This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Severe thunderstorms filled rivers in southern Utah while crews in Utah County worked to clear flooded streets Friday afternoon.
"Gutters are flowing over capacity all over town," Spanish Fork city officials wrote in a statement following showers Friday afternoon. Residents were urged to check gutters for debris that may plug a drain. Crews also were traveling around the city to address minor floods, officials wrote.
Flash flooding was reported in Capitol Reef National Park's Sulphur Creek, said Steve Rogowski, meteorologist for the National Weather Service. Thunderstorms filled the normally-shallow creek with water several feet deep.
In Wellington, near Price, a strong thrunderstorm dumped 1.89 inches of rain, along with hail that reached 2 inches deep, Rogowski said.
However, other flood-prone areas appear to have escaped without major flows. Emery County's Seeley Fire burn scar did not produce debris slides as feared, Rogowski said.
Highs on Friday reached 74 degrees in Salt Lake City and Provo but only 68 degrees in Ogden, Rogowski said.
On Saturday, storms in Salt Lake City should decrease and become scattered throughout the day. Temperatures will hover in the upper 70s. Southwest Utah, where heavy flooding undermined roads and cut off highways throughout the week, experienced only scattered showers Friday. Temperatures in St. George reached 86 Friday; highs were expected to climb a few degrees more Saturday.
According to the NWS, the rain that has soaked Utah — and flooded parts of Colorado — is the product of a slow-moving storm from Arizona. However, Friday was the first day of the week in which large swaths of the state were not covered in flood watches and warnings.
Mike Conger, an NWS meteorologist, did not anticipate additional flood warnings or watches. He expected Saturday's weather to be similar to Friday's, but added that the state should begin "getting in that fall-like pattern" later in the weekend.
The Utah Division of Air Quality anticipated clean air across the state this weekend.
Forecasters predicted a high of 76 degrees in Salt Lake City and Provo; 75 in Ogden; 75 in Logan; 90 in St. George; 70 in Duchesne; 79 in Moab; 66 in Park City; and 75 in Wendover.
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