This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated.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.
Unfazed by dry thunderstorms moving into the region, much of Utah was under a Red Flag Warning as lingering hot weather, gusty winds and desiccated rangelands and forests combined for extreme wildfire danger.
The warning — encompassing the western third of the state, and an east-central core stretching from Duchesne, Price and Green River south to Zion National Park and the Arizona border — was to expire 10 p.m. Wednesday, though chances were good that wildfire dangers will remain high the rest of the week.
Forecasters' concerns tipped from anxious to alarmed with the arrival of thunderstorms that snapped with electricity but held little moisture. After all, lightning strikes more than two weeks ago ignited wildfires in southwestern Utah that continued to burn on Wednesday.
Still, those storms — if only producing the odd isolated rain shower or two — will cool the Wasatch Front somewhat. Salt Lake City's 103 reading Tuesday was the hottest day for the capital this year, but with increasing cloud cover Wednesday the forecast high was just 93 degrees.
Thursday's northern Utah temperatures will remain in the low-90s, with thunderstorms — and light rain — possible by the afternoon and evening hours. Friday will see highs in the upper-80s, with scattered rain showers once more expected.
Southern Utahns will get little relief from the storm systems, however. Other than an isolated, light rain shower here and there, dry lightning is about all Utah's Dixie can expect over the next couple days. High temperatures on Thursday will be around 102, perhaps a degree cooler than Wednesday's forecast. Friday will cool modestly, with highs in the upper-90s.
While the storm clouds are expected to bring little rain, the atmospheric churning will freshen the air. The Utah Division of Air Quality, which graded most of the state in the "yellow," or compromised zone on Wednesday, predicted universal "green" conditions by Thursday.
The Intermountain Allergy & Asthma website reported that mold was "high," and grass and chenopods "moderate" on its pollen index as of Wednesday morning.
For more extensive forecast information, visit The Salt Lake Tribune's weather page at: http//www.sltrib.com/weather/.
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