Utah Annual Temperatures and Extremes

City

Avg High Temp

Avg Low Temp 

Avg Annual Temp

 Avg # days > 90F Avg # days < 32F  Record High Temp Record Low Temp
Milford 65.5 33.3 51.4 54 178 107 / 1998 -35 / 1990
Salt Lake City 63.9 40.3 52.1 57 124 107 / 1960 -22 / 1949
  • Utah annual average temperature - 48.64 degrees, 32nd warmest state in the U.S.
  • Record Hottest year in Utah - 2012 / Avg temperature 51.63 degrees
  • Record Coldest year in Utah - 1917 / Avg temperature 45.5 degrees
  • Utah average Summer temperature (June, July, August) 69.6 F degrees, 30th warmest U.S. summer state
  • Utah average Winter temperature (December, January, February) 28.2 F degrees, 18th coldest U.S. winter state

Utah's Temperature Records 

  • Hottest temperature ever recorded: 117 F, St George, southwestern Utah, 7/5/1985
  • Coldest temperature ever recorded: -69 F, Peter's Sink, northern Utah, 2/1/1985 (3rd coldest in U.S.)
  • Hottest location ranked by highest average annual temperature: St George, southwestern Utah, 61.1 F
  • Coldest location ranked by lowest average annual temperature: Silver Lake / Brighton, northern Utah, 36.6 F

There are definite variations in temperature in Utah with altitude and with latitude. Naturally, the mountains and the elevated valleys have the cooler climate, with the lower areas of the State having the higher temperatures. There is about a three degree Fahrenheit (° F) decrease in mean annual temperature for each 1,000- foot increase in altitude, and approximately 1.5 to two degrees decrease in average yearly temperature for each one degree increase in latitude. Thus, weather stations in the southern counties generally have average annual temperatures six to eight degrees higher than those at similar altitudes over the northern counties.

Temperatures above 100° F occur occasionally in summer in nearly all parts of the State. However, low humidity makes these high temperatures more bearable than in more humid regions. During the warmer season of the year, air conditioning is used in a large portion of the commercial establishments over the State, but only in a small portion of family dwellings. Due to the dryness of the air, evaporative cooler operate very efficiently. Maximum temperatures can occasionally exceed 110° F. The highest temperature recorded in Utah was 117° F at St. George only July 5, 1985.

Subzero temperatures during the winter and early spring are uncommon in most areas Utah, and prolonged periods of extremely cold weather are rare. This is primarily due to the mountains to east and north of the State, which act as a barrier to intensely cold continental Artic air masses. The lowest temperature of record is -69° F at Peter’s Sink on February 1, 1985.

Utah experiences relatively strong insolation during the day and rapid nocturnal cooling, resulting in wide daily ranges in temperature. Even after the hottest days, nights are usually cool over the State.

On clear nights the colder air drains onto the valley bottoms, while the foothills and bench areas remain relatively warm. For this reason, the higher lands at the edges of the valleys are devoted ordinarily to the more valuable and delicate fruits, berries and vegetables, while the hardier grains and vegetables are planted in the bottom land.

Owing to the varied topography of Utah, there are no orderly extensive zones of equal length of growing season between the last freeze in the spring and the first in the fall. There are however, from 4.5 to five months of freeze-free growing weather in the State’s principal agricultural areas. A difference of two weeks in the growing season is often noted in the same valley between the bottom lands and the adjacent farming lands at the foot of the mountains.

 

Utah precipitation averages and extremes, Top 10 climate extremes, precipitation data for all U.S. states
Data source: National Climatic Data Center