UWFPS 2017 daily cold-air pool forecast valid Sunday 1/22/2017  10:00 am MST

Summary: Widespread snow cover (3" Utah Valley, 5-11" Salt Lake Valley, 10-14" Cache) across the region after the passage of a major system Saturday. Several more storms and 2-4" of additional snow expected through Tuesday.  A cold trough will bring emplacement of cold air at the low levels before an expected ridge of high pressure approaches on Friday.

Current weather outlook for Sunday 22 January - Monday 30 January. 

Low temperatures will be ~30 degrees F with high temperatures 35-40 degrees F Sunday and Monday. Highs will decrease to the upper 20s with lows in the teens Tuesday through weekend.


Sunday 22 January Snow likely in the afternoon, changing to rain in evening. Minimal accumulation. Breezy. Breezy, with southerly winds increasing to 20-30 kts.

Monday 23 January Snow. Potentially heavy in the morning. Accumulations 2-4" Cache and Utah Valleys, 1-2" Salt Lake Valley.

Tuesday 24 January Colder. Scattered snow showers, up to 1" accumulation.

Wednesday 25 January Mostly cloudy, cold.  Scattered light snow showers.

Thursday 26 January Mostly cloudy, cold.  Potential "non-inversion" day with no flight visibility restrictions.

Friday 27 January - Monday 30 January. 
Confidence is increasing that cold-air pool/inversion conditions will set up over Utah sometime between Friday morning and Saturday (27-28 January) and continue through at least Monday 30 January.  The evolution and strength of episode will become clearer in the next 2 days. See forecast model vertical temperature profile for Saturday evening below:

GFS model sounding for Saturday evening, 28 January. Note the temperature inversion between surface and 700 hPa.