Severe to extreme drought conditions were the norm across eastern Utah through the month of July. Agriculture, hydrologic and fire concerns were all heightened across the region.
Every event with a place to put it; 7 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS GJT wrote it up.
Severe to extreme drought conditions were the norm across eastern Utah through the month of July. Agriculture, hydrologic and fire concerns were all heightened across the region. However, by the end of the month the Southwest Monsoon was beginning to show some of promise of relief. Thunderstorms, some with heavy rain and flooding, became more widespread across the southern and central portion of the area by the end of the month.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Grand Junction, CO wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 30, 8:56 PM MST, 3 hours 4 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO 956 PM MDT SUN JUN 30 2013 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 956 PM MDT SUN JUN 30 2013 DRIER AIR ALOFT (ABOVE 450 MB ON THE EVENING SOUNDING) LIMITED CONVECTIVE POTENTIAL EARLIER TODAY...ESPECIALLY NORTHWEST COLORADO WHERE CONVECTIVE TOWERS WERE IMPACTED BY ENTRAINED DRY AIR. WATER VAPOR SHOW THIS DRIER AIR SPREADING SOUTHWARD ACROSS THE WESTERN SLOPE...ESSENTIALLY ENDING THE CONVECTIION FOR TODAY. FORECAST GRIDS HAVE BEEN UPDATED TO REFLECT CURRENT OBSERVATIONAL TRENDS. WITH ENHANCED NORTHERLY FLOW...VISIBILITIES HAVE IMPROVED WITH SRN VALLEYS SHOWING IMPROVED VISIBILITIES. && .SHORT TERM...(TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY) ISSUED AT 247 PM MDT SUN JUN 30 2013 AS ANTICIPATED...CONVECTION STARTED FIRING A LITTLE AFTER 12PM WITH AREAS GENERALLY SOUTH OF I-70 BEING FAVORED THOUGH AN OCCASIONAL CELL HAS POPPED NORTH OF THAT AREA. WEB CAMS IN TELLURIDE DO SHOW WET PAVEMENT SO SOME PLACES ARE GETTING SOME MUCH NEEDED RAIN OUT OF THESE STORMS. WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWS DARKENING...INDICATING DRIER AIR...JUST ENTERING NRN UTAH INTO EXTREME NWRN CO WITH SOME VORT MAXES MOVING OVER SRN HALF OF CWA. EVERYTHING APPEARS TO BE MATCHING UP AS EXPECTED. DRY LIGHTNING STILL A CONCERN AS DESCRIBED BELOW SO RED FLAG WARNING CONTINUES. WILL KEEP STORMS IN FORECAST UP NORTH FOR NOW AS HEATING CONTINUES THOUGH WITH DRIER AIR MOVING INTO AREA...DON'T HOLD OUT MUCH HOPE UP THERE. NEXT SHIFT MAY NEED TO REMOVE STORMS FROM FORECAST. MODELS KEEP ISOLATED CONVECTION GOING THROUGH MIDNIGHT WITH A SHARP DROP OFF AFTER THAT WHICH MAKES SENSE AS THE DRIER AIR ADVECTS INTO THE REGION. FOR MONDAY...ALL MODELS IN GENERALLY GOOD AGREEMENT WITH NORTHERLY FLOW SETTING UP AS THE HIGH PRESSURE REMAINS OVER THE GREAT BASIN. MODELS HAVE ALSO CUT BACK ON PRECIP FOR OUR AREA TOMORROW WITH MOUNTAINS BEING FAVORED BUT EVEN SO...COVERAGE IS MUCH LESS THAN SEEN OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS. DROPPED POPS SOME TO ACCOUNT FOR THIS. TEMPS WILL STILL RUN ABOUT 5 DEGREES WARMER THAN NORMAL UNDER THE HIGH PRESSURE. .LONG TERM...(MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY) ISSUED AT 247 PM MDT SUN JUN 30 2013 BY TUESDAY AFTERNOON THE HIGH WILL BE CENTERED OVER THE NORTHERN GREAT BASIN...WITH LOW PRESSURE CENTERED OVER THE SOUTHERN TIP OF ILLINOIS. THEREFORE NORTHERLY FLOW WILL EXTEND FROM EASTERN MT TO EL PASO TX. THE SUBTLE DRYING TREND WILL CONTINUE...BUT ENOUGH MOISTURE WILL LINGER FOR ISOLATED AFTERNOON/EVENING CONVECTION OVER THE MOUNTAINS...FAVORING THE SOUTH. WITH TIME THE PATTERN BECOMES A LITTLE LESS AMPLIFIED AS THE HIGH BECOMES A LITTLE FLATTENED...BUT REMAINS CENTERED TO OUR WEST THROUGH THURSDAY...THEN TO OUR WEST-SOUTHWEST FRIDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND. MOST OF THE MOISTURE THAT GETS ENTRAINED UNDER THIS HIGH WILL BECOME TRAPPED AND WILL JUST CONTINUE TO CIRCULATE AROUND IT. BUT FOR NOW MODELS DO NOT INDICATE THE FLOW WILL TAP INTO ANY GOOD MOISTURE SOURCE. THEREFORE THE ISOLATED DIURNAL THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE FIRE EACH AFTERNOON OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN...FAVORING THE SOUTH. A SLOW INCREASE IN COVERAGE IS EXPECTED LATE IN THE WEEK THROUGH THE WEEKEND AS THE HIGH CENTER SHIFTS INTO THE DESERT SOUTHWEST. EXPECT A COUPLE DEGREES TO BE SHAVED OFF THE HIGH TEMPERATURES...BUT CONDITIONS WILL STILL REMAIN WELL ABOVE NORMAL THROUGH THE PERIOD. