Salt Lakers rolled out of bed Saturday morning, Jan. 31, to pockets of freezing fog and a winter bite in the air, with temperatures around 28°F at Salt Lake City International Airport. The murk is expected to trim visibility for the morning commute in low-lying neighborhoods and along shaded routes before it burns off by midmorning. By afternoon, mostly sunny skies and a high near 53°F are on tap, making for an unusually mild Saturday for late January.
Foggy Mornings, Sunny Afternoons
Forecasters expect areas of freezing fog to linger before 11 a.m. Saturday, especially in basin neighborhoods and near the Great Salt Lake. Once the sun has a chance to mix out the valley air, temperatures should climb into the low 50s, then slip back a bit in the late afternoon. Pockets of freezing fog may redevelop late Saturday night as lows drop into the mid-30s.
Airport And Commute Impacts
Dense fog could knock visibility down to a half mile or less on some low-lying roads and at the airport during the morning commute, so drivers are urged to allow extra time and use caution on bridges and shaded surfaces. Salt Lake City International Airport may see periods of very low ceilings and near-zero visibility in dense fog this morning, which can trigger delays or ground holds. The National Weather Service highlights the potential for patchy freezing fog before 11 a.m.
Week Ahead
Looking beyond the weekend, a strong area of high pressure is set to park over the region and keep the weather dry and relatively mild through much of next week. Valley highs are forecast to stay in the low-to-mid 50s, with light winds allowing weak inversions to form at night. As the air turns more stagnant, haze may build across northern valleys later in the week. For updates and any tweaks to the timing, check the National Weather Service.
