Utah forecast: Baking in the north, sweltering in the south

Northern Utah will bake and the state's southern redrocks and high desert regions will swelter on Wednesday.

That's a great forecast, for a camel. And like that dromedary, if you venture out under the glaring early August sun through the midweek, best carry a good supply of water with you; a broad-brimmed hat, sunglasses and a generous slathering of sunblock lotion also are good choices for the desert-wise.

Temperatures along the Wasatch Front on Wednesday will be around 100 degrees under mostly clear, bright and dry skies. That's up a degree or two from Tuesday's forecast, and about the same as expected on Thursday.

Southern Utahns, meanwhile, have a potentially miserable path into the midweek. On Tuesday, along with temperatures flirting with the triple digits, Utah's Dixie had afternoon thunderstorms — and the accompanying elevated humidity — in its forecast. The same pattern was expected Wednesday before a drier, but still hot Thursday arrives for St. George and its environs.

Air quality? Now there's a cruel if hopeful term when reviewing the Utah Division of Air Quality's (http://air.utah.gov/mediaforecast.php) predictions for the next couple days. The state's northern urban valleys, where the bulk of Utahns live, will be afflicted with "orange," or unhealthy-for-sensitive-groups conditions as ozone and particulate pollution remain elevated.

That grade has authorities recommending mass transit or telecommuting over hopping into the car for that drive to and from work in Salt Lake, Davis, Utah, Weber and Tooele counties Wednesday. The remainder of the state was a bit better off, earning "yellow," or moderate pollution rankings.

The Intermountain Allergy & Asthma website (http://www.intermountainallergy.com/pollen.html) noted that mold was "high" and chenopods "moderate" on its pollen index as of Tuesday. Other allergens were "low," or did not register.

For a more extensive breakdown of Utah's weather ahead visit the Tribune's weather page at http://www.sltrib.com/weather/.

remims@sltrib.com

Twitter: @remims