizona

will remain largely in place for Friday before shifting east for 

Saturday. Many sites set daily record high temperatures today, 

with SLC seeing its earliest ever 80+ degree day, having reached 

81F today. Temperatures for Friday are expected to be slightly 

warmer, with more daily record temperatures likely for a large 

number of locations. By Saturday, expect slight cooling at H7, but

mixing should be a bit better given increased west to southwest 

flow, so temperatures may end up similar to Friday (20-30 degrees 

above normal) across northern and western Utah but perhaps a bit

warmer across the eastern valleys.



Temperatures will moderate a bit for Sunday, when a dry cold front

crosses the area. Cold, meaning max temperatures across northern

Utah be 10-15 degrees cooler, and across southern Utah, they will

be up to 8 degrees cooler. However, not so cold when one 

considers that afternoon maxes on Sunday will still run 10-20 

degrees above normal. Thereafter, temperatures will gradually 

trend warmer again into the middle of next week before another 

potentially dry cold front moves into Utah. Overall, very little

weather to speak of other than the anomalously warm temperatures.



&&



.AVIATION...KSLC...High pressure dominated pattern persists. Winds 

at the terminal once again expected to be light with diurnally 

typical direction shifts. VFR conds prevail with clear to mostly 

clear skies.



.REST OF UTAH AND SOUTHWEST WYOMING...Minimal change at area 

terminals, as pattern is still dominated by a strong ridge of high 

pressure. VFR conds prevail with clear to mostly clear skies. 

Terminals will see winds with diurnally normal direction changes, 

and most with light magnitudes. Once again, some modest daytime 

gusts at higher elevation exposed locations (like EVW).



&&



.SLC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...

UT...None.

WY...Red Flag Warning until 9 PM MDT Saturday for WYZ277.



&&



$$



Cheng/Warthen



For more information from NOAA's National Weather Service visit...

http://weather.gov/saltlakecity