The National Weather Service in Salt Lake City issued severe thunderstorm warnings for Salt Lake, Davis, Tooele, and northwestern Utah counties on Saturday, August 29, 2026, as intense storms moved through northern Utah. The weather system, which produced wind gusts as high as 64 mph in Tooele County, also triggered flash flood warnings for several southern Utah locations.
Severe Weather Threats and Impacted Areas
The severe thunderstorm warnings, which were in effect until 11:15 AM MDT on August 29, 2026, targeted a line of storms moving northeast at 45 mph. According to the National Weather Service, these storms were located along a line extending from 13 miles north of Grantsville to 8 miles east of Skull Valley and 6 miles southwest of the Tooele Army Depot South.
Potential hazards included 60 mph wind gusts and quarter-sized hail. The National Weather Service warned that hail damage to vehicles was expected and that winds could cause damage to roofs, siding, and trees. Impacted locations included Salt Lake City, West Valley City, Provo, Sandy, Layton, Murray, Tooele, Farmington, Grantsville, Hill Air Force Base, West Jordan, Orem, Taylorsville, South Jordan, Lehi, Draper, Riverton, Roy, Pleasant Grove, and Cottonwood Heights.
High Winds and Severe Risk
Earlier on Saturday, August 29, 2026, a Mesonet station in Aragonite recorded a wind gust of 64 mph in Tooele County. This high-wind event occurred at 8:58 AM MDT near Clive.
The Storm Prediction Center also issued a slight risk for severe thunderstorms across northern Utah on August 29, 2026. The center noted that while cloud cover might limit daytime heating, a corridor from eastern Nevada through north-central Utah could support high-based thunderstorms capable of producing damaging wind gusts and hail.
Flash Flood Warnings in Southern Utah
In addition to wind and hail, flash flooding posed a life-threatening risk in southern Utah. The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for southern Emery County and north central Wayne County that lasted until 4:30 PM MDT on August 29, 2026.
Radar indicated that thunderstorms were producing heavy rain in the warned areas. The National Weather Service warned of life-threatening flash flooding in slot canyons, normally dry washes, streams, creeks, and rivers. Specific locations identified for potential flooding included Goblin Valley, Little Wildhorse, Crack, Chute, Ding, Dang, Muddy Creek, and various slot canyons and dry washes in southern Emery and north central Wayne counties.
Regional Weather Patterns
The weather pattern driving these storms was characterized by an active, wet system moving across the region. According to an Area Forecast Discussion from the National Weather Service, an upper low moving across the Pacific Northwest was contributing to increased coverage for northern Utah on Saturday, August 29, 2026.
Meteorologists noted that the potential for strong to severe thunderstorms in northern Utah was increasing during the afternoon and evening of August 29, 2026, with strong winds and hail being the primary threats. The forecast indicated that an active weather pattern would continue through at least the middle of the following week, leading to cooler and largely below-normal temperatures.
Safety Precautions
As part of the precautions for the severe weather on August 29, 2026, the National Weather Service advised residents to move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building if located in a warning area. The agency also advised drivers to turn around rather than encountering flooded roads, noting that most flood deaths occur in vehicles.
Forecast Outlook
The storm activity on Saturday, August 29, 2026, was part of a larger weather system that included scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms. While convection was expected to decrease in northwest Utah by Sunday afternoon as the low moved toward Montana, scattered convection was expected to continue across the south and east of the state.
Atmospheric Drivers
The weather activity throughout the weekend was driven by a combination of deep monsoonal moisture and a frontal boundary over northern Utah. This combination contributed to the enhanced flash flood potential and the development of strong to severe thunderstorms across the region.
