The first day of spring was Tuesday and it has felt like it with high temperatures climbing into the 60s for Salt Lake and for the Wasatch Front communities. Salt Lake City recorded its warmest temperature in over four months Wednesday, reaching 68 degrees, the warmest temperature since last November.
Recorded high temperatures today and over the last 7 days
TIMING & IMPACTS
Friday through Saturday
A strong storm system will send a cold front into Utah on Saturday, shifting the weather pattern from spring back to winter. Ahead of the cold front will be a few valley rain showers, and mountain snow showers possible late Friday for northern Utah, but the coverage should remain isolated in nature with Friday mainly staying dry and mild.
Precipitation coverage and intensity increase throughout the day Saturday ahead and immediately behind the cold front passage. The valleys are expected to stay a cold rain as snow levels fall from 7,000 feet to around 5,000 feet by Saturday afternoon. This will allow for snow for the benches, but all rain in Salt Lake City.
Enough cold air higher up in the atmosphere, paired with the heating of the late March sun, could lead to enough storm energy to sneak in a couple lightning bolts Saturday with the passage of the cold front during the afternoon hours.
Forecast radar Friday evening
Forecast radar Saturday morning
Forecast radar Saturday evening
Ahead of the strong system and associated cold front, southwesterly winds will begin to increase during the second half of Friday, really picking up from Saturday morning into Saturday afternoon and evening.
The Wasatch Front communities can expect winds to gust up to 40 mph Saturday with higher gusts for the west desert where a High Wind Watch is in effect Saturday. This watch also includes parts of I-15 in central Utah. Winds in the west desert could gust up to 60 to 65 mph.
Wind alerts are expected to get expanded into the Tooele Valley over the coming days. Once the cold front passes through the state, winds should gradually decrease.
Wind Alerts for Saturday
Wind gust forecast Saturday afternoon
Sunday - Monday
On-and-off mountain snow and valley rain will continue behind the cold front with a northwesterly flow setting up Sunday and Monday, but coverage should become more isolated in nature and mainly be driven by lake and mountain enhancements.
Even colder air moving in should drop the snow levels from around 5,000 feet Saturday, possibly down to the valley floors at times Sunday into Monday, with even Salt Lake and the Wasatch Front communities seeing some snowflakes mixed in with the raindrops with whatever moisture remains across the state. Valley snow accumulations are not expected but light accumulations are possible for the benches.
Forecast radar Sunday morning
Forecast radar Sunday afternoon
Forecast radar Monday morning
Tuesday - Wednesday
The cooler, active weather pattern will continue beyond Monday into midweek with more rounds of spotty valley rain and mountains snow showers especially on Tuesday.
Heavier bursts of precipitation could drop the snow levels down to the valley floors at times both Tuesday and Wednesday, but impactful accumulations are not forecast, and most valleys see mainly rain. There's some uncertainty surrounding another quick hitting, but potent, spring storm system arriving late Wednesday into Thursday and Friday that could increase the coverage of precipitation leading to another round of heavy mountain snow. This will continue to be evaluated over the coming days.
Modeled snow accumulation forecast
The snow arriving from Friday night through Wednesday, with possibly more snow Wednesday night through the end of the week, will add to the already impressive snow totals so far this season. Utah will already end the season with an above normal snowpack so this additional snow will be the icing on the cake.
Snow totals through Wednesday afternoon for the Northern Mountains and the Wasatch Range will accumulate to 8-14 inches. Isolated amounts up to 18 inches are possible, including the Cottonwoods. The Central and Southern Mountains will see 4-10 inches of snow with Brian Head possibly seeing 14 inches.
Some of the upper Benches could see up to a few inches of snow.
Modeled snow accumulation forecast through Wednesday afternoon for northern Utah
Modeled snow accumulation forecast through Wednesday afternoon for central and southern Utah
While this series of storm systems won't be blockbusters, it'll be enough to remind us that spring is still in its infancy, and help boost an already above normal snowpack for the Beehive State.
