Alert archive / Utah / Flash Flood Warnings in 2026

Flash Flood Warning 82, NWS Salt Lake City, UT

August 22, 2026Wayne County, Utah

NWS Salt Lake City, UT issued this flash flood warning at Aug 22, 2026, 1:48 PM MDT for Wayne County, Utah. It was in force for 3 hr. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Aug 22, 2026, 1:48 PM MDT (19:48 UTC)
Expired
Aug 22, 2026, 4:45 PM MDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Salt Lake City, UT
Area
Storm-based polygon
Damage threat
Considerable
Flood severity
None

County Wayne County, UT

The radar

The Cedar City radar (KICX), 164 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:50 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Aug 22, 2:45 PM MDTFLASH FLOOD1 Nne Fruita, UTSizeable flash flood passed by the visitors center around 245 PM bringing Sulphur Creek to bank full.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

Did it verify

Verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow matched one storm report to this flash flood warning; the first came 57 minutes after it went out.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The nearest sounding before it

Salt Lake City I, UT (KSLC), launched 12:00Z, 7.8 hours before the alert went out and 287 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Salt Lake City I, UT at 12:00Z on 2026-08-22Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 18 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Salt Lake City I, UT at 12:00Z on 2026-08-22The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 37 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
18 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-294 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1899 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
21 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
37 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
97 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

364 
WGUS55 KSLC 221948
FFWSLC
UTC055-222245-
/O.NEW.KSLC.FF.W.0082.260822T1948Z-260822T2245Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Salt Lake City UT
148 PM MDT Sat Aug 22 2026

The National Weather Service in Salt Lake City has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  Southwestern Wayne County in southern Utah...

* Until 445 PM MDT.

* At 148 PM MDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing
  heavy rain across portions of Capitol Reef National Park, including
  Sulphur Creek, Upper and Lower Spring Canyon, Cohab Canyon, Grand
  Wash, Capitol Gorge, and Pleasant Creek. Up to 0.5 inches of rain
  have fallen. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin
  shortly.

  HAZARD...Life threatening flash flooding. Thunderstorms producing
           flash flooding.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated.

  IMPACT...Life threatening flash flooding of creeks, streams, slot
           canyons, and normally dry washes.

* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
  Capitol Reef National Park, Fruita, Caineville, and several slot
  canyons including Sulphur Creek, Upper and Lower Spring Canyon,
  Cohab Canyon, Grand Wash, Capitol Gorge, and Pleasant Creek.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood
deaths occur in vehicles.

Remain alert for flooding even in locations not receiving rain. Dry
washes, streams, and rivers can become raging killer currents in a
matter of minutes, even from distant rainfall.

Flooding is occurring or is imminent. It is important to know where
you are relative to streams, rivers, or creeks which can become
killers in heavy rains. Campers and hikers should avoid streams or
creeks.

&&

LAT...LON 3815 11124 3826 11131 3832 11143 3839 11140
      3829 11112 3834 11103 3832 11100 3826 11107
      3820 11109 3815 11119

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED
FLASH FLOOD DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE

$$

JAC
1 follow-up statement
456 
WGUS75 KSLC 222123
FFSSLC

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Salt Lake City UT
323 PM MDT Sat Aug 22 2026

UTC055-222245-
/O.CON.KSLC.FF.W.0082.000000T0000Z-260822T2245Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Wayne UT-
323 PM MDT Sat Aug 22 2026

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 445 PM MDT THIS
AFTERNOON FOR SOUTHWESTERN WAYNE COUNTY...

At 323 PM MDT, National Park Service personnel reported flows on
Sulphur Creek from earlier thunderstorms producing heavy rain across
portions of Capitol Reef National Park. This includes Sulphur Creek,
Upper and Lower Spring Canyon, Cohab Canyon, Grand Wash, Capitol
Gorge, and Pleasant Creek. Up to 0.75 inches of rain have fallen,
primarily over the Sulphur Creek drainage. Flash flooding is already
occurring.

HAZARD...Life threatening flash flooding. Thunderstorms producing
         flash flooding.

SOURCE...National Park Service reported.

IMPACT...Life threatening flash flooding of creeks, streams, slot
         canyons, and normally dry washes.

Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
  Capitol Reef National Park, Fruita, Caineville, and several slot
  canyons including Sulphur Creek, Upper and Lower Spring Canyon,
  Cohab Canyon, Grand Wash, Capitol Gorge, and Pleasant Creek.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood
deaths occur in vehicles.

Remain alert for flooding even in locations not receiving rain. Dry
washes, streams, and rivers can become raging killer currents in a
matter of minutes, even from distant rainfall.

Flooding is occurring or is imminent. It is important to know where
you are relative to streams, rivers, or creeks which can become
killers in heavy rains. Campers and hikers should avoid streams or
creeks.

&&

LAT...LON 3815 11124 3826 11131 3832 11143 3839 11140
      3829 11112 3834 11103 3832 11100 3826 11107
      3820 11109 3815 11119

FLASH FLOOD...OBSERVED
FLASH FLOOD DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE

$$

JAC

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Salt Lake City, UT wrote its last area forecast discussion before this flash flood warning went out at Aug 22, 1:35 PM MDT, 13 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • There is a Marginal Risk (level 1/4) for excessive rainfall across most of the region through the weekend.
  • There is a Marginal Risk (level 1/5) for severe thunderstorms across portions of northwestern Utah today. There is a 5-10% chance of wind gusts in excess of 58 mph in this area through the evening.
  • A Slight Risk (level 2/5) for severe thunderstorms is outlooked for Sunday afternoon and evening across much of northern Utah. There is a 10% chance of wind gusts in excess of 70 mph with these thunderstorms Sunday afternoon and evening.
Area forecast discussion, Aug 22, 1:35 PM MDT, 13 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Salt Lake City UT
135 PM MDT Sat Aug 22 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- There is a Marginal Risk (level 1/4) for excessive rainfall
  across most of the region through the weekend.

- There is a Marginal Risk (level 1/5) for severe thunderstorms
  across portions of northwestern Utah today. There is a 5-10%
  chance of wind gusts in excess of 58 mph in this area through
  the evening.

- A Slight Risk (level 2/5) for severe thunderstorms is outlooked
  for Sunday afternoon and evening across much of northern Utah.
  There is a 10% chance of wind gusts in excess of 70 mph with
  these thunderstorms Sunday afternoon and evening.

&&

.DISCUSSION...Increased moisture across the region will support
thunderstorms capable of heavy rainfall rates. With relatively
slow storm motions today, already seeing convection anchored on
terrain training in locations and producing localized flooding of
small streams and dry washes. Will need to continue to monitor
central and southern Utah through the evening as rainfall rates in
excess of 0.50-0.75 inches per hour have been observed. The most
prone locations will be slot canyons, normally dry washes, slick
rock areas, areas with poor drainage and of course the numerous
recent burn scars across the region.

Across northwestern Utah, CAMS suggest the threat of strong to
severe microburst winds. One inhibiting factor will be the mid-
morning to early afternoon convection that moved across
northwestern Utah. This likely stabilized the atmosphere a
bit...and additional convective potential may be suppressed for
several hours. While earlier runs of the HRRR showed significant
wind gusts impacting northwestern Utah and perhaps the Wasatch
Front in the 21Z-02Z timeframe, later runs have largely shifted
away from this solution. Mesoanalysis correlates a fair amount of
inhibition...and guidance suggests this CIN may not be overcome by
the end of peak heating.

Sunday looks to be a potentially interesting day convection-wise.
A weak area of convergence associated with a Pacific trough will
shift into northwestern Utah. Mean HREF SBCAPE values will near
1000 J/kg across much of northern Utah by noon to 1 PM. This
combined with deep layer shear around 25-30 kts and general
synoptic scale lift will support convective development across
much of Utah after noon. The most intense convection will likely
be across northern Utah. HREF suggests a neighborhood probability
of wind gusts in excess of 55 mph around 15-25%, especially near
and west of the Great Salt Lake, and 10% or so in excess of 60
mph. The Storm Prediction Center has outlooked this area with a
slight risk (level 2/5) for Sunday afternoon and evening including
the Wasatch Front.

Across central and southern Utah, another day of thunderstorms
with the threat of heavy rainfall is expected. Peak rainfall rates
in guidance are notably lower than Saturday, correlating well with
a net drying trend. That said, the threat of at least isolated
flash flooding in the most prone locations will continue Sunday
afternoon and evening, especially across central and southern
Utah.

