A thunderstorm blanketed the Moab area on Wednesday evening, sending flash floods down nearby canyons and briefly halting traffic on Highway 191 as water flowed between the city’s downtown blocks.
The flooding on Main Street overflowed its curbs and and lapped against the sides of businesses just before sunset after a storm cell opened above town.
But the water subsided quickly and traffic was moving normally within an hour.
South of town near the Hole ‘N’ the Rock tourist attraction, tributaries to Kane Springs Creek roared with water and overflowed the highway in places.
Flash flood warnings were issued in Grand and San Juan counties, but the storm missed the Pack Creek drainage, which is particularly vulnerable to flooding due to the burn scars from the recent Pack Creek Fire.
Pack Creek ran thick with ash and burned wood on Tuesday, but it remained within its banks.
Meanwhile, Cedar City in southwest Utah is recovering from devastating flooding on Monday, and more rain is expected across southern Utah on Friday.
Zak Podmore is a Report for America corps member and writes about conflict and change in San Juan County for The Salt Lake Tribune. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep him writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by clicking here.
