facebook-pixel

Flash flood watch issued for much of southern Utah

Salt Lake City will be dry on Tuesday, thunderstorms are expected starting Wednesday.

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Following weeks of persistent drought conditions, Salt Lake City saw significant rain fall on Saturday. A flash flood watch has been issued for southern Utah on Tuesday.

It’ll be hot and dry in northern Utah on Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service, but a flash flood watch has been issued for much of the southern part of the state.

Scattered showers and thunderstorms will develop in the afternoon and evening, and areas of heavy rainfall may produce flash flooding. The watch will be in effect from 1 p.m.-midnight in an area that includes St. George, Cedar City, Milford, Escalante, Bryce Canyon National Park and Zion National Park.

Runoff from the rain may result in flash flooding in slot canyons, normally dry washes, slickrock areas and low-lying, flood-prone locations, according to the National Weather Service.

Flash flooding is “probable” in Bryce Canyon, Zion and Grand Staircase-Escalante on Tuesday, and “possible” in Utah’s other national parks and monuments — Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Glen Canyon, Natural Bridges, Grand Gulch and San Rafael Swell — according to the National Weather Service. And on Wednesday, flash flooding is “probable” at all of those areas except for Arches and Canyonlands, where it is “possible.”

(National Weather Service) Flash flooding is "possible" or "probable" at Utah's national parks and national monuments on Tuesday and Wednesday.

There’s no rain in the forecast for Salt Lake City on Tuesday, where a high of 97 is expected. But there’s a chance of afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms each day Wednesday-Monday.

Temperatures will fall to 94 on Wednesday, 90 on Thursday and 89 Friday-Monday. Expect overnight lows in the upper 60s.

The forecast high for St. George is 100 on Tuesday, and heavy rain is expected in the afternoon and evening. There’s a chance of more showers and thunderstorms each afternoon and evening through Monday, with highs in the mid-90s and overnight lows in the low to mid-70s.

Air quality will be orange/unhealthy for sensitive groups on Tuesday in Salt Lake, Davis, Tooele, Utah, Weber and Box Elder counties, according to the Utah Department of Air Quality, and yellow/moderate in other monitored areas. All monitored areas are expected to be yellow/moderate on Wednesday.