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Storms made their way into Utah on Sunday, promising to make way for cooler temperatures, less pollution and possibly some fire-dousing rain over the next few days.
"It could help the fires," said National Weather Service meteorologist Chris Young. "It could hurt the fires."
That's because the lightning accompanying the thunderstorms could spark more fire before any substantial rain comes. At least six of 10 fires in the state started from a lightning strike.
State air-quality officials on Sunday issued a "yellow air action alert," urging Wasatch Front residents to do what they can to reduce air pollution, including driving less and operating lawn mowers very early or very late in the day through Tuesday. Smoke from the fires and the high daytime temperatures have kept ozone pollution high in the afternoons.
Beginning today, temperatures are expected to dip gradually through midweek as clouds -- and maybe storms -- roll in from the south.
In Salt Lake City, the daytime high was 99 degrees on Sunday. St. George's was 97. All of Utah has at least a small chance of rain over the next two days. But mountain areas and central Utah have the greatest likelihood of rain, according to the weather service. Young noted that a storm settled over Cedar City on Sunday afternoon after wind gusts of 30 mph.