Utah Climate – July 2026 Update
Top 5 Cities: Salt Lake City, West Valley City, Provo, West Jordan, and Orem
Summary
Utah recorded its 2nd warmest July on record as an intense heatwave coupled with persistent drought primed forests to burn hot and fast across mountain ranges. Over the past 12 months, Utah ranks 1st globally among 232 tracked regions for temperature anomaly, standing +3.33°C above its historical baseline. A moderate El Niño is currently active and forecast to peak at Very Strong in Oct-Dec, with monsoonal rainfall expected to provide brief moisture in the coming weeks while broader warmth continues into autumn.
This month in numbers
The average temperature reached 24.83°C in July 2026, sitting 2.7°C above the 1961–1990 baseline to rank as the 2nd warmest such month in 77 years of records, behind only 2003. Daytime maximum temperatures reached an average of 33.22°C, marking the 3rd highest maximum for the month. Across the May–July season, temperatures averaged 19.91°C, ranking as the 3rd warmest 3-month stretch on record, while seasonal maximums reached 28.35°C, the 2nd highest ever recorded for the period. Total monthly precipitation reached 33.27 mm, making it the 18th wettest July on record due to spotty monsoonal storms.
What changed
The seasonal mean temperature of 19.91°C over May–July was 2.3°C above average, maintaining a blistering thermal trend across the Intermountain West. Utah leads the entire global dataset for its 12-month rolling anomaly at 3.33°C above baseline, placing 1st of 232 regions tracked worldwide. This fits a striking regional concentration across the American West, where seven of the top ten highest 12-month anomalies on Earth are US states. Within the NOAA Southwest US climate region group at US Southwest, Utah sits as the warmest member this month, running 0.37°C above the group average.
What’s driving change?
created over the western United States, while caused parched landscapes to warm rapidly without the cooling benefit of soil moisture. High-elevation terrain experienced , exacerbating snowpack deficits from winter. All of Utah's 3 wildfires this year have happened in the past month, with major blazes scorching high-elevation forests as tracked on our live map at Extreme Weather tracker. On a global level, ENSO conditions have shifted, with a moderate El Niño currently active in the Pacific as detailed at ENSO.
Looking ahead
Seasonal forecasts indicate that above-average temperatures are likely to persist through late summer and early autumn, while model guidance gives an 81% probability of a Very Strong El Niño developing in Oct-Dec.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
At a Glance
Temperature – Average
Climate Map – USUnited States
Source: NOAA Climate at a Glance — US states & climate regions (tavg, pcp), plus GPCC (Snow, water-equivalent). Anomalies are vs the 1961–1990 baseline. See methodology.
Typical Climate – Utah
Köppen BSk · AridUtah has a arid climate (Köppen BSk: Cold steppe), with distinct warm summers and cool-to-cold winters. July is typically the warmest month, averaging 23.8°C, while January is the coldest at -2.2°C. Annual precipitation averages around 319mm, spread fairly evenly across the year.
Monthly climate normals (2016–2025) - bar colour and height show average temperature, the shaded area shows average monthly rain, with snow (water-equivalent) shown separately.
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (temperature/precipitation; frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)).
Long-Term Trends
Combined Timeline – Utah
Right axis: everything else standardized to standard deviations (σ) from its own average, since mm/hours/days aren't directly comparable to °C or to each other.
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (temperature/precipitation; frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)).
Heatwave Days – Utah
Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - the WMO/ETCCDI heatwave measure: days in a 6+ day run above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that time of year.
Data: World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal (ERA5-derived). Refreshed roughly 1-2x/year, ~7-8 months behind present.
Year-on-Year Trends
The 4byo Climate Helix – Utah
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (temperature/precipitation; frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)).
Monthly Temperature – Utah
Background lines show the last 40 years (plus the record year and its opposite, wherever they fall).
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (temperature/precipitation; frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)).
Records – Utah
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)) - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm / cold seasonsKöppen Dfa · ContinentalHow spring and autumn have shifted in Utah. Spring is defined as the date monthly temperatures first rise above the long-term annual mean (8.6°C, from 1950–1979); autumn is the date they fall back below it. Temperature swings 25.8°C peak-to-peak across the year - a classic four-seasons rhythm.
Baseline vs recent monthly temperature climatology. Biggest warming: Jun (+2.2°C).
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (temperature/precipitation; frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)).
Climate Systems
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Emissions & Energy
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Data Sources
Data Sources for Utah
Every figure on this page is sourced from official, openly published climate datasets. Anomalies are calculated against the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) and 1991–2020 (rainfall, sunshine, frost) - see the Methodology & Sources page for the complete dataset list and update calendar.
Statewide monthly temperature and precipitation (nClimDiv).
Frost Days and Heatwave Days (Warm Spell Duration Index), ERA5-derived. World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal.
Monthly snow water-equivalent, Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (DWD).
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in Utah changing?
Utah is warming in line with the rest of the world. The page above shows the latest monthly temperature anomaly versus the 1961-1990 baseline, the long-term annual trend, and the region's rank in the historical record. The headline panel also shows the long-term trend rate per decade and the warmest and coolest years on file.
What is the climate like in Utah?
Utah has a arid climate (Köppen BSk: Cold steppe), with distinct warm summers and cool-to-cold winters. July is typically the warmest month, averaging 23.8°C, while January is the coldest at -2.2°C. Annual precipitation averages around 319mm, spread fairly evenly across the year.
Where does the climate data for Utah come from?
Climate data for Utah comes from NOAA Climate at a Glance (temperature and precipitation), refreshed every month, when the upstream temperature and rainfall data are refreshed.
What is the climate baseline used on this page?
Anomalies on this page are calculated against the 1961-1990 climatological baseline, which is the standard reference period used by the Met Office, NOAA, IPCC and most national climate services. Some panels also show the source-native 1901-2000 (NOAA) or 1991-2020 (WMO) baselines for verification. See Methodology & Sources for the full reference.
Which areas does the Utah climate data cover?
The Utah climate profile covers Salt Lake City, West Valley City, Provo, West Jordan and surrounding areas. Utah climate data from NOAA Climate at a Glance
How often is the Utah climate update refreshed?
The Utah climate update is refreshed monthly, typically a few days after the previous month closes and the upstream provider (Met Office HadUK-Grid, NOAA Climate at a Glance, Copernicus ERA5 or the Global Carbon Project) publishes its update. See the Climate Rankings for cross-region comparisons.
What counts as a Heatwave Day on the Utah climate page?
Heatwave Days use the Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - the WMO/ETCCDI-standard heatwave measure: days that are part of a run of 6 or more consecutive days above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that calendar day. The 90th-percentile threshold varies by time of year (a hot day in January is judged differently to one in July) but is fixed to the 1961-1990 baseline for every year shown - it does not shift as the climate warms, which is why Heatwave Days trend upward over time.
Does the Utah climate page include frost and snow data?
Yes. Frost Days (days with a minimum temperature below 0°C, World Bank CCKP) and snow water-equivalent (GPCC) are shown alongside temperature and precipitation, each measured against the 1961-1990 baseline where a like-for-like historical comparison is available.