SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Utah tied the record for the warmest Christmas Day in state history before the sun came up.

In the very first hour of Christmas, Salt Lake City had already tied the record for the warmest Christmas ever recorded, with temperatures hitting 59 degrees. This record was set exactly 70 years ago in 1955, according to the National Weather Service.

By the afternoon, the city is forecast to surpass the record, reaching a high of 62 degrees.

The forecast for St. George unsurprisingly shows even warmer temperatures with an expected high of 67 degrees.

This record-breaking weather is not surprising, as Christmas Eve also surpassed the previous recorded high, and this month marks Utah’s warmest December on record.

While there will not be snow in Utah valleys for the holiday, scattered storms are expected to bring wind and rain throughout the northern and south-eastern parts of the state, according to KUTV Meteorologist Sean Kelly. However, the Interstate 15 corridor should be relatively dry in the afternoon.

Windy conditions will blow through the state today and tomorrow, with some reaching speeds of over 50 mph.

MORE | Unseasonably warm December forces Olympic qualifying event to relocate out of Utah

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While fall temperatures have been stubbornly holding on into the winter, Kelly said cold temperatures could be just days away.

A cold front is forecast to reach the state by the weekend, with a possibility of snow by Saturday evening. Temperatures are also expected to drop into the twenties and thirties on Sunday and Monday, with potential highs sitting around or below freezing.

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Utah basketball is getting some immediate help, thanks to its coaching ties.

Lucas Langarita, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard from Spain, is joining the Runnin’ Utes in the second semester of the season, according to Eurohopes, and will be immediately eligible to play.

Langarita previously played for Utah assistant coach Martin Schiller for Casademont Zaragoza in the top Spanish professional league, Liga ACB, during the 2022-23 season.

The 20-year-old averaged 17.1 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists in U20 Eurobasket competition last summer in Greece.

That included shooting 41.5% from the floor and 32.7% from 3-point range.

Langarita’s addition will add some much-needed depth on Alex Jensen’s first roster at Utah, as well as provide another wing player who could factor into future plans beyond the 2025-26 season.

While the Utes are led on the offense end by starting guards Terrence Brown and Don McHenry this season, there is a need for additional help beyond that.

Jacob Patrick, who hails from Germany, has been a solid addition for Utah, though he’s missed the past two games due to injury. Obomate Abbey, a Finland native, is a freshman and is another depth piece for the Utes who averages 17.4 minutes per game.

Utah recently had guard Elijah “Choppa” Moore, a Syracuse transfer, exit the program, and Langarita’s addition should help as the team enters Big 12 play following the New Year, if he can up to speed.