Cold snap alert!

 TL;DR:

The next five days feature some light snow and some very cold temperatures. Next week doesn't look very snowy, but it does look even colder...

Nowcast:

We're seeing a temperature inversion this morning with temps in the teens and 20s °F in valley and canyon bottoms and low 30s °F at the summits. It also looks perfectly clear up in the mountains; here's what it looked like up at Brighton just a little bit ago:

Brighton webcam, courtesy of OpenSnow

For today, expect mountain highs in the low 30s °F under clear skies.

Short-term:

Tomorrow evening, we are going to get clipped by a storm sliding through just to the east, meaning we won't get the best moisture or energy, but we won't get nothing either. Models are indicating no more than 3-5" of snow by Sunday morning.

Of note with this storm are the cold temperatures it brings; check out the 700mb (about 10,000') temps on Saturday evening:

European model 700mb Temps, courtesy of Tropical Tidbits

The light purple shading over Northern Utah indicates temps around -18°C, which is just below 0°, and models are showing another even deeper plunge into the deep freeze around MLK Day. Brace yourselves...

Long-term:

Next week isn't looking particularly snowy - just cold, as I mentioned above - so keep doing your snow dances :)

Backcountry comments:

If you will be traveling in the backcountry, make sure you have the proper training and equipment and know before you go. For the avalanche forecast and other avy-related resources, visit utahavalanchecenter.org.