Salt Lake City typically averages eight days a year with highs of 100 degrees or hotter, the National Weather Service’s Salt Lake City office shared Thursday on social media platform X.
“We have had 15 so far this year,” the post pointed out.
On Friday, amid blistering afternoon temperatures, NWS meteorologist Jon Wilson told The Salt Lake Tribune: “Add another one to that tally.”
This summer is following a trend of warming Salt Lake City summers, Wilson said. Three of the last four summers have been hotter than average.
“It doesn’t matter the metric you look at, whether it is the number of times we exceeded 100 [degrees], or the hottest temperature, or how warm overnight lows are staying,” said Wilson.
But this summer especially is climbing the temperature leaderboard. It’s already on pace to challenge the city’s all-time hottest summer, Wilson said.
The forecast highs for Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday are all expected to land in the high 90s, tempting triple digits.
Wilson reminded the public that high temperatures are dangerous, especially when the nights fail to cool off.
“It kind of has a cumulative effect, especially if you get three, four or five days in a row like that,” he said.
Wilson encouraged residents to check in on people who may be more vulnerable to heat, including younger children and the elderly.
In Salt Lake County, designated “cool zones” are available at pubic libraries and senior centers. Libraries are open to all ages, and senior centers are open to everyone over the age of 60.
Cool zones are free public, indoor spaces with air-conditioning. To find a cool zone near you, visit slco.to/zones.