Weather alert: Heat advisory issued for Utah’s Pioneer Day
Jul 22, 2024, 4:44 PM
FILE — A lone tree greets the sunrise at Dead Horse Point State Park in Grand County in this undated photo. (Courtesy Larry D. Curtis)
(Courtesy Larry D. Curtis)
SALT LAKE CITY — As Utahns gather to celebrate Pioneer Day and await a hoped-for announcement from the International Olympic Committee, nature is going to bring the heat.
KSL’s weather team expects the high on July 24 to hit 103 degrees, with overnight lows dropping down to 74. The good news for those who are attending the party at Salt Lake City’s Washington Square, is that a 2:30 a.m. start time will be many hours before dangerous heat hits the city.
Ahead of temperatures expected to bake the Wasatch Front on its state holiday, comes a heat advisory. From noon to 10 p.m. those along the northern Wasatch Front can expect enough heat to cause illness. This is especially alarming after heat has claimed the lives of several people in Utah’s outdoors, the latest in Quail Creek State Park.
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The heat advisory for Wednesday applies to the Wasatch Front, the Great Salt Lake Desert and mountains, Tooele and Rush valleys, the Utah portion of Cache Valley, and eastern Juab and Millard counties.
Experts remind those who will be outside that heat stroke is an emergency and those suffering from its effects should call 9-1-1. People who are outside are advised to drink plenty of fluids and to wear lightweight and loose-fitting clothing. It is advised early morning and evening hours are best for strenuous activities.
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Staying out of the sun is also advised, along with a reminder to check on relatives, neighbors and pets.
Earlier this summer two hikers were killed in Canyonlands National Park, and another in Snow Canyon State Park. Ohers were rescued or treated for heat-related illness.
Heat exhaustion is the top cause of weather-related deaths. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 120,000 people visited emergency rooms in 2023 for heat-related illnesses, and more than 2,300 people died from heat exposure.
