First hints of winter possible in Utah’s high country as fall begins

A Pacific storm system is expected to bring showers and thunderstorms Tuesday, with colder conditions at Utah’s highest elevations.

PARK CITY, Utah — The first day of fall could bring a decidedly cooler feel to Utah’s mountains Tuesday, with unsettled weather moving across the state and possible wintry conditions at the highest elevations.

KUTV meteorologists said Monday that the forecast was carrying “hints of winter” in Utah’s higher elevations as a Pacific storm system moves through the region.

The National Weather Service in Salt Lake City said a Pacific trough will bring showers and thunderstorms across much of Utah Tuesday. Storms could produce gusty winds, lightning, hail and periods of heavy rain.

In Park City, Tuesday is expected to bring increasing clouds and a chance of afternoon thunderstorms, with temperatures reaching the upper 60s. Overnight lows are forecast in the mid-40s.

The shift comes as the calendar officially turns to fall. The autumnal equinox arrives Tuesday, Sept. 22.

The unsettled weather should be relatively short-lived. The National Weather Service expects drier conditions to return to much of Utah later in the week, along with gradually warming temperatures.