SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) – Hey there, Utah! Hopefully, your week is off to a great start! The warming trend we saw through the Easter Weekend will continue as we move into the beginning of this week as high pressure remains firmly in control of our weather.

Our spring feeling ramps up even more Tuesday with highs within shouting distance of records before a storm brings changes later this week.

Today brings mostly sunny to partly cloudy skies across the state with daytime highs that mainly range in the 60s and 70s for most. In Salt Lake, we’ll see a high in the mid 70s at 74 which is more than 10 degrees above average. The last time we reached 70 in Salt Lake was all the way back in October!

Meanwhile, in southernmost Utah, we’ll see some reach the 80s with lower Washington County seeing mid to even upper 80s! Into tonight, skies will be mostly clear and like the daytime, overnight lows will also be roughly 10 degrees above average with most seeing 30s and 40s, but Salt Lake and St. George will only fall to the low and mid 50s. 

Even though the weather will be downright pleasant today and quiet, it does pose some issues. The first is the heightened risk for avalanches, mainly in northern Utah. This is due to a very high sun angle and warm temperatures given how deep our snowpack is. Those factors will create widespread areas of unstable wet snow.

There is an avalanche warning for most of northern Utah, but it doesn’t just include the mountains, it also includes the foothills. Be sure to avoid and stay off slopes greater than 30 degrees and avoid avalanche runout areas. The warning lasts through 6 a.m. Tuesday but may be extended. 

Another issue with the warmer temperatures is the concern for flooding. Right now, the only flood watch in our area is in northeast Nevada, which is in effect through tomorrow evening. In Utah, there are no watches, warnings, or flood advisories. However, some rivers and streams over the next few days will be running high, swift, and cold.

Be sure to keep any kids or pets away from these areas. Enhanced runoff is expected primarily in lower elevations with the possibility for mid-elevations as well. Slot canyons, especially in southern Utah, may be inundated with runoff so be sure to avoid any backcountry hazards. To prepare yourself it is advised to clear deep snow from foundations and clear drainage paths.

The high pressure keeping our weather quiet will shift further to the east tomorrow. This will result in an increased southerly flow which will help push up our temperatures a little bit more. In most spots highs will run roughly 2-5 degrees warmer than today, but the added warmth will actually put us within shouting distance of record highs tomorrow.

With the high moving out of the way though, this will open the door for a system that will arrive in time from the second half of the workweek. A cold front will move across the state from late Wednesday through Thursday which will also bring us a chance for some wet weather with mainly valley rain and mountain snow.

By Thursday, daytime highs will roughly be 15-25 degrees cooler compared to what we have on Tuesday. A few lingering showers look possible on Friday, but high pressure looks to set up shop going into the weekend with temperatures set to rebound through the weekend with sunshine!