Hot and smoky weather in Utah with critical fire conditions

in Utah right now is 112 years old. >> Alana, do we give them a round of applause or what on the bass or we give them 112 kisses for today? Well wishes it doesn't matter. I think that is whatever I want it. Yes, that's right. I want well, you get to pick your birthday gift birthday dinner birthday. By all of that. Yeah. >> Hey, we've got smoke out there and I know that you're seeing it. You're smelling it. And unfortunately, the winds making it worse. Live view from the colonial flag Tower camera right here at the ABC for studios. You can see our flag at half-mast. Sarah, just reference that you also notice that wildfire smoke clouding our skies. Temperatures in the upper 80's, these dense plumes of smoke actually playing with temperatures a little bit. As we look at our wind gust, we know that we're seeing strong southwesterly winds ahead of the approaching cold front. That is going to mean when stay problematic this evening for the Wasatch Front End West Desert until about midnight. We're going to see that slow moving front move in and then eventually throughout the day, Thursday make its way towards eastern Utah. But strong winds hold on for the eastern side of the state into our Thursday afternoon and evening. So heads up there will be breezy tomorrow, but the strong southwest winds, they're going to be here for the next several hours that has added to our critical fire danger. A red flag warning for the West desert in effect until midnight, unfortunately with wildfires burning. That makes it very difficult for fire crews notice on the eastern side of the state that red flag hold on until tomorrow night at 08:00PM. And that's due to the movement of the cold front. So they will see those stronger winds until the front passes and clears the state as the storm system will lift out of the area. Live view from Saint George unhealthy air. You can even see our Pine Valley Mountains. Where's the Red Rock? This is a tough shot here. We started to see the smoke increasing last night in Washington County late last night. It's continued throughout the day. Our southwest flow tracking wildfire smoke from Southern California. Wildfires into the state that has pushed all the way to the Wasatch Front. Now you're going when do we get relief? Alanna? I hear you. The front's going to come through and push that thicker smoke to the east. We get some momentary relief as we head into the overnight. But here's the bad news friends. Unfortunately that behind the front we get a northwest flow and we've got fires burning in the Pacific Northwest with dense smoke. We're going to drag that and pull that into northern Utah for your Thursday. So unfortunately, smoke-filled skies. Stick around. The DEQ calling for moderate air quality. But I'm going to be honest with you tomorrow. We could see periods of unhealthy air as we've seen this evening and we will continue to see into tonight. I know. But by Friday, that's your answer. That's when we should start to see relief as the winds change and become a little more westerly. Live view from Utah Lake can't see the Lake Mountains. That usually is a gorgeous view from London. But unfortunately, we're not seeing it today. Temperatures in the upper 80's. We're still running above average. The southwest winds also crank those numbers. 80's along the Wasatch Front. 95 in Saint George got some 90's on the eastern side of the state upper 80's in places like Salt Lake. We've been sitting at 89 next several hours dropping into the 70's. The smoke sticks around becomes a little hazy for the overnight before it comes back. Precipitation potential with the storm isn't totally impressive. The front comes through, but we have a chance of some light rain showers in the early morning hours. But with northwest flow, some of the showers could hold on along the Wasatch Front into the afternoon. So we just know it's going to be an unsettled. A future cast kind of shows us. We narrow in on the state line to Layton by 03:00AM early morning commuters. Best chance for moistures up towards Cache Valley. Before high pressure takes control and we get drier air and cooler air heading into our Thursday. Really cool. The system's going to actually lift on Friday to the Northeast, but it leaves behind fall temperatures so much so that a brand-new freeze watch has been issued for the Wasatch Back, 20's 30's. This is a season ending event for Park City, Huntsville, Morgan cover your tomatoes know just bring them in because this is going to be a bit of a snap here with those temperatures. Highs tomorrow dropping drastically 60's and 70's who's feeling like fall? I know Sarah Murphy is 70's 90's on the eastern side of state, 90 in Saint George Batts, a drop because we've been in the upper 90's, the smoke. Hold on. Here's a look at the next 7 days. You actually notice another fall system early next week. That's also going to impact the Wasatch Front. The big takeaway on top of air quality is the temperature dip. We're going from the upper 80's, low 90's and locations today to low 70's tomorrow. We hang there through the end of the workweek mild for your weekend. But pay fall. We fell