Strong weather system heading to Utah – wind, rain and snow expected in some areas

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) – Happy Tuesday, Utah! It's another mild and sunny day for much of the Beehive State, with temperatures still well above the seasonal average.

The low pressure area at the southern end of the state is weakening and drifting south. There is only a slight chance for a few isolated showers in the extreme southern highlands of Utah this afternoon and evening.

Utah sees more record heat ahead of colder, wetter conditions

As we approach Wednesday, a strong weather system will move toward the West Coast of the U.S. and move eastward Thursday morning. The forecast shows that a first cold front will break away from the main system on Thursday and move through the Great Basin.

This will cause an increase in winds on Wednesday, with gusts up to 30 mph, particularly in the Western Desert. These winds could increase the risk of fires. So keep an eye on fire weather warnings. Fire weather warnings are currently in effect for the western half of the state.

Ahead of this first front, isolated showers and thunderstorms could occur in northern Utah by Wednesday afternoon. This can result in gusty, unpredictable winds of up to 45 mph.

The cold front will move across northern Utah on Wednesday night and bring light rain or snow to the mountains by early Thursday morning. The main storm system is expected to move forward Thursday and Friday, bringing the first significant mountain snowfall of the season to Utah.

The cold front approaching on Thursday morning will bring light to moderate rain and snow at higher elevations. Snow levels start at around 9,000 feet, although heavier precipitation could lower the snow total slightly.

As the storm moves further inland, it will strengthen as it moves across Utah Thursday night into Friday, producing heavier snowfall in the mountains, with snowfall rates potentially reaching over 2 inches per hour.

Temperatures will drop and snow levels may drop to around 5,000 to 5,500 feet, meaning some lower valleys could see a mix of rain and snow. While snow accumulation in the valley will likely be minimal, mountain areas like the Cottonwoods could see up to 18 inches of snow, while the Western Uinta Mountains are expected to see 12 to 24 inches.

Our first winter storm warning is in effect Thursday morning through Friday evening for the western Uintas and Wasatch Mountains south of I-80 due to heavy snowfall. Above 7,500 feet there will be heavy snow Thursday through Friday.

As the system moves further south on Friday, northern areas will begin to dry out, but southern Utah could see rain and snow through Saturday. There is a slight chance of east canyon winds on Saturday, but strong gusts are not very likely. Stay tuned.

Either way, there are some big changes coming our way to the Beehive State later this week, and it's best to stay up to date with the latest updates on air and online. We are Good4Utah!

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