This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The return of hot, dry weather was predicted Thursday across Utah after thunderstorms and isolated rain showers punctuated the forecast for Wednesday.
The National Weather Service predicted high temperatures would once again soar into the mid-90s in northern Utah and flirt with triple digits in the southern reaches of the state on Thursday, a 5-to-7-degree swing upward from Wednesday's readings for most areas of the Beehive State.
On Wednesday, forecasters renewed a flash flood watch as thunderstorms once more rolled through the central, eastern and southern parts of Utah. Public safety officials were particularly concerned about the potential for gushes of muddy water rolling down mountain slopes recently denuded by wildfires.
The flash flood watch, which began noon Wednesday and extended into late Wednesday evening, covered an area stretching from just south of Nephi to Manti, Green River, Richfield, Milford, Escalante, St. George and Zion National Park.
Air quality statewide remained "Green," or healthy, according to the Utah Division of Environmental Quality.
Salt Lake City's high temperatures were predicted to hit 96 degrees both Wednesday and Thursday; Ogden looked for 94 and 92, respectively; Provo 94 and 96; Logan 94 and 92; Wendover 98 and 96; Duchesne 80 and 87; Cedar City 84 and 92; St. George 92 and 99; and Moab 91 degrees both days.