Skyline Eagles athletes face a second weather disruption in three days as a record-threatening heat wave is forecast to push Salt Lake City to 104°F on Friday, Aug. 7, and Saturday, Aug. 8, landing squarely in the final stretch of fall preseason camp.

The incoming ridge of high pressure will begin strengthening over Utah on Thursday, Aug. 6, with triple-digit temperatures returning to the Wasatch Front, according to ABC4. The National Weather Service's HeatRisk monitor rates the threat at "major" to "extreme" for valley areas Friday through Sunday, and heat alerts will likely be issued as overnight lows stay in the 70s and 80s.

For head coach Brandon Matich's football program, the timing is brutal.

The Eagles are still inside UHSAA's mandatory 14-day heat acclimatization window, with their season opener against Stansbury set for Thursday, Aug. 13, at 7 p.m. at home. Skyline volleyball and girls soccer are also deep in preseason work ahead of the Aug. 12 first day of school in Granite School District.

What UHSAA rules require

UHSAA mandates that all outdoor programs use Wet Bulb Globe Temperature devices to measure heat stress before and during practice. Salt Lake City-area schools fall under Category 2, which triggers a full shutdown of outdoor activities when the WBGT reading exceeds 89.8°F.

Below that threshold, a color-coded activity chart governs what coaches can do:

• Green (below ~79.8°F WBGT): Normal activities.
• Yellow: Use discretion, three rest breaks per hour.
• Orange: Maximum two hours of practice, four rest breaks per hour.
• Red: Maximum one hour of practice, no conditioning drills.
• Black (above 89.8°F WBGT): All outdoor activities canceled.

Cold water immersion tubs must be on site for every preseason practice. If an athlete shows signs of exertional heat stroke, the protocol is "cool first, transport second," with the goal of lowering body temperature to 102°F within 30 minutes.

Already tested by smoke

As we reported Aug. 3, wildfire smoke from Pacific Northwest fires pushed Millcreek's air quality to "unhealthy for sensitive groups" on Monday, Aug. 3, activating separate UHSAA air quality modifications. That event forced Matich and his staff to adjust practice intensity during the program's first camp under his leadership.

The Eagles return eight offensive starters and six on defense, including senior running back Jonah Mailei and transfer quarterback Tate Johnson, for a squad picked to win Region 10 in the preseason coaches poll. Losing practice reps to consecutive weather events during acclimatization week adds pressure to an already compressed timeline before the Stansbury opener.

Relief expected Sunday

Forecasters expect monsoonal moisture to return by Sunday, bringing precipitation chances and temperatures closer to average early next week. Highs on Wednesday, Aug. 5, stayed in the upper 80s and low 90s across northern Utah, giving teams one more moderate day before the heat arrives.

Skyline football hosts Stansbury on Thursday, Aug. 13, at 7 p.m. for the season opener.