SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) – Happy Wednesday, Utah! Our high temperatures won’t be too different today, however, it’s a day of transition.

The bottom line? An approaching cold front will increase clouds and wind before big changes.

Our approaching cold front will likely move in between Wednesday night into Thursday morning. You can expect increasing clouds through the afternoon, as the front looks like it will bring a good chance of wet weather to the northern half of the state with a slight chance down south.

Wet weather could start just before midnight, and behind the front, we cool down substantially. Daytime highs in northern Utah will cool by about 15 to 20 degrees while southern Utah will see a less dramatic drop. This will result in highs in northern Utah dropping to the 40s and 50s while down south, highs will drop to the 50s and 60s with only a few places like St. George seeing low 70s. Given the setup, this will mainly bring valley rain and mountain snow, but the snow levels in northern Utah could drop to the benches, where a mix of rain and snow can be expected. Cold air will linger, so expect chillier daytime highs through Friday.

Through Thursday, higher elevations are expected to see snow accumulations, especially in northern Utah. At this point, mountains in northern and central Utah could receive 3-10 inches of snow with the Cottonwoods and high Uinta’s likely picking up between 6-12 inches. Mountain valleys could receive a few inches of snow as colder air filters in quickly and snow levels dip. The snow levels could get as low as 5,000 feet and that would bring a wintry mix of rain and snow to some bench locations and result in minor accumulations.

Our valleys in Northern Utah will likely just see rain Thursday morning, with moisture becoming more showery by the afternoon. By the time snow levels hit the valley floor, moisture is likely to have dwindled, so valley-floor accumulations are possible but not likely. Valleys are expected to see straight rain with the potential of a trace of snow if snow levels drop lower and faster than anticipated.

If the system for the end of the workweek isn’t enough, it’s becoming increasingly likely we’ll see another front arrive this weekend. If this trailing system moves through the state, there will be a good chance of showers statewide as temperatures cool off even more! You can expect below-average daytime highs and the reminder that wintry weather is right around the corner.

We will keep fine-tuning the forecast as we get closer, so stay tuned.

With Utah’s 4Warn Forecast both on-air and online you can stay on top of all the weather changes the Beehive State has to offer! We are Good4Utah!