Salt Lake City’s spring warmup hit the accelerator Wednesday. Clear skies and a cool dawn in the upper 50s quickly gave way to a sharp climb toward near-record territory, with KSLC reporting about 57°F early this morning and forecasters calling for a high near 84°F, warm enough to tie or beat the all-time March high set just last Saturday.
What To Expect Wednesday
The recipe for the day is simple and toasty: sunny, dry conditions with temperatures pushing into the low 80s and a light south-southwest breeze around 5 to 8 mph. Valley neighborhoods and low-lying spots will see the hottest readings, while the mountains and canyon corridors hang onto noticeably cooler air.
Forecasters with the National Weather Service put the odds of actually hitting or topping 84°F at roughly one in three. In other words, Salt Lake City is very much in the running for a repeat performance of last weekend’s record heat.
Afternoon Winds And Fire Risk
By afternoon, a southwesterly flow is expected to kick up winds across the region. The strongest gusts, around 25 to 30 mph, are possible in southwest Utah and parts of the West Desert, according to the National Weather Service.
Salt Lake County itself is not under any active wind or fire weather warnings at the moment. However, a Red Flag Warning is in effect from Wednesday afternoon into the evening for parts of western Wyoming. Residents and travelers in those warned areas are urged to skip outdoor burning and stay alert on canyon roads when crosswinds pick up.
Looking Ahead
This hot streak gets checked, at least briefly, late Wednesday into Thursday as a front swings through. Highs are expected to drop to around 65°F on Thursday before bouncing back into the upper 60s on Friday, still running above seasonal norms.
The pattern turns more unsettled toward the end of the weekend. The chance for measurable precipitation returns as early as Sunday, with better odds for showers and isolated storms early next week as the ridge starts to weaken.
For a little local context on how unusual this warm spell has been, see our March 11 update on the early March heat, as per Hoodline.
