Utah forecast: Sunny, but colder statewide this weekend

Enjoy those unseasonably warmer temperatures of the past couple days? Well, lock those memories away, at least for the weekend.

The National Weather Service predicts sunny skies but colder temperatures — with northern Utah highs in the upper-30s and overnight lows in the teens — for Saturday. In southern Utah, highs were expected to be in the 50s and overnight lows in the upper-20s under mostly clear skies.

Localized road flooding was reported in the central Cache County, but irrigation canals that had overflowed earlier this month did not appear in danger of failing Friday, Cache County emergency management officials said.

Though no new major storms were forecast going into the weekend, the state's risks for potentially deadly backcountry snow slides remained serious. The Utah Avalanche Center rated the mountains near Salt Lake City and the western Uintas at "red," or high risk, while Logan, Ogden, Provo and Moab got "orange" or considerable risk grades for avalanches.

The Utah Department of Transportation briefly closed down Little Cottonwood Canyon Friday morning for avalanche-control work, while Big Cottonwood Canyon began the day with travel restricted to vehicles with four-wheel drive or tire chains.

Air quality statewide was rated "green," or healthy, by the Utah Division of Environmental Quality.

Salt Lake City looked for a high temperature Saturday of 39 degrees, after Friday's high was pegged at 37 degrees; Ogden was forecast to hit 35, following a 33; Provo 41 and 38; Logan 32 and 31; Wendover 36 and 32; Duchesne 35 and 33; Cedar City 43 and 38; St. George 54 degrees both days' and Moab 42 and 45 degrees.

remims@sltrib.com