This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated.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.
After weeks of snow left mountains of white piled up by plows in parking lots and on road shoulders, it's hard to believe — but Utah's weather is entering a dry spell.
The National Weather Service predicted some spotty rain and snowfall into mid-day Thursday in northern Utah, but then the forecast calls for drier days heading into the weekend.
High temperatures Thursday along northern Utah's Wasatch Front were pegged at about 40 degrees, to be followed by overnight lows around 20 and highs on Friday in the mid-30s.
Southern Utahns expected to bask in the relatively balmy mid-50s Thursday, followed by overnight lows in the mid-30s and highs on Friday in the upper-50s. No rain or snow was on the Dixie horizon.
Air quality was holding pretty steady in the "Green," or healthy category Thursday. That was initially expected continue on Friday statewide,with the exception of "Yellow," or compromised breathability grades in place for Cache County.
The Utah Avalanche Center began Thursday by rating most of the state's mountain slopes at "considerable" risk for dangerous snowslides, though a "high" risk grade was in place for the Logan district. Friday's preliminary avalanche risk grades put the Uintas and Skyline districts at "high" risk and Salt Lake, Provo , Logan and the remaining mountain areas at "moderate."
Salt Lake City's forecast called for highs of 39 and 35 degrees on Thursday and Friday; Ogden looked for 35 and 33 degrees, respectively; Provo 35 and 36; Logan 35 and 31; Wendover 38 and 30; Duchesne 31 and 32; Cedar City 39s; St. George 55 and 57; and Moab 36 and 38 degrees.