SALT LAKE CITY — Wait, didn't Winter just wrap up in Utah?? Apparently, Summer is here to stay as blazing hot temperatures have arrived statewide and show no signs of leaving.
On Thursday, St. George hit 107 degrees, tying a record for the day set in 2016. Cedar City (97⁰) set a daily record, while Kanab (101⁰) tied its record temperature.
While northern Utah didn't hit triple digits, Salt Lake City reached a high of 95 degrees.
The hot temperatures will only let up slightly through Friday and the weekend, with temperatures still in the high 80s and mid 90s.
There's no end in sight for the baking hot temperatures over the next week, so make sure your air conditioning is working.
Salt Lake's high temps may feel trivial in southern Utah as St. George is well into summer with triple-digit temperatures.
On Thursday, St. George is expected to hit 107 degrees and stay in the low 100s through the weekend.
These hot temperatures so early in the season are not typical, with the National Weather Service saying they are about 20 degrees above normal. It's part of the season's first heat wave, with Utah, southeast California and Arizona seeing the hottest weather since September 2023.
Excessive heat warnings have been issued through all impacted areas and the National Weather Service in Utah warned of moderate risk due to the heat.
Protect yourself against the heat by hydrating, wearing light clothing, taking breaks outdoors, wearing sunscreen and overall just trying to stay inside through the next couple of days.
The UV index is expected to be 11, very high in Utah, which means risk of sunburn and dehydration is high. Avoiding the sun altogether is the best advice to stay safe in the heat.
To help Utahns combat the heat, "cool zones" are operating throughout Salt Lake County at libraries and senior centers. The facilities are dedicated to providing air conditioned, cool spaces for Utahns to get a break from the sun.
In 2016, Utah hit its record temperature for the day at 97 degrees. It's possible that record may be broken this year, but we'll have to wait and see just how hot things get.
On Wednesday, the heat may have caused issues on the roads as a major freeway interchange from northbound I-15 to westbound/eastbound I-215 was closed due to road buckling. Officials didn't confirm the incident was prompted by the heat, but temperatures did hit 89 degrees.
In 2023, Salt Lake saw 52 days above 90 degrees, with the highest temperature recorded on July 22 at 106 degrees, according to Extreme Weather Watch.
