This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated.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.

Under hot, dry and smoky skies, Utah's forecast from north to south this weekend called for temperatures ranging from the 90s to triple digits.

Air quality, again, was lousy extending into early next week: Salt Lake, Davis, Weber, Box Elder, Tooele and Utah counties were graded "Yellow," for compromised breathing conditions, through Monday. Cache County earned a "Red," the worst air quality rating possible, on Saturday and was given Yellows for Sunday and Monday. Only Uintah and Washington counties earned "Green," or healthy conditions, according to the Utah Division of Environmental Quality.

While the forecast showed little variation in high temperatures for the weekend and into Monday, the entire region expected isolated thunderstorms and varying amounts of rainfall — but generally not enough precipitation to dramatically reduce the valley haze ushered into the state from the West's continuing wildfires.

Indeed, the National Weather Service issued a fire weather watch covering the western deserts from the Idaho border in the north to just north of St. George in southwestern Utah. Forecasters were concerned that dry lightning could spark new wildfires, especially on Sunday and early Monday.

Salt Lake City's high temperatures began the weekend with a forecast of 95 degrees on Saturday, followed by predictions of 96 and 93 degrees; Ogden looked for 92, 93 and 90 degrees, respectively; Provo 95, 96 and 93; Logan 92, 92 and 90; Wendover 94, 92 and 92; Duchesne 85, 86 and 85; Cedar City 89, 88 and 86; St. George 99, 101 and 98; and Moab, 97, 97 and 91 degrees.