This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
It's like this: once northern Utah gets over the Hump (Day), the pollution-laden inversions plaguing its urban valleys will ease as fresh snowfall scrubs the region's air.
The National Weather Service says that upper level cold air ridge trapping warmer air below — along with smog — will remain in place through Wednesday. That, according to the Utah Division of Air Quality, leaves Salt Lake, Davis, Weber, Utah, Box Elder and Cache counties with "yellow," or moderately elevated levels of particulates in the midweek.
But take heart. Like a meteorological Mighty Mouse, here comes a winter storm to save us from hazy days. Don't like flying, caped rodents? How about Underdog? Maybe Super Chicken? Or if the forecast for snow proves wrong — Mr. Peabody, his boy, Sherman, and the Wayback Machine?
Nah. Let's stop this caricature digression and rely on science: Forecasters tell us that winter storm will sweep through northern and central Utah Wednesday night and Thursday, bringing widespread snowfall — light in most valleys, moderate in the mountains — to the region.
Come Thursday, the combination of snow and atmospheric mixing from the storm should push air quality into the "green," or healthy zone statewide, according to DAQ.
The Salt Lake and Tooele valleys looked for a dusting of snow on Thursday as daytime temperatures rise into the upper-30s, 3-5 degrees warmer than Wednesday's forecast. Overnight lows will range into the mid-20s.
Southern Utahns are expected to miss the snow in general, as highs flirt with 50 degrees on Thursday — same as on Wednesday — and sunshine alternates with partly cloudy skies. Overnight, the mercury will dip into the upper-20s.
The Utah Avalanche Center rated the risk for potentially deadly backcountry snowslides at "moderate" for all of the state's mountain slopes, with the exception of the Skyline district, which was rated at "low" risk as of Tuesday.
For more extensive forecast information, visit The Salt Lake Tribune's weather page at: http//www.sltrib.com/weather.
Twitter: @remims