FXUS65 KSLC 101151
AFDSLC

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SALT LAKE CITY UT
450 AM MST THU DEC 10 2009

.SYNOPSIS...GENERALLY DRY AND COLD CONDITIONS WILL EXIST THROUGH THE 
REMAINDER OF THE WEEK. MOISTURE WILL INCREASE OVER THE WEEKEND AS A 
SERIES OF PACIFIC STORM SYSTEMS IMPACT THE AREA.

&&

.DISCUSSION...THE BROAD TROUGH ACROSS THE GREAT PLAINS CONTINUES TO 
SLOWLY SHIFT EAST TODAY WHILE A WEAK RIDGE BUILDS INTO THE WESTERN 
CONUS. THIS WILL ALLOW THE FLOW ALOFT OVER THE GREAT BASIN TO SHIFT 
FROM NORTHWEST TO WEST LATE TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT. 
OVERNIGHT...MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES AND SNOW COVER HAVE RESULTED IN COLD 
TEMPERATURES YET AGAIN...WITH MANY AREAS IN THE SINGLE DIGITS OR 
BELOW ZERO. WARM ADVECTION AT 700MB TODAY WILL BRING TEMPERATURES UP 
IN THE MOUNTAINS...BUT DAYTIME TEMPERATURES IN MANY VALLEY AREAS 
ARE NOT EXPECTED TO WARM BY MORE THAN A FEW DEGREES OVER YESTERDAYS 
HIGHS DUE TO A STRENGTHENING INVERSION. OTHERWISE...EXPECT CLEAR TO 
PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES TODAY ACROSS THE AREA. 

A STORM SYSTEM CURRENTLY OVER THE PACIFIC NEAR 135W WILL COME ASHORE 
LATE TONIGHT OR EARLY TOMORROW MORNING. ALTHOUGH IT WILL WEAKEN 
SIGNIFICANTLY AS IT BREAKS INTO THE RIDGE...IT SHOULD BRING ENOUGH 
MOISTURE TO RESULT IN PRECIPITATION ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE AREA. THE 
BEST CHANCE APPEARS TO BE ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST UTAH...THE 
WASATCH FRONT AND NORTHERN MOUNTAINS LATE TOMORROW THROUGH SATURDAY 
MORNING. WATER AMOUNTS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BE HUGE...BUT COULD STILL 
PRODUCE LOW-END ADVISORY SNOWFALL FOR THE MOUNTAINS. NEXT FEW SHIFTS 
WILL NEED TO EVALUATE THE NEED FOR ANY HEADLINES.

THERE IS EXPECTED TO BE A BRIEF BREAK IN PRECIPITATION BEFORE THE 
NEXT COUPLE OF STORM SYSTEMS IMPACT THE AREA LATE SATURDAY THROUGH 
MONDAY. SOUTHERLY WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE ON SATURDAY AHEAD 
OF THE APPROACHING STORM...WHICH COULD PROVIDE BETTER MIXING TO MANY 
OF THE VALLEY AREAS. EXPECT TO SEE A JUMP IN TEMPERATURES ON 
SATURDAY AS A RESULT. MORE SIGNIFICANT MOISTURE AND DYNAMICS WILL 
RESULT IN HIGH WATER AMOUNTS FOR SOME AREAS...BUT IN PARTICULAR 
THOSE AREAS FAVORED IN SOUTHWEST FLOW. THE POTENTIAL IS THERE FOR 
SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL LATE SATURDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.

A DIRTY RIDGE IS EXPECTED TO BUILD OVER THE AREA AGAIN LATE MONDAY 
THROUGH MIDWEEK...KEEPING SOME CLOUDS AND A CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 
OVER THE NORTHERN PORTIONS.

&&

.AVIATION...OPERATIONAL WEATHER CONCERNS WILL REMAIN GENERALLY LOW 
AT KSLC THROUGH THE DAY TODAY. THE ONLY HICCUP TO THIS IS AN 
ANTICIPATED WIND SHIFT FROM SOUTHEAST TO LIGHT NORTHWEST BETWEEN 
18-20Z. ONLY A 10 PERCENT CHANCE EXISTS THAT WINDS WILL SHIFT TO THE 
NORTHWEST PRIOR TO 18Z.

&&

.SLC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
UT...NONE.
WY...NONE.

&&

$$

PUBLIC...CHENG
AVIATION...MERRILL

FOR MORE INFORMATION FROM NOAA/S NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE VISIT...
HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/SALTLAKECITY (ALL LOWER CASE)