Still freezing cold outside, but it's been colder longer than this

Dreaming of a day with temperatures above freezing?

Keep dreaming.

Thus far, Salt Lake City has seen nine days in a row when temperatures did not top the freezing mark.

Since the start of 2013, officially temperatures have not risen above the freezing mark and aren't expected to do so until at least Tuesday. Even then, it will be a downright chilly day with a high of 34 expected at Salt Lake City International Airport, the National Weather Service in Salt Lake City said.

But when it comes to Utah cold snaps, this one doesn't even rank in the top 50.

The longest cold snap on record when temperatures didn't top freezing was in 2004 with a run of 29 days, according to weather service records.

Officially, Utah's most recent cold snap of nine days ranks 59th for consecutive days when temperatures remained below freezing.

And perhaps adding insult to injury, Utahns will be stuck with the inversion effect for another few days.

The polluted air quality isn't expected to lift until at least Thursday, Friday or Saturday when another system carrying much colder air moves into the state, the weather service said.

The Utah Department of Environmental Quality has issued a "red" air alert through Tuesday, warning people to limit time spent outdoors, outdoor burning and driving.

For those hoping to flee into the mountains, the Utah Avalanche Center has issued a moderate avalanche warning for the all the Utah ranges except those in Moab, which have been deemed low risk.

jstecklein@sltrib.com

Twitter @sltribjanelle