A flood watch covering most of Utah remained in effect through late Monday afternoon, Oct. 12, according to an Oct. 13 report. Saturated soils from weekend storms kept flash flooding a threat for Wasatch Front communities, including Alpine, Highland, Cedar Hills, and Lehi.
National Weather Service meteorologist Andrew Orrison told the Associated Press that while the worst of Tropical Storm Rachel has passed, disturbed weather continues to linger. Monday rainfall was expected to reach 1 to 2 inches, with up to 3 inches in higher terrain, according to ABC4. A 15 percent chance of flash flooding within 25 miles was highlighted along the I-15 corridor from St. George to Cache Valley. The National Weather Service advised residents near creeks, streams, and low-lying areas to avoid driving through standing water and to stay clear of slot canyons and burn scar drainages through Monday evening.
Snow fell at high-elevation locations on Monday, with Park City Mountain and Big Cottonwood Canyon reporting snow, according to the Deseret News. Snow levels were forecast to drop to approximately 8,000 feet by the morning of Tuesday, Oct. 13, and as low as 6,500 feet by the morning of Wednesday, Oct. 14. Accumulating snow was expected to be confined mostly to areas at or above 8,000 feet, with Alta and the Upper Cottonwoods potentially seeing 4 to 10 inches or more. The western Uintas could receive 1 to 2 feet.
A cold front moving through Monday night into Tuesday night was expected to push daytime highs 15 to 20 degrees below average. Overnight lows along the Wasatch Front were projected to drop into the upper 30s, while the Wasatch Back and Cache Valley faced freezing conditions with lows dipping into the upper 20s and low 30s. Freezing temperatures were expected from Wednesday morning through Friday morning.
Conditions were forecast to dry out by Wednesday afternoon, with high pressure expected to rebuild by the end of the week, bringing sunshine and temperatures back to near-seasonal levels over the weekend.
