Classes Canceled, Thousands Without Power After Severe Winds
Sep 8, 2020, 6:16 AM | Updated: 12:00 pm
High winds damaged trees and snapped power poles in Farmington on Sept. 8, 2020. (Stephanie Paget)
(Stephanie Paget)
BOUNTIFUL, Utah – There were mass power outages Tuesday following an overnight storm that brought wind gusts up to 75 miles per hour in some areas.
According to Rocky Mountain Power, tens of thousands of customers were experiencing outages.
The National Weather Service reported gusts in Salt Lake City at or above 70 miles per hour. At 6:38 a.m., an 80-mile-per-hour gust was recorded at Hill Air Force Base, and a 97-mile-per-hour gust was reported in Farmington just before 7:30 a.m.
Drivers
A portion of I-15 was closed near the Box Elder / Weber county line due to winds, according to UDOT.
Driver Alert: NB I-15 is closed at MP 352 near the Box Elder/Weber County line. Expect major delays in the area. Check the UDOT Traffic App or @waze for updates. @UDOTRegionOne @UtahTrucking
— UDOT Traffic (@UDOTTRAFFIC) September 8, 2020
Those commuting Tuesday morning should expect strong winds and drive accordingly, according to the Utah Department of Transportation.
“Make sure that you’re focused, that you have both hands on the steering wheel, and be prepared for those gusts,” said UDOT spokesperson John Gleason. “They can be unexpected and you want to make sure you know what you’re getting into before you drive to work.”
He said drivers also need to be ready for any debris that might be blown into the road, including trampolines and lawn furniture.
The Utah Highway Patrol reported five semi-trucks had tipped over through Box Elder, Weber and Davis counties, and troopers have advised drivers to avoid I-84 in Weber County.
ALERT: We are restricting semi travel in Box Elder, Weber and Davis counties after a number have blown over due to the high winds in the area. We also have several trees and low power lines partially blocking highways & interstates in the area.
— Utah Highway Patrol (@UTHighwayPatrol) September 8, 2020
High profile vehicles will be prohibited on northbound I-15 from North Salt Lake at mile post 3131 to Kaysville until noon.
In Davis County, US 89 has been closed from Park Lane in Farmington to Oak Hills Drive in Layton due to multiple downed power lines. Drivers should avoid the area.
Troopers, UDOT & tow truck crews are working to clear a total of five semis blown over through Box Elder, Weber and Davis Counties. Blown over & low power lines have parts of US 89 shut down. The pictures below are of I-84 in Weber Co. Please avoid the area if possible. pic.twitter.com/YSxT08zuMs
— Lt. Nick Street (@LtStreetPIO) September 8, 2020
Downed trees broken fences here in Centerville as we now have daylight #KSLTV #utwx pic.twitter.com/dtOdBktcnU
— Derek Petersen (@Derek_Photog) September 8, 2020
Schools
The following schools and school districts have canceled classes Tuesday:
Ascent Academy in Farmington
City Academy in Salt Lake City
Davis School District
Highmark Charter in South Weber
Nuames High School campuses in Ogden and Layton
Ogden Prep Academy
Ogden School District
Reid School in Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City School District
University of Utah
Weber School District
Weber State University
The following schools and school districts are on a delay or have partial cancelations:
Cache County School District is on a two-hour delay.
Spectrum Academy in North Salt Lake is on a two-hour delay.
TRAX Service
UTA reported that TRAX trains are not operational due to lack of power and debris on the tracks. Service has also been interrupted on the FrontRunner between Woods Cross and North Temple due to power lines and debris on the tracks. A bus bridge is in place between those two stations.
“Buses throughout the UTA system having to improvise or be re-routed due to power lines in streets,” according to UTA spokesperson Carl Arky.
He said riders should check the UTA app, Twitter feed or the website rideuta.com for current updates regarding service interruptions.
The High Wind Warning is continuing for areas along the Wasatch Front until noon Tuesday.
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