The Pacific trough will finally shift into the northern High
Plains, shifting any large scale forcing for convection to the
east. Given there wasn't a front to sweep out the low-level
moisture in the low desert areas, expect the threat of isolated
flash flooding to persist in any areas that develop convection
through at least Monday...if not longer.

&&

.AVIATION...

KSLC...There is low confidence in wind direction this afternoon and
evening, particularly near any storms. High-based showers and
thunderstorms will begin to develop over the Oquirrh Mountains after
20z, with storms potentially moving over the terminal after 21z or
so, resulting in gusty and erratic outflow winds reaching 40kts for
a brief period (10% chance). BLDU may result in brief VIS
reductions. The threat of showers will linger well into the
evening/overnight hours (until 09-10z), with a continued threat of
outflow winds.

REST OF UTAH AND SOUTHWEST WYOMING...High-based showers and
thunderstorms will continue to develop across much of the area (all
but KCDC-KSGU) this afternoon, first over higher terrain. These
storms will be capable of producing gusty and erratic outflow winds
up to 40kts (up to 50kts across NW-UT). Storms will likely subside
across southern UT between 02-04z, though showers are likely to
linger through the overnight hours across the rest of the
area...gradually weakening through the night. Outflow winds will
result in low confidence in wind direction through much of the valid
TAF period.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...Afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms
will become more isolated through early Monday, and largely tied
to terrain. Any showers and thunderstorms this weekend will have
the threat of strong, gusty microburst winds.

Over the work-week, valley humidities will fall slowly each day,
reaching near critical to critical levels as early as Monday.
There is little sign of an additional monsoon surge after this
weekend until after the next weekend.

&&

.SLC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
UT...None.
WY...None.
&&

Kruse/Cunningham

For more information from NOAA's National Weather Service visit...
http://weather.gov/saltlakecity

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Aug 22, 1:38 PM MDT, 10 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Salt Lake City UT
138 PM MDT Sat Aug 22 2026

UTZ113-114-222030-
Western Uinta Basin UT-Wasatch Plateau/Book Cliffs UT-
138 PM MDT Sat Aug 22 2026

...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of central Duchesne
County through 230 PM MDT
...

At 137 PM MDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 9
miles southwest of Starvation Reservoir, or 10 miles southwest of
Duchesne, moving northeast at 20 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph and half inch hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
         possible.

Locations impacted include...
Roosevelt, Duchesne, Myton, Starvation Reservoir, Altamont, Upalco,
Arcadia, Cedarview, Bridgeland, Utahn, and Neola.

This includes the following highways...
 US Route 40 between mile markers 72 and 115.
 Utah Route 35 between mile markers 56 and 62.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.

&&

LAT...LON 3994 11060 4016 11073 4050 11010 4034 10998
      4017 10997
TIME...MOT...LOC 1937Z 241DEG 19KT 4007 11055

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...55 MPH

CRK

The office that day

Everything else NWS Salt Lake City, UT issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 21, 9:48 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementSLCTooele42 min
Aug 22, 12:09 PM MDTAreal Flood AdvisorySLCSevier96 min
Aug 22, 1:38 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementSLCDuchesne52 min
Aug 22, 2:04 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSLCDuchesne41 min
Aug 22, 2:44 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementSLCDuchesne31 min
Aug 22, 3:00 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementSLCSalt Lake45 min
Aug 22, 3:31 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementSLCDuchesne44 min
Aug 22, 3:51 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementSLC39 min
Aug 22, 3:58 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementSLCSalt Lake47 min
Aug 22, 4:13 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementSLCTooele47 min
Aug 22, 4:37 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementSLCTooele38 min
Aug 22, 4:50 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSLCTooele25 min
Aug 22, 5:14 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatSLCBox Elder, Tooele27 min
Aug 22, 5:15 PM MDTAreal Flood AdvisorySLCTooele3 hr
Aug 22, 5:27 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementSLCTooele48 min
Aug 22, 5:45 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSLCBox Elder, Tooele45 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Utah, 2026Every flash flood warning in 2026

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.