A fairly weak cutoff low slowly ejected northward through the area over the course of several days. This feature in combination with sufficient moisture created an environment that supported several days of shower and thunderstorm development.
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The episode as NWS SLC wrote it up.
A fairly weak cutoff low slowly ejected northward through the area over the course of several days. This feature in combination with sufficient moisture created an environment that supported several days of shower and thunderstorm development. Some of these storms produced locally heavy rainfall and flash flooding, as well as some strong wind gusts.
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 Sep 25, 1:44 PM MST, 55 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Salt Lake City UT 244 PM MDT Thu Sep 25 2025 .SYNOPSIS...A slow moving storm system moving across the Desert Southwest over the weekend will bring increased moisture and instability, primarily for southern Utah, but gradually shifting north and east. A cold front may impact the area by the middle of next week. && .SHORT TERM (Through 12Z/6AM Saturday)...A broad trough has moved onshore over California this afternoon, with moisture making its way into southwest Utah out ahead of it. Satellite derived PWs are in the 0.6 to 0.7 inch range over southwest Utah, and noticeably drier elsewhere. The position of the low is also providing some lift and shear over southwest portions of the state, and predictably some showers have started to develop. A few of these storms could be strong to severe during the remainder of the afternoon and early evening, producing gusty winds and hail. Given the moisture, any storms that develop will also be capable of producing heavy rain that could lead to flash flooding, leading to a probable in the Flash Flood Potential for Zion National Park this afternoon. Elsewhere, conditions are mostly dry and relatively mild with maxes averaging 5F above normal for this time of year. The low is expected to meander southward down the California coast tonight into tomorrow morning before making an eastward turn into Arizona during the afternoon. Moisture is expected to increase further and spread northward. CAPE will be a bit higher with improved jet support but overall shear will be a bit less. Thus, tomorrow's convection will remain focused over southern Utah with some storms expected over the higher terrain of northern and central Utah as well. The weakening of the ridge and proximity of the low will also bring highs a bit closer to seasonal normals for Friday afternoon. .LONG TERM (After 12Z/6AM Saturday)...The pattern continues to look more fall-like, with a couple of synoptic systems expected to dictate our sensible weather over the long-term period. On Saturday, the rotating closed low centered over roughly Yuma, AZ will finally start to shift northeastward, with increasing moisture from south to north expected across southern to central Utah. Model soundings suggest a fairly saturated profile through all but the lowest levels on Saturday afternoon, and combined with relatively slower storm motions and PWATs near 180-200% of normal, this will likely produce an elevated flash flood threat for prone areas. By Sunday, this closed low will transform into an open wave crossing N-AZ/S-UT, resulting in abundant moisture spreading across Utah and southwest Wyoming (near ~200% of normal). Combined with synoptic lift as the wave passes overhead, expect higher coverage of showers and thunderstorms on Sunday, particularly Sunday afternoon. Interestingly, the ECMWF EFI is highlighting south-central to southeastern Utah during the 00z Sun-00z Mon period for fairly abnormal QPF...potentially due to better lift and appreciable instability across this area as compared to Saturday. Thus, as you might guess, expect another day of elevated chances for flash flooding in those prone areas, with a Marginal Risk for excessive rainfall on both Saturday and Sunday. Finally, temperatures will trend a few degrees cooler by Sunday, particularly for southern Utah. To begin the work week, the synoptic pattern will begin to evolve as a strong trough over the Gulf of Alaska starts to shift into the western US. Overall diffluent flow within this still-elevated moisture will result in yet another active day with showers and thunderstorms, particularly across northern areas. Unlike prior days, however, this increasing southwest flow will promote quicker storm motions which could help reduce the threat of flash flooding, particularly on Tuesday. While ensemble agreement is slowly increasing with regards to the timing of this trough as it shifts towards us, ensemble members still remain split 60-40 between a slightly slower solution (60% chance) and slightly faster solution (40% chance). Another area of uncertainty is the amplitude of this trough, which will ultimately affect how much of Utah sees a cold front move through the area in the mid-week timeframe. Beyond Wednesday, forecast confidence in the longwave pattern decreases, but model guidance overall favors a drier air mass with gradually increasing temperatures moving forward. To summarize the long-term period, expect an elevated flash flood threat through at least Sunday, with showers and thunderstorms still