Marine Weather and Tide Forecast for Hanksville, UT

.SHORT TERM (Through 12Z Friday)...Somewhat typical spring weather continues across the Beehive (and our small part of the Cowboy State) through the short term forecast period. The chaotic northern stream will continue to be a player...with a shortwave trough again crossing into the Great Basin today.

The associated weakening frontal boundary will shift into northern Utah this afternoon into this evening. Near this front, expect showers and thunderstorms to develop later this afternoon and continue into the overnight hours before the shortwave trough lifts away from the region. The main area of impact will be from Utah County north across northern Utah.

Gusty and erratic winds will be possible near high-based showers and thunderstorms this afternoon and evening.

This boundary will largely remain in place into early Friday before lifting north ahead of yet another shortwave trough.

.LONG TERM (After 12Z Friday)...An active period of weather appears on tap for the forecast area as an upper closed low moves toward the central/northern coast of California. Compared to last nights forecast, ensembles are in much better agreement with the northern extent of the trough, as well as if it will push inland as an upper closed low (nearly 70% of all members support this solution). Noteworthy diffluence remains expected ahead of this system, though moisture appears somewhat displaced from the forcing resulting in a lower chance for showers across northern Utah Friday evening. However, forecast confidence is increasing regarding more widespread showers developing as early as late Saturday evening which are expected to persist through Monday.

With the expected formation of the upper closed low, this system is expected to trend slower hence elevated PoPs continuing through Monday as the low ejects northeast with time. The upper low will eject northeast over the Rockies clocking our flow aloft to northwesterly as ridging builds in behind the departing system.
With the arrival of this system, a brief cooldown is expected Sunday and Monday with a gradual warmup expected from Tuesday on as heights build back in behind the departing trough.

The majority of Utah and southwest Wyoming can expect to see just rain showers from this system as snow levels remain well above valley floors. However, come Monday morning when flow clocks to northwesterly, ample moisture will be left in place for higher elevations in the Wasatch and Uintas to see some accumulating snow. Accumulations aren't expected to amount to much, generally 2-4" across the aforementioned areas with a few areas favored in a northwest flow regime seeing up to 6".

As ridging builds in with drier air entering the region, chances for rain will be generally confined to higher elevations as westerly flow will result in scattered terrain driven showers. For everywhere else, dry and warm conditions appear to take hold across much of the state as we draw closer to the end of April.

AVIATION
KSLC...VFR conditions will prevail through the TAF period. Vicinity showers will develop near the terminal following 20z with higher confidence of periodic showers at the terminal from around 00-03z, though it could last a couple hours longer.
Additionally, showers will become more widespread Thursday afternoon beginning near the end of this TAF cycle. Stratus decks should generally remain above 7000ft through the period. Winds are expected to follow a diurnal cycle with southerlies during the day today becoming northwesterly in the evening.

REST OF UTAH AND SOUTHWEST WYOMING
VFR conditions will prevail across all TAF sites through the period. An increase in shower coverage will occur this evening with increasing cloud coverage across our northern Utah and southwest Wyoming terminals. Mountain obscurations aren't expected, though sites such as KLGU and perhaps KOGD could see ceilings drop near 6000ft.

SLC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
UT...None.
WY...None.