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SALT LAKE CITY — Utah has been brutally cold the last few days.
Temperatures dipped as low as minus 39 degrees Fahrenheit in Randolph Tuesday morning, while morning lows in Logan, Laketown and Garden City were all at least below minus 10 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. Utahns all over the state have experienced freezing temperatures, even southern Utah.
Then, of course, there's Peter Sinks, the state's perpetually coldest location. It fell to 62.7 degrees below zero there on Monday, per Utah Climate Center data. That's only 7 degrees warmer than the coldest temperature ever recorded in the continental U.S., and 6.6 degrees off the location's all-time record, set in 1985.
How we got here and how long it lasts
The frigid temperatures are the result of a perfect storm of sorts. Alex Desmet, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, explains that the cold front that arrived on Sunday carried arctic air by the way of northwest Canada. The region's deep snowpack helped cool this air even more; at the same time, parts of northern Utah had just received 1 to 2 feet of snow, which helped set the scene for the cold temperatures.
"So we had this combination of this arctic air coming down and that deep fresh snowpack, and that was followed quickly by clear skies and light wind," he said. "Those are the perfect conditions to result in very cold temperatures."
This led to wind chill warnings and advisories all over Utah Sunday night through Tuesday morning. Similar alerts may be issued again Tuesday night into Wednesday, especially in parts of northern Utah, Desmet added.
But there is relief in sight — at least from these types of below-normal temperatures. A high-pressure system is building up over Utah, which is helping stabilize the temperatures as they gradually increase.
Temperatures are expected to be "close to normal" by Friday, though temperatures will "lag" a bit near the Cache Valley because of the recent snow, Desmet said. High temperatures are currently forecast to reach into the 40s along the Wasatch Front over the coming weekend, while temperatures in Logan are set to return to the 30s in the same timespan.
Logan City School District said it would once again have a two-hour delay for school start times on Wednesday. Half-day kindergarten sessions and all preschool sessions will be canceled.
Utah State University said it would resume its normal schedule Wednesday.
Inversion returns
Unfortunately, that also means the return of the inversion and worsening air quality, especially along the Wasatch Front and in the Cache Valley.
"It's going to make it so that all the pollutants stay in the valley floor. We're going to get inverted," says KSL meteorologist Matt Johnson. "We'll see that haze as early as maybe (Tuesday afternoon) into Wednesday."
The Utah Division of Air Quality forecast lists Cache, Davis, Duchesne, Salt Lake, Utah and Weber counties all having moderate air quality conditions through at least Thursday. Tooele County is forecast to reach that level by Thursday, as well.
More storms soon?
More wintry weather is also likely on the horizon, which could help clear out the inversion next week.
Storms are expected to return as early as Sunday into Monday, according to the weather service. The National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center also lists Utah as having a strong probability for near-normal to above-normal precipitation next week.
However, more details about the strength of the storm won't be known for a least a few more days.
"There are some indications that at least a modest storm system will move through the area," Desmet said. "Initial indications suggest it's strong enough to move out the inversion but things could still change because that's nearly a week out."
Full seven-day forecasts for areas across Utah can be found online, at the KSL Weather Center.
