The National Weather Service in Salt Lake City has issued a hazardous weather outlook for southern Utah. The outlook area is the western two thirds of Utah, which includes Cache Valley, the northern Wasatch Front, the Great Salt Lake Desert and mountains, the Wasatch Mountain valleys, the western Uinta Mountains, the Wasatch Plateau and Book Cliffs, Western Uinta Basin, Castle Country, San Rafael Swell, Sanpete and Sevier Valleys, west central Utah, southwest Utah, Utah’s Dixie and Zion National Park, south central Utah, Glen Canyon Recreation Area, Lake Powell, and the central and southern mountains.
Day one of the outlook is today and tonight. Southwest-oriented winds will strengthen today and increase into the night, especially in western and central valleys, with wind gusts reaching in excess of 50 mph. These conditions will create strong cross-winds that could potentially make driving dangerous, especially on east-west oriented roadways.
Days two through seven of the hazardous weather outlook are Tuesday through Sunday.
Southern-oriented winds will remain strong through Tuesday midday. Again, wind gusts could reach 50 mph.
Tuesday through Wednesday a cold Pacific system will move into the outlook area. Rain showers in the valleys with possible snow in the mountains will occur Tuesday afternoon and evening. A mixture of snow and rain may possibly reach the valley floors above 4,000 feet late Tuesday night into Wednesday. It is likely that there will be little to no accumulation of snow on the valley floors; however, mountainous areas may see several inches.