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z MONDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 956 PM MDT SUN JUN 30 2013 VFR EXPECTED THROUGH THE NIGHT AND MONDAY AFTERNOON. THUNDERSTORMS IN THE VICINITY OF MOUNTAIN AIRPORTS (KDRO...KPSO...KASE...KEGE) ARE EXPECTED AFTER 18Z...BUT THE THREAT DIMINISHES AFTER 02Z. LOCAL G30-40KTS POSSIBLE IF LOCAL -TSRA PASSES OVER THE AIRPORT (ABOUT 30 PERCENT OF THIS OCCURRING). && .FIRE WEATHER... ISSUED AT 650 PM MDT SUN JUN 30 2013 ONLY ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED THIS EVENING SO THE RED FLAG WARNINGS HAVE BEEN CANCELLED. CONVECTION WILL SEE A DOWNTURN STARTING MONDAY...BEFORE A WEAK UPTURN ON FRIDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND. THE SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS WILL REMAIN FAVORED THROUGH THE ENTIRE PERIOD WITH AT LEAST ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS EACH AFTERNOON. THUNDERSTORMS WILL GENERALLY BE HIGH BASED AND PRODUCE LITTLE RAIN AND STRONG AND ERRATIC WIND GUSTS. ON MONDAY THE QUESTION REMAINS AS TO IF WE WILL SEE MORE THAN ISOLATED DRY THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE SAN JUANS. FOR NOW...IT LOOKS LIKE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MAINLY BE OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN...WITH JUST VERY ISOLATED COVERAGE BLOW 9000 FEET WHERE FUELS ARE CRITICALLY DRY. THEREFORE ADDITIONAL FIRE WEATHER HI-LIGHTS WILL NOT BE ISSUED AT THIS TIME. THIS SITUATION WILL CONTINUE TO BE MONITORED AS A SLIGHT UPTURN IN EXPECTATIONS COULD WARRANT HEADLINES. OTHER MOUNTAIN AREAS MAY ALSO SEE A FEW THUNDERSTORMS...BUT THEY WILL BE VERY ISOLATED IN NATURE. AT THIS TIME IT LOOKS LIKE TUESDAY-THURSDAY WILL BE ENOUGH DRIER...THAT THUNDERSTORM COVERAGE WILL EASILY REMAIN BELOW CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CRITERIA EACH AFTERNOON. WITH LESS FORECAST CONFIDENCE...MOISTURE SLOWLY INCREASES FRIDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND. WHILE MODELS INDICATE A SLIGHT COOLING...TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN WELL ABOVE NORMAL WITH HIGHS NEAR TO A LITTLE ABOVE 100 ACROSS THE LOWER VALLEYS THROUGH THE PERIOD. && .GJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CO...NONE. UT...NONE. && UPDATE...PF SHORT TERM...TGR LONG TERM...ELH AVIATION...PF FIRE WEATHER...ELH+JOE
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
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
7 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Severe drought conditions expanded across all of the eastern Uinta Mountains by the end of July.
Severe to moderate drought conditions remained unchanged across the eastern Uintah Basin through July.
Severe drought conditions remained unchanged across the area through July.
Severe drought conditions remained unchanged across the area through July.
Severe to extreme drought conditions remained unchanged across the area through July.
Extreme drought conditions remained unchanged across the area through July.
Severe to extreme drought conditions remained unchanged across the area through July.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Utah in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in Utah, July 2013
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 483257, 483258, 483259, 483260, 483261, 483262, 483263.