National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Utah’s drought conditions could deteriorate even more as temperatures start to climb. NOAA’s latest seasonal outlook expects above-average heat through July.

There was little respite from the heat in Utah last year, even with overnight lows. Salt Lake City, Bountiful, Provo and Kanab all saw their warmest minimum temperatures on record, too.

Scientists expect La Niña to start by the end of this year. That could fuel a drier-than-normal winter and spell trouble for Utah drought and snowmelt going into 2025.

From Salt Lake City to Brigham City to Cedar City, average temperatures were up both day and night over the summer. And according to forecasts, the above-average heat may not be over yet.

Utah State University is partnering with the National Integrated Heat Health Information System to continue to provide heat mapping data and improve forecasting accuracy.

The hot, dry outlook for this summer’s rainy season shows Utah’s recent string of wetter-than-average years may be coming to an end.

The latest outlook from the National Interagency Fire Center predicts above-normal potential for significant fires in southwest and northwest Utah this summer.

Forecasters expect a quick transition from El Niño to La Niña in the coming months, which could impact southern Utah’s monsoon season and next winter’s snowpack.

The heat maps show temperatures in Salt Lake City can fluctuate by 15 degrees from one part of town to another. The data could help the city better understand how to protect residents as climate change heats up Utah summers.

Record snowpack helped pull most of Utah out of drought earlier this year. But recent heat waves paired with a dry monsoon season have accelerated its return.

Climate change is expected to bring significantly more hot summer days to Utah over the next three decades. Those longer, more frequent heat waves would put Utahns and outdoor visitors at risk.

El Niño is expected to bring a shift to weather patterns across the western United States this year. For some parts of Utah, that might mean a drier summer. But Utahns shouldn’t expect to see much drastic change right away.