Utah forecast: Finally, some relief from the heat

Finally, some relief from what has already proven to be one of Utah's hottest summers on record.

The National Weather Service predicts that a thunderstorm system settling in over Utah after migrating south from the Pacific Northwest will bring scattered showers and cloud cover that will provide much of the state with a 10-degree or more retreat from recent triple-digit readings.

Thunderstorms toyed with the horizons along the Wasatch Front early Thursday and were expected to get serious by evening and throughout Friday, bringing rainfall in measurable amounts. That same storm system was expected to build over red-hot southern Utah by Friday night and Saturday morning.

Salt Lake City — which matched a record high temperature on Wednesday with 103 degrees — expected a 94 on Friday, down nine degrees from Thursday's forecast high; Ogden expected 95 after a 101-degree forecast, respectively; Provo 94 and 103; Logan 94 and 100; Wendover 93 and 102; Duchesne 91 and 92; Cedar City 89 and 96; St. George 100 and 104; and Moab 100 and 102 degrees.

Air quality, too, was to improve. The Utah Division of Environmental Quality, after having issued "Red" and "Yellow" ratings for compromised breathing conditions on Wednesday, issued "Green," or satisfactory air quality grades statewide into the weekend.

remims@sltrib.com