This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
And on the seventh day, God said, "Oh, whoops, I guess it didn't need to be insanely freaking hot all the time."
Or at least, that's what could be happening this weekend because the weather is — finally! — cooling off a bit. In the Salt Lake in Tooele valleys, forecasters with the National Weather Service expected highs Saturday and Sunday around 90 degrees. Ogden and Provo will be even cooler, with temperatures reaching mid 80s.
So, it'll still be warm, but in what's shaping up to be possibly the hottest summer ever, it should feel positively refreshing.
Forecasters also expect cloud cover and a 50 percent chance of rain over the weekend along the Wasatch Front, though beginning Monday the northern half of the state should become drier.
But by the middle of the work week, the break will have ended and the heat will be on again, with highs in Salt Lake City reaching the upper 90s by Wednesday.
Southern Utahns also will get something of a break from the heat over the weekend, with highs in St. George Saturday and Sunday in the mid 90s. There is a 50 percent chance of rain in southern part of the state over the weekend. By Monday, temperatures in southern Utah should shoot back up to 100 degrees.
The downside of the cooler weather and possible rain over the weekend was a hazardous weather outlook for the western two thirds of the state. The outlook warns that heavy rain could begin falling late Saturday and flash flooding is possible.
In the meantime, you can at least breath easy, literally; the Utah Division of Air Quality rated the air in Salt Lake, Tooele, Weber, Cache and Box Elder Counties moderate but "green" quality through Sunday. In Utah, Uintah and Washington counties, the air should be good through the weekend.
According to Intermountain Allergy and Asthma, allergy sufferers need only worry about chenopods — which are not aliens but rather a group of highly pollinating weeds —over the weekend.
Salt Lake City's high temperature was expected to hit 90 degrees Saturday and 91 Sunday; Ogden looked for 86 and 88, respectively; Provo 88 both days; Park City 77 and 76; Wendover 86 and 88; Duchesne 82 and 81; Cedar City 82 and 83; St. George 94 and 95; and Moab 91 and 86 degrees.
Twitter: @jimmycdii