SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) – Hey there, Utah!  It’s a calm start to Thursday across the state with smoky skies still lingering across northern Utah. 

Bottom Line?! Increasing wet weather potential into the holiday weekend, heavy rains and flash flooding expected.  

The smoke brought in from fires west of Utah will move north as southwest flow increases Thursday afternoon.  The change in the weather pattern is thanks to a trough sliding down the West Coast, and high pressure to the east. This weather pattern has been familiar this month as it is the perfect setup to bring monsoon moisture back into the state. 

For today, haze will clear out of northern Utah with temperatures climbing back into the mid 90’s for highs along the Wasatch Front.  In southern Utah, increasing monsoonal moisture will lead to isolated thunderstorm potential with the best chance of storms over the Southern Mountains.  Winds will be breezy statewide with moisture content increasing late tonight into Friday. 

An active weather pattern will remain over Utah for Friday and continue over the long weekend.  Persistent southerly flow will keep the threat of showers and thunderstorms nearly statewide from Friday through Sunday.  Moisture will decrease from south to north early in the week as a trough lifts northeast through the state, cutting off the tap into subtropical moisture.

Like other monsoon events, flash flooding will be a major concern over our southern recreational areas this holiday weekend.  Outdoor hiking or activities should be carefully planned out so as to not end up in an area that may be prone to flash floods.  Areas to avoid are slot canyons, low-lying areas, and normally dry wash areas.  

With the incoming wet weather, temperatures will steadily decline over the weekend with daytime highs trending 10-15 degrees below average for Labor Day.  Right now, highs on Labor Day are expected to reach the mid-70s for the Wasatch Front with mid-80s for St. George.

We have a slight chance of lingering storms over southern Utah, and scattered showers up north with improving conditions throughout Monday afternoon.  Drier air and warming temperatures are then forecast through midweek next week.  

Stay on top of the latest weather changes with Utah’s 4Warn Forecast both on-air and online! We are Good4Utah!