SALT LAKE CITY — Following a string of, at times, record warmth this week, it’s going to feel more like fall across Utah over the weekend and into next week.
A strong cold front coming from the northwest is expected to drop temperatures more than 20 degrees from what they have been at the beginning of October. It’s also expected to bring some precipitation with even snow, especially in the higher elevations — although, not as much as initially believed.
“Each model run keeps going less and less on the precipitation,” said KSL meteorologist Kevin Eubank. “By Sunday morning, early, 2 a.m., (we’ll have) valley rain change over into snow briefly.”
The storm is expected to bring close to one-third of an inch of precipitation around Salt Lake City and the Wasatch Back, as well as one-quarter of an inch around northern Utah. What was originally projected to bring a decent amount of snow in the mountains might bring 1-2 inches near Alta and possibly 1 inch around Garden City and Randolph.
It will still bring the first precipitation of the new water year and at least some moisture in what has been a dry 2020, which has led to worsening drought conditions.
“It’s not a big producer, but we’ll take anything we get and we’ll take it. We’ll take the rain and the snow; we so need it,” Eubank added.
The thermometer difference will be more noticeable from the storm system.
Salt Lake City reached 85 degrees Thursday, which matched its all-time record high for Oct. 8, according to the National Weather Service. Per the agency’s data, the average temperature for the first eight days of this month was 66.5 degrees in Salt Lake City, which is 9 degrees above the city’s average for early October.
High temperatures are expected to remain in the low to mid-80s Friday and Saturday with winds picking up Saturday afternoon, Eubank said. After the system rolls in, Sunday’s highs will be the upper 50s and low 60s for the Wasatch Front. Overnight lows will drop from the mid-50s to the low-40s. Highs are expected to remain in the 60s and low 70s heading into the ensuing workweek.
Models have trended toward the weaker of the two solutions we talked about yesterday. The biggest story with this system: a big temp drop Sunday and 0.10-0.25″ of precip across Utah north of I-70. #utwxpic.twitter.com/8plpXqHxDA
— NWS Salt Lake City (@NWSSaltLakeCity) October 8, 2020
Highs in Logan will fall from 79 degrees on Friday to 53 degrees on Sunday; Park City’s highs will fall from 73 degrees Friday to 46 degrees on Sunday; and highs in Vernal will drop from the upper 70s Friday and Saturday to the low 60s Sunday and Monday.
Full forecasts for other parts of Utah can be found at the KSL Weather Center.
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Carter Williams