Monsoon moisture and slow-moving thunderstorms caused flooding across southern and eastern Utah.
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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.
Monsoon moisture and slow-moving thunderstorms caused flooding across southern and eastern Utah.
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 Jul 24, 9:41 AM MST, 4 hours 19 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Salt Lake City UT 1041 AM MDT Fri Jul 24 2020 .SYNOPSIS...Monsoonal moisture will impact mainly the eastern and southern portions of Utah through the weekend. Somewhat drier conditions are anticipated across the remainder of the forecast area this weekend. Moisture will increase from the south early next week. && .SHORT TERM (Through 12Z Monday)...The axis of the deep layer moisture remains in place over much eastern and extreme southern Utah. Satellite derived PWAT has values running in the 0.80" to 1.00" range. Somewhat drier air has filtered into extreme western Utah, though PWAT values still remain in the 0.55" to 0.65" range. Earlier convection across south-central through northeast Utah has mostly dissipated late this morning. Less cloud cover will allow for a period of good surface heating in areas with the highest PWAT values. Anticipating an expansion of convection once again by early afternoon, with the potential for locally heavy rainfall across extreme southern and eastern portions of the forecast area through early this evening. A portion of the decaying trough over California will lift northeast through the western and northern Great Basin this afternoon and evening. The introduction of weak dynamic lift along with adequate moisture and good surface heating throughout the day should bring some convection into northwest Utah later this afternoon through early this evening. Lingering moisture across the far southern and eastern portions of the forecast area will maintains some convection through the weekend. Drier air expanding east out of Nevada will limit convection to mostly cloud cover and isolated showers/storms over the higher terrain of northern and western Utah during the afternoon/early evening hours this weekend. Issued an earlier update to add showers/thunderstorms to far southwest and northwest Utah today. .LONG TERM (After 12Z Monday)...Global models in good agreement in lifting shortwave trough of low pressure across eastern Great Basin Monday afternoon and night, with a second upper level disturbance crossing northern portions of region on Tuesday. Given period of southerly moist flow ahead of system, with precipitable water values increasing to around an inch, slight chance to chance wording favored for much of forecast area for Monday afternoon and night, with continued chances for precipitation on Tuesday for northern and eastern sections of forecast area. Global models are in good agreement with a mid level ridge of high pressure building back over region on Wednesday. As such, any potential for showers and thunderstorms should be primarily limited to the higher terrain of southern and eastern Utah. Global models diverge from Wednesday night through Thursday, as GEFS indicates a more amplified flow, with a period of northward moisture transport. EPS and CMCE suggest an elongated ridge from new mexico westward across Arizona to southern California, with a resultant dry west to southwest flow. Examining Cluster Analysis, majority of EPS and CMCE members support this solution, as do some GEFS members. All considered, confidence for precipitation during period is limited, so will just stick with slight chance wording for higher terrain of southern and eastern Utah. With 700MB temperatures progged at 16 to 18 C, expect temperatures to be a couple of degrees above normal. && .AVIATION...VFR conditions are expected throughout the current valid TAF period at KSLC. A 10 percent chance will exist for a shower or thunderstorm with gusty outflow winds and lightning impacting the airfield after 21Z. Prevailing south winds will transition to the west-northwest between 20-21Z. && .FIRE WEATHER...Monsoonal moisture will remain pooled over eastern and far southern Utah today, with drier air moving into western Utah. Showers and thunderstorms will develop over primarily the eastern half of the district this afternoon and this evening, with heavy rain possible with any storms that develop, though the areal coverage overall will be less than yesterday. Somewhat drier air will continue to move in for Saturday, though some showers and storms will again be possible over southern and eastern Utah this weekend. The return of southerly flow will draw deep moisture back into the district for the early part of the upcoming week. && .SLC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UT...None. WY...None. && CONGER/BARJENBRUCH 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 354 AM MDT Fri Jul 24 2020 UTZ001>016-019>021-517-518-WYZ021-251000- 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- 354 AM MDT Fri Jul 24 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the western two thirds of Utah and southwest Wyoming. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight A moist and unstable airmass remains over the southeastern half of the outlook area today. Scattered showers and thunderstorms will develop over that part of the area this afternoon into the early evening. Any storms that develop will be capable of producing heavy rain, so flash flooding as possible, particularly for prone areas such as slot canyons, burn scars, and normally dry washes. Drier air moving into western Utah will limit the develop of showers and thunderstorms over that portions of the area. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday Drier air will continue to move in from the west on Saturday, but some storms are still anticipated over the higher terrain and over southeast Utah, where monsoonal moisture will linger. Any storms that develop will be capable of producing heavy rain that could lead to flash flooding. Moisture is expected to spread north back over the outlook area early next week, increasing chances for showers and thunderstorms. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed. Please relay any information about observed severe weather to the NWS while following all local, state, and CDC guidelines. 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
The Cedar City radar (KICX), 72 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:58 UTC.
3 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Flash flooding was reported in Yellow Creek and various dry washes at the headwaters of the Paria River.
Flash flooding was reported in Grand Wash of Capitol Reef National Park, with water flowing 2 feet deep and 20 feet wide. The Freemont River and Capitol Gorge also had significant flows. Adddiionally, the Scenic Drive was closed.
The Escalante River at Escalante gauge reported an increase in flow from about 10 cubic feet per second to 548 cubic feet per second in less than 30 minutes.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Utah in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Utah, July 2020
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: 908029, 908030, 908031.