WEATHER

What to know as excessive heat, flash-flood potential linger in Utah this week

Jun 24, 2024, 12:34 PM

Flash flooding in Moab on Friday. Excessive heat remains a fixture in Utah's northern half, while f...

Flash flooding in Moab on Friday. Excessive heat remains a fixture in Utah's northern half, while flash floods are possible across the southern half to start this week — but more showers are possible later in the week. (Nick Weir, iWitness)

(Nick Weir, iWitness)

SALT LAKE CITY — Extreme heat will linger across the Wasatch Front for a few more days, while flash flooding potential lingers across southern Utah to start this week, as different weather patterns continue to play out across the state.

The National Weather Service on Monday issued excessive heat warnings and heat advisories throughout the Wasatch Front, northern Utah, the West Desert and parts of central Utah that will remain in effect through Tuesday night.

The hot temperatures are the result of a high-pressure ridge that is set up over New Mexico at the moment, says KSL meteorologist Matt Johnson. Temperatures are forecast to reach the upper 90s and lower 100s over the next two days, while overnight lows may “briefly” touch the mid-70s, according to the National Weather Service.

The agency’s alerts advise residents to take precautions by staying hydrated and avoiding the sun as much as possible. It recommends people stay in air-conditioned rooms and wear lightweight and loose clothing as much as possible when outside during the heat of the day.

Children and pets should also not be left unattended in a vehicle at any time.

But the high-pressure system won’t prevent some scattered showers from continuing to impact southern Utah over the next few days, which could produce more flash flooding in the region after moisture tied to the remnants of Tropical Storm Alberto primarily impacted central, eastern and southern Utah.

The weather service advises flash flooding is “probable” in recreation areas like Capitol Reef National Park, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument on Monday, and is “possible” at a few other recreation areas across southwest and south-central Utah. It’s possible on Tuesday across many of the same areas.

Johnson explains the potential is coming from scattered showers that will likely move into southern Utah as they bounce around the high-pressure system. The flooding risk could increase on Wednesday as more widespread scattered showers are forecast, but that will also put an end to the excessive heat.

That’s because a storm pattern from the Pacific is expected to produce showers and thunderstorms across most of the state on Wednesday. High temperatures across the Wasatch Front are forecast to drop into the upper 80s and lower 90s by the end of the workweek, as well.

Full seven-day forecasts for areas across Utah can be found online at the KSL Weather Center.

This week’s projected rain builds on what Utah received over the past few days.

Communities in central and eastern Utah, like Blanding, received 1.37 inches of rain, while Price and Bluff also ended up with over an inch of rain. Some other nearby communities — like Moab and Price — wound up with just under an inch, although higher and lower totals were possible throughout the region because of the scattered nature of the storms.

This was both good and bad news for the impacted regions. On one hand, it helped the driest part of the state, as the U.S. Drought Monitor lists most of eastern Utah as either in moderate drought or “abnormally dry” — accounting for nearly all the drought in the state.

But Johnson said some of the totals were collected in short bursts, which led to flash flooding that displaced some residents in the impacted regions.

The system also provided some decent rain totals in the Wasatch Front, which wasn’t initially projected to receive much rain. Salt Lake City received a third-inch of rain and Magna received over a half-inch on Friday.

KSL 5 TV Live

Weather

A view of snowy road conditions on the Eastern Plains on Thursday, Nov. 7. (CSP/KCNC via CNN Newsou...

Alan Gionet, CNN

Travelers stranded in snowy eastern Colorado reflect on “rough couple of days” on the highways

Days after taking refuge from the pounding of a winter storm, stranded travelers are looking at more trouble ahead on the Eastern Plains in Colorado.

2 hours ago

Vehicles make their way south on U.S. 84/285 near Pojoaque, New Mexico, on Thursday morning, Nov. 7...

SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN, Associated Press

Thousands without power as winter storm rolls over New Mexico

Tens of thousands of people in New Mexico were without power Thursday as the first major winter storm of the season rolled across the northern two-thirds of the state and into Colorado.

2 days ago

People at a bus stop shield themselves with cardboard amid wind and rain during the passage of Hurr...

Andrea Rodriguez, Associated Press

Cuba left reeling after Category 3 hurricane ravages island and knocks out power grid

Cuba has been left reeling after a fierce Category 3 hurricane ripped across western portions of the island, knocking out the country’s power grid, downing trees and damaging infrastructure.

2 days ago

This satellite image provided by NOAA shows Hurricane Rafael on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024 in the Cari...

Mary Gilbert, CNN

Hurricane Rafael rapidly intensifies into a Category 3 storm just hours before landfall in Cuba

Hurricane Rafael is rapidly intensifying in the Caribbean and is expected to become a Category 3 hurricane before it slams into Cuba Wednesday.

3 days ago

A man walks past the the U.S. Embassy during rains brought on by tropical storm Rafael in Kingston,...

Associated Press

Tropical Storm Rafael strengthens to Category 1 hurricane

Tropical Storm Rafael strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane on Tuesday as it swirled past the Cayman Islands and chugged toward western Cuba, where it’s forecast to hit as a Category 2 hurricane.

4 days ago

Tropical Storm Rafael formed in the Caribbean Sea on Monday afternoon. (CNN Weather via CNN Newsour...

Mary Gilbert, CNN

Tropical Storm Rafael forms in the Caribbean and could threaten the US Gulf Coast

Tropical Storm Rafael formed in the Caribbean Sea Monday afternoon and could bring a rare November threat to the United States this weekend after tearing through parts of the western Caribbean.

4 days ago

Sponsored Articles

abstract vector digital social network technology background...

Les Olson

Protecting yourself against social engineering attacks

Learn more about the common types of social engineering to protect your online or offline assets from an attack.

family having fun at home...

Lighting Design

Discover the impact of lighting on your mood

From color temperature to lighting saturation, we tackle how different lighting design setups can impact your day-to-day mood.

Laptops in a modern technology store. Department of computers in the electronics store. Choosing a ...

PC Laptops

How to choose the best laptop for college students

Finding the right laptop for college students can be hard, but with this guide we break down what to look for so you can find the best one.

young male technician is repairing a printer at office...

Les Olson

Unraveling the dilemma between leasing and buying office technology

Carefully weigh these pros and cons to make an informed decision that best suits your business growth and day-to-day operation. 

A kitchen in a modern farmhouse....

Lighting Design

A room-by-room lighting guide for your home

Bookmark this room-by-room lighting guide whenever you decide to upgrade your lighting or style a new home.

Photo courtesy of Artists of Ballet West...

Ballet West

The rising demand for ballet tickets: why they’re harder to get

Ballet West’s box office is experiencing demand they’ve never seen before, leaving many interested patrons unable to secure tickets they want.

What to know as excessive heat, flash-flood potential linger in Utah this week