weather

Water experts say cloud seeding deserves more funding and research to measure its impact on the drought-stricken Colorado River basin.

Bad air quality from inversions is a common winter occurrence in the Salt Lake Valley. But it’s not the only place in Utah that experiences these meteorological events.

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.

The Colorado River starts as mountain snow, but climate change has made it harder to predict how much will flow into streams every year. A new study says springtime sun, rain and plants could make it easier.

Although Utah’s reservoirs are in good shape now, soil dried out by the summer heat could mean water problems for the runoff next spring if monsoons don’t pick up.

How much rain? Salt Lake City, Spanish Fork, Provo and Lehi all recorded more rain on Monday and Tuesday than in a typical entire month of August.

St. George and other southern Utah hot spots experienced relentless heat in July. Scientists say it’s another sign of how climate change — fueled by greenhouse gas emissions — is impacting Utah.

The monsoon has fizzled so far this year in Utah. Even so, it’s “been a tale of two summers” where northern Utah has been drier than the southern end of the state.

Tourists continue to flock to parks in Utah and other southwestern states during the hottest months of the year, even as officials caution that hiking in extreme heat poses serious health risks.

“It's happening now. We're experiencing it,” said a Utah researcher. Heat higher than historical averages is another sign of how climate change is impacting the state one step at a time.

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