This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated.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.
After nine straight days of 100-degree days or higher, Salt Lake City and the Wasatch Front are about to get a break from the excessive heat.
It hit 100 again on Tuesday — tying with 1960 for the 2nd longest streak of 100+ days (2003 holds the record with 10 consecutive 100 degree days) — temperatures in the state's capital will retreat into the low- to mid-90s on Wednesday.
On Thursday and again Friday, the mercury will slip into the upper-80s in northern Utah.
That is cause for celebration, maybe even a heartfelt "Hallelujah" or "Go Utes!" But don't get too carried away; leave the coat in the closet and please, refrain from Christmas carols . . . it's still August, after all.
Don't forget, we're mere days past the fourth warmest July on record for Salt Lake City. Last month averaged 83.1 degrees, trailing only 2003's 83.5, 2007's 84.0, and the hottest average July (84.1) recorded in 2013. Also, Tuesday's official overnight low temperature of 73 tied the 2003 record for highest low for Aug. 2 in Salt Lake City, the National Weather Service reported.
Thunderstorms and isolated rain showers, along with the cloud cover storm activity forecast the remainder of this week, are responsible for northern Utah's cooling trend.
The same is true for southern Utah, though the effect of thunderstorms on that region's temperatures will be somewhat less dramatic. After a 100-degree day in St. George on Tuesday, temperatures in Utah's Dixie will twitch downward 2-to-5 degrees Wednesday-Friday.
Conditions still remain very dry, however. The National Weather Service on Tuesday placed the northwest quarter of the state under a Red Flag Warning for wildfire danger. That advisory, encompassing an area from Wendover to Logan, Ogden to Salt Lake City and Provo, and southwest through Delta and Manti, was set to expire 10 p.m. Tuesday.
The Utah Division of Air Quality rated all but Cache and Uintah counties — they were green," or healthy for particulate pollution — in the "yellow," or compromised air quality category heading toward the weekend.
The Intermountain Allergy & Asthma website reported that mold and chenopods were "high" on its pollen index, but no other allergens were elevated as of Tuesday.
For more extensive forecast information, visit The Salt Lake Tribune's weather page at: http//www.sltrib.com/weather/.
Twitter: @remims