A downslope wind event brought high winds to the Northern Wasatch Front.
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 SLC wrote it up.
A downslope wind event brought high winds to the Northern Wasatch Front.
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 Salt Lake City, UT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 22, 3:06 PM MST, 4 hours 21 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Salt Lake City UT 406 PM MDT Wed May 22 2019 .SYNOPSIS... The unsettled weather pattern with a trough over the western United States will continue through Friday. There will be a hiatus Saturday into Sunday with a weak ridge moving in between systems but another trough returns early next week. && .SHORT TERM (Through 00Z Sunday...Easterly flow from southwest Wyoming has spread into the Cache Valley and portions of the northern Wasatch this afternoon. With the surface gradient becoming more favorable and the mid level easterly winds at 700 mb increasing to 35-40 kts the pattern will result in gusty downslope/canyon winds along the northern Wasatch Front and the Cache Valley tonight into Thursday morning. Consequently the Wind Advisory remains in effect with potential wind gusts over 50 mph. Due to drier air being imported from the east the threat of showers across northern Utah, specifically the Wasatch Front from SLC northward will diminish early this evening. Farther south, the latest trough developing over California will begin to influence the weather over southwest and south central Utah this evening with an increase of showers and thunderstorms as a lobe of vorticity advection swings northward. A couple of 700mb circulations are expected to spin up overnight with one near Saint George and another near Dugway by 12Z Thursday. These circulations will increase the shower activity during the morning time frame. As the northern circulation becomes dominant by afternoon the showers will decrease over southwest Utah but become more numerous over central and northern Utah as the instability due to the cold air aloft increases. In the path of the main circulation and to the east another 0.20 to 0.50 of an inch of rain is expected in the valleys with 0.25 to 0.75 in the mountains through Thursday. Several more inches of snow above 7500-8000 ft can be expected as well. The mid level circulation lifts northeast away from Utah and SW Wyoming Thursday night into Friday. However, an elongated 500mb trough remains in place from southeast Idaho into southern California through Friday which will keep a chance of showers across central and northern Utah, with likely showers to continue in the northern and central mountains. This trough fades away while a new one forms over California by Saturday. This will result in a temporary break in the widespread showers, although due to the incumbent moist air mass showers will remain possible, especially over the northern mountains. Temperatures will remain below normal through this period, although temperatures could come within 5 degrees of normal by Saturday which may feel like its above normal compared to recent days. .LONG TERM (After 00Z Sunday)...The upper low drifting slowly south through the Pacific Northwest will settle into central/southern California and western Great Basin Sunday/Sunday night. This general location of this upper low is similar to recent storms, and will likely result in another round of widespread precip early in the week. A warm and mostly dry southerly flow ahead of the main low should make Sunday the warmest of the days in the long term forecast period. Good diurnal heating working with limited moisture should spawn mostly terrain-based convective cloud cover with some shower and thunderstorm activity during the late afternoon. The best chance at organized precip will likely hold off until the first vorticity lobe rotates out ahead of the main low into southwest Utah late Sunday afternoon or evening. Widespread convective precip will expand across the entire forecast area in response to the approach of the upper low into southern/western Utah by early Monday. This precip will turn more stratiform late Monday through early Tuesday as the low moves east across the state. Near 700mb temps will be sufficiently cold to drive the snow level of accumulating snow down to between 7000'-8000' during this timeframe. The trailing cool and moist cyclonic north-northwest will maintain precip Tuesday through early Tuesday evening. Snow levels will begin to slowly climb as precip intensities decrease and temps aloft begin to warm. Continued warming and gradual drying should limit any precip to mostly terrain-tied showers for Wednesday. && .AVIATION...Light rain over/near the SLC terminal expected through the afternoon. Ceilings in precip will range between 2500-3500 feet, otherwise ceilings at or above 6000 ft AGL are expected through the TAF period. After 00Z, winds will become the primary issue at the terminal. Downslope winds are expected across the Wasatch Front, creating northerly surface winds at the terminal as the winds flow south from Farmington. There is a 30% chance of the winds becoming southeast as an eddy develops around the mountain or if the Salt Lake County downslope winds are stronger than forecast. Also impacting the terminal will be moderate to severe turbulence in the lowest 10 kft AGL due to the downslope winds. && .SLC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UT...Wind Advisory until 1 PM MDT Thursday for UTZ001-002. WY...None. && SHORT TERM...Struthwolf LONG TERM...Conger AVIATION...Bonnette For more information from NOAA's National Weather Service visit... http://weather.gov/saltlakecity For frequently asked questions about the Area Forecast Discussion visit... http://weather.gov/saltlakecity/general/afd_faqs.php
