October arrived in Utah with the promise of cooler fall temperatures and changing leaves, but summer heat lingers. On Friday, Salt Lake City experienced record-high temperatures for this time of year.
Per KSL.com, the National Weather Service recorded temperatures reaching 92 degrees at the Salt Lake City International Airport, breaking the previous record of 86 degrees set in 1963.
It marked the first time temperatures in the 90s have been recorded in October since the weather service began tracking the city’s temperatures in 1874.
Typically, highs in October reach around 72 degrees, with lows of 57 degrees, according to Weather Spark. Rare exceptions see temperatures rise to 83 degrees or dip to 45 degrees.
In addition to the heat, the National Weather Service issued a warning for “critical fire weather conditions,” due to the combination of heat, low humidity and wind. The advisory was lifted on Friday.
This news comes as Utah continues to battle the Yellow Lake wildfire.
Yellow Lake wildfire grows, evacuations ordered
The Yellow Lake wildfire has spread to 16,053 acres and is now 10% contained, according to a press release from Utah Fire Info on Monday.
“Firefighters had slightly better weather as the winds died down in the morning, giving crews more favorable conditions to engage the fire,” the press release said. “The fire continues to be resistant to control and remains highly active and growing.”
They also noted that, due to weaker winds, an inversion resulted, trapping smoke in Duchesne, Summit and Wasatch counties.
Mandatory evacuation orders are in place for the North and West forks of the Duchesne River. A READY order, meaning residents should prepare for possible evacuation, has been issued for the Granddaddy Lakes area in the Ashley National Forest and unincorporated community of Hanna.
The Yellow Lake wildfire was determined to be human caused, but is still under investigation, per a statement by the Forest Service.
Utah Fire Info is urging caution with target shooting after two other wildfires were sparked by shooting into the wilderness.
They also reminded residents that fireworks are illegal in Utah until restrictions are relaxed for the Fourth of July celebrations.
St. George Marathon heat concerns
The ongoing heat wave also raised concerns for the St. George Marathon, with officials worried about the safety of runners.
“This may be one of our hottest marathons that we’ve ever had,” St. George City Marketing and Communications Director David Cordero told Fox 13. “We hope everyone is just really focused on their own safety out there, that they’re hydrated, that they’ve got enough food in their system and all that stuff.”
St. George recorded temperatures of 101 degrees last Wednesday — the first time triple-digit heat had been experienced in the area this late in the year, according to Fox 13.
Despite the conditions, the marathon proceeded without any reported issues.
Michael Ottesen, a former Brigham Young University track star, won the men’s division.
“Conditions were definitely warm, but also favorable,” Ottesen told reporters after the race, per St. George News.
“We had a nice tail wind to start,” he added. “It was a little bit chillier than I expected at the start, so I can’t complain about that.”
Kodi Kleven of Vineyard, Utah, claimed first place in the women’s division, breaking the previous course record she set in 2021 with a time of 2:30:43.