Heat and an influx of monsoonal moisture comes to Utah

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) – Happy Summer Solstice, Utah! It’s the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere today with the sun at its highest point in the sky. We will see 15 hours and six minutes of sunlight today with the official sunrise in Utah at 5:56 am and the sunset at 9:02 p.m. The solstice occurs at 2:50 p.m. and it’s going to feel a bit more like summer today in comparison to the beginning of the work week.

Southwest flow is in place today and our daytime highs will climb to the low 90s along the Wasatch Front and triple digits make a return to Washington County. A mix of sun and clouds is expected to start the day for Utah with increasing cloud cover expected in the Four Corners area by this afternoon.

Bottom Line? Temperatures are climbing statewide as a strong southwest flow is in place and moisture increases in eastern Utah on Thursday afternoon. 

By Thursday night and into Friday, a surge of monsoon moisture is in the works for eastern Utah, bringing the threat of showers and thunderstorms. We have the low to our west and an area of high pressure to the east, and that amplified southerly flow will pull some subtropical moisture from the Gulf of Mexico into the state.

To take a moment to touch on the Tropics, the first named storm of the season, Tropical Storm Alberto, will usher in moisture in Texas and some of that will get caught up in our southwest flow.  This influx in moisture east of I-15 could lead to flash flood concerns for slot canyons and burn scars. The flash flood potential has been upgraded already to the “possible” category for all recreational areas in southern Utah except for Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks, with wet weather continuing for some overnight.

As more moisture streams into Utah on Friday, the potential for strong thunderstorms becomes more widespread. Subtropical remnants of Alberto could assist in heavy downpours. These Utah thunderstorms could bring damaging winds, hail, and heavy rainfall that could cause flash flooding.

The risk for flash flooding Friday has been upgraded for all popular areas in the Southeast part of the state to probably, with Zion and Bryce Canyon in the possible category. This area includes the National Parks, Grand Staircase, Lake Powell, and the San Rafael Swell. The most vulnerable areas include slot canyons, recent burn scars, normally dry washes, and slickrock. You might want to reconsider your plans if you’re planning outdoor activities, especially along or east of I-15. West of I-15, temperatures will soar, reaching five to 15 degrees above normal, especially in northern Utah.

Moisture should clear out into the weekend and high pressure will build back and strengthen for the latter half of the weekend, allowing temperatures to spike once again. Northern Utah could see temperatures 10-15 degrees above normal. Salt Lake City might hit 100 degrees on Sunday, and flirt with the record of 101 degrees record set in 2012. 

Northern Utah will stay mostly dry with only a slight chance of a storm, but southern Utah will see lingering moisture, bringing chances of showers and thunderstorms through Monday east of I-15, increasing the risk of flash flooding. Triple-digit heat is forecast for the next seven days in Southern Utah, and temperatures along the Wasatch remain above average for the long-range as well. 

The 4Warn Weather Team will continue to monitor conditions and keep you posted on changing conditions both on our 4Warn Weather app as well as on-air and online, we are Good4Utah!