ST. GEORGE — A hazardous weather outlook has been issued by the National Weather Service in Salt Lake City. The outlook calls for higher-than-normal temperatures for the remainder of the week, with increasing moisture bringing thunderstorms to the area by the weekend.
Affected area
Cache Valley, northern Wasatch Front, Salt Lake and Tooele valleys, southern Wasatch Front, Great Salt Lake Desert and mountains, Wasatch Mountain valleys, Wasatch Mountains near Interstate-80 North, Wasatch Mountains south of I-80, western Uinta Mountains, Wasatch Plateau-Book Cliffs, Western Uinta Basin-Castle Country, San Rafael Swell, Sanpete-Sevier valleys, west-central Utah, southwest Utah, Utah’s Dixie and Zion National Park, south-central Utah, Glen Canyon Recreation Area-Lake Powell, central mountains, southern mountains and southwest Wyoming.
Wednesday
Above normal and very warm temperatures will remain across much of the area Wednesday.
Thursday – Tuesday
Above normal and very warm temperatures will remain in place through the end of the week before a gradual cooling trend begins. Moisture will start to to spread into Utah Friday through the early part of next week. Thunderstorms will develop across Southwest Utah Friday afternoon and increase in areal coverage into northern and eastern Utah Saturday through Sunday.
Thunderstorms will likely be dry initially, producing strong gusty outflow winds.
Spotter information statement
Weather spotters are encouraged to report significant weather conditions to the National Weather Service according to standard operating procedures.
Prevent human-caused wildfires
While people cannot affect the weather, there are a number of things they can do in their everyday and outdoor activities that can prevent human-caused fires.
- Check and secure chain chains on vehicles, trucks, trailers and the like for both on-road and off-highway use to be sure they don’t drag and hit the ground. Chains against the ground cause sparks that ignite wildfires.
- Enjoy campfires in permitted areas only, and be sure they are cold to the touch before leaving them. Stir the dirt with water until it is cold.
- Heed fire restrictions that are in place – read more here.
- Be aware of your surroundings when target shooting and avoid areas with cheatgrass and dry fuels.
- Don’t smoke in fire risk areas except within an enclosed vehicle, camp trailer, building, developed recreation site or while stopped in an area at least 6 feet in diameter that is barren or cleared to mineral soil.
- Don’t weld, cut or grind metal in fire risk areas.
- Use fireworks only where permissible in your region. Fireworks safety includes being mindful of your surroundings; not using them near vegetated areas or where you could start structural fires; and putting spent fireworks into a bucket of water, not in a trashcan. If a firework does not ignite, leave it alone – don’t try to reignite it. Have a bucket of water or fire extinguisher nearby as well as a shovel before starting your fireworks.
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