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Salt Lake City UT 402 PM MDT Wed May 22 2019 UTZ001>016-019>021-517-518-WYZ021-232215- Cache Valley/Utah Portion-Northern Wasatch Front- Salt Lake and Tooele Valleys-Southern Wasatch Front- Great Salt Lake Desert and Mountains-Wasatch Mountain Valleys- Wasatch Mountains I-80 North-Wasatch Mountains South of I-80- Western Uinta Mountains-Wasatch Plateau/Book Cliffs- Western Uinta Basin-Castle Country-San Rafael Swell- Sanpete/Sevier Valleys-West Central Utah-Southwest Utah- Utahs Dixie and Zion National Park-South Central Utah- Glen Canyon Recreation Area/Lake Powell-Central Mountains- Southern Mountains-Southwest Wyoming- 402 PM MDT Wed May 22 2019 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the western two thirds of Utah and southwest Wyoming. .DAY ONE...Tonight Periods of accumulating snowfall are expected above 7500 feet, briefly lowering to 6500 feet through Thursday night. High elevation travel impacts will be spotty and brief. Gusty easterly winds will develop this evening and increase overnight along the Northern Wasatch Front and Cache Valley. The strongest winds will be located near canyons. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday Periods of accumulating snowfall are expected above 7500 feet, briefly lowering to 6500 feet through Thursday night. High elevation travel impacts will be spotty and brief. Snowmelt has been delayed at high elevations by the recent cool weather. However, waterways remain running high, cold and swift. Exercise caution near waterways, and keep a close eye on children and pets. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather spotters are encouraged to report significant weather conditions according to standard operating procedures. For more information from NOAA/s National Weather Service visit... http://weather.gov/saltlakecity For information on potential road travel impacts visit... http://www.udottraffic.utah.gov/roadweatherforecast.aspx
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Salt Lake City UT
336 PM MDT WED MAY 22 2019
UTZ004-008-222215-
Wasatch Mountains South of I-80 UT-Southern Wasatch Front UT-
336 PM MDT WED MAY 22 2019
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHWESTERN UTAH COUNTY UNTIL
415 PM MDT...
At 334 PM MDT, National Weather Service Doppler radar indicated a
strong thunderstorm over Springville, or 7 miles south of Provo...
moving northwest at 15 mph.
Half inch hail and wind gusts of 40 to 55 mph will be possible.
Locations impacted include...
Provo, Payson, Orem, Spanish Fork, Pleasant Grove, Springville,
American Fork, Lindon, Alpine, Mapleton, Salem, Elk Ridge, Woodland
Hills, Vineyard, Palmyra, Benjamin, Lake Shore, Spring Lake, West
Mountain and Saratoga Springs.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If threatening weather approaches, take shelter in a sturdy building.
Heavy rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may lead to
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
This storm is capable of producing accumulating hail. Hail may
accumulate on area roads resulting in dangerous travel conditions.
If on or near Utah Lake, get out of the water and move indoors or
inside a vehicle. Remember, lightning can strike out to 10 miles
from the parent thunderstorm. If you can hear thunder, you are close
enough to be struck by lightning. Move to safe shelter now! Do not
be caught on the water in a thunderstorm.
&&
LAT...LON 4018 11151 4008 11157 3996 11173 4023 11197
4047 11173
TIME...MOT...LOC 2134Z 145DEG 12KT 4015 11161
Bonnette7 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The Crow Mountain sensor recorded a peak wind gust of 81 mph, and a peak wind gust of |63 mph was recorded by the FW0332 North Logan sensor.
Peak wind gusts recorded included 73 mph at the I-15 at MP 369 North Brigham City sensor, 67 mph at the US-89 Park Lane sensor, 66 mph at the Brigham City Regional Airport AWOS, and 60 mph at the I-15 @ Willard POE sensor. In addition, trees were blown over in Ogden and Smithfield, and the Utah Highway Patrol reported that two semitrailers were tipped over due to wind along Interstate 15 near Brigham City.
The US-89 at Park Lake sensor recorded a peak gust of 67 mph.
The I-15 at Willard Poe recorded a peak gust of 60 mph.
The Harrisville UDOT sensor recorded a peak gust of 58 mph.
Utah Highway Patrol reported that two semitrailers were tipped over due to wind along I-15 near Brigham City.
Trees were blown over in Ogden and Smithfield.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Utah in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Utah, May 2019
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: 897651, 829221, 829219, 829223, 829224, 831538, 831540.