continuing within increasing southwest flow ahead of a longwave trough next week. && .AVIATION...KSLC...Light northwest winds will last through roughly 04Z when winds transition to the southeast. Clouds will increase, with scattered to broken clouds in VFR range from around 04-18Z. There is around a 20% chance for rain showers that would be capable of enhancing wind speeds with varying directions from 09-15Z. .REST OF UTAH AND SOUTHWEST WYOMING...Showers and thunderstorms will be capable of locally heavy rain and gusty, erratic outflow winds for most of southern Utah through 06Z. Clouds associated with that storm system will increase further north, with scattered to broken clouds in VFR range building into northern Utah by 04Z. Largely dry conditions will last from 06-18Z throughout southwest Wyoming and Utah, although there is around a 20% chance for rain showers in northern Utah from 09-15Z. Winds will be relatively light, but showers and thunderstorms will be capable of enhancing speeds and altering directions. && .FIRE WEATHER...A broad low pressure system is currently centered over California, but is bringing an increase in moisture and instability to southwest Utah, where showers and thunderstorms will continue to be a threat through the early evening. Any storms that develop will be capable of producing gusty winds as well as brief heavy rainfall. The trough will track slowly east over Arizona and New Mexico over the weekend, gradually weakening as it does so. This will allow the deeper moisture over southern Utah to be drawn upward, expanding the coverage of afternoon showers and thunderstorms, particularly over the higher terrain, through the weekend. High pressure will temporarily bring drier and more stable conditions to start the upcoming week before another trough potentially brings a cold front through the area for the middle of next week. && .SLC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... UT...None. WY...None. && SHORT TERM/FIRE WEATHER...Traphagan LONG TERM...Cunningham AVIATION...Wilson For more information from NOAA's National Weather Service visit... http://weather.gov/saltlakecity
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Salt Lake City UT
315 PM MDT Thu Sep 25 2025
UTZ124-125-128-252200-
South Central Utah UT-Southern Mountains UT-Zion National Park UT-
315 PM MDT Thu Sep 25 2025
...Strong thunderstorms will impact portions of southeastern
Washington, west central Kane and south central Iron Counties through
400 PM MDT
...
At 315 PM MDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from 7 miles northeast of La Verkin to near Apple
Valley. Movement was northeast at 20 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects.
Locations impacted include...
Zion National Park, Virgin, Springdale, and Rockville.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3756 11301 3714 11276 3708 11309 3729 11322
TIME...MOT...LOC 2115Z 238DEG 18KT 3733 11317 3710 11304
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
HMThe Cedar City radar (KICX), 24 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:40 UTC.
6 thunderstorm wind, 4 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
The Cedar City Municipal Airport ASOS (KCDC) recorded a wind gust of 58 mph as a result of outflow winds associated with a nearby cluster of showers and thunderstorms moving through the area.
The LATMER mesonet station recorded a wind gust of 65 mph as a result of outflow winds associated with a nearby cluster of showers and thunderstorms moving through the area.
The Cedar City Municipal Airport ASOS (KCDC) recorded a wind gust of 59 mph as a result of outflow winds associated with a nearby cluster of showers and thunderstorms moving through the area.
The Black Rock mesonet station recorded a wind gust of 63 mph as a result of outflow winds associated with a nearby cluster of showers and thunderstorms moving through the area.
Heavy rainfall resulted in a flood wave around 140 cfs (1 foot rise) hitting the Fort Pierce gauge.
The Jackson Spring mesonet station recorded a wind gust of 60 mph as a result of outflow winds associated with a nearby cluster of showers and thunderstorms moving through the area.
The BADGER SPRING RAWS station recorded a wind gust of 58 mph as a result of outflow winds associated with a nearby cluster of showers and thunderstorms moving through the area.
A flash flood occurred in Little Wildhorse Canyon due to heavy rainfall in an area which drains into the narrow canyon. This flash flood trapped multiple groups, forcing these groups to seek higher ground. Search and rescue was notified, and eventually all parties were able to hike out safely.
Heavy rain in the Paria River drainage resulted in the development and propagation of a flood wave. Approximately 2 miles below the White House campground a group of hikers required helicopter evacuation.
Heavy rain in headwaters resulted in the development of a flood wave in the Dirty Devil, with the wave cresting at 604 cfs at The Dirty Devil at Poison Springs above Hanksville gauge.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Utah in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in Utah, September 2025
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: 1292223, 1292226, 1292224, 1292225, 1291171, 1292227, 1292228, 1291172, 1291173, 1291174.