This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated.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.
As temperatures throughout Utah again soar into the high-90s and triple digits Thursday, keep in mind it will be, as the saying goes, "a dry heat."
But whether risking steam burns on a 100-degree day in humid Louisiana, or merely baking in Utah's arid, high deserts, its going to be just plain hot.
With dry, hot weather, thunderstorms and gusty winds expected, the National Weather Service on Wednesday issued a "Red Flag" wildfire danger warning for central Utah and the western desert regions through midnight.
Northern Utah's Wasatch Front braced for near-100 degree readings Thursday, mirroring the forecast for Wednesday. Further to the south, in Utah's Dixie, even periodic thunderstorms were expected to offer denizens little relief as the mercury hovered in the vicinity of 104 degrees.
Air quality also was suffering in Salt Lake, Davis, Box Elder, Utah and Weber counties, with the state's wildfires contributing to valley haze and "Yellow," or compromised air quality ratings from the Utah Division of Environmental Quality. Only Cache and Washington counties won "Green," or healthy air forecasts for Thursday.
Salt Lake City expected a high temperature Thursday of 99 degrees, down slightly from Wednesday's forecast of 100; Ogden looked for 98 and 99, respectively; Provo 99 and 101; Logan 97 degrees both days; Wendover 98 and 99; Duchesne 92 and 90; Cedar City 93 and 94; St. George 102 and 104; and Moab 99 and 100 degrees.