A flood watch is in effect in until midnight on Saturday in southern Utah, and rain, thunderstorms and much lower temperatures are expected across the state through the Labor Day weekend.
A “monsoon moisture surge” will continue to push into Utah this weekend, according to the National Weather Service, prompting it to issue the flood watch for southwestern Utah. “Excessive rainfall” could cause flash flooding, especially in slot canyons, normally dry washes, recently burned areas, rivers, creeks, streams and other low-lying and flood-prone locations.
The flood watch is in effect for lower Washington County, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, the southern mountain, and the upper Sevier River valley — an area that includes St. George, Beaver, Cedar City, Milford, Hurricane, Ivins, Springdale, Brian Head, Alton, Panguitch, Kanab, Escalante, Loa and Torre.
In St. George, there’s a 70-90% chance of rain on Friday, a 70-80% chance on Saturday, and a 40% chance on Sunday. Sunny skies will return on Monday, Temperatures in the mid-80s are expected — 10-12 degrees below normal for this time of year.
Flash flooding is “anticipated” in Zion both Friday and Saturday. On Friday, it’s “probable” in Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Glen Canyon, Grand Staircase-Escalante and San Rafael Swell, and “possible” in Natural Bridges and Grand Gulch. On Saturday, flash flooding is “probable” in all those areas.
Rain and thunderstorms are also in the forecast for northern Utah. In the Salt Lake City area, there’s a 30-70% chance of precipitation on Friday, a 30-40% chance on Saturday, a 30-90% chance on Sunday, and a 30-50% chance on Monday. The forecast calls for a high of 72 on Friday, 78 on Saturday, 77 on Sunday and 63 on Labor Day. That’s 23 degrees below normal and just one degree higher than the all-time record low high temperature, set way back in 1878. And it’s 39 degrees lower than Sept. 4 a year ago, when it hit 102 and set a record high for that date.
It’s also going to be considerably colder at night. Overnight lows in the mid-60s are expected on Friday and Saturday, and in the mid-50s on Sunday and Monday.
It could rain on the BYU-Sam Houston State football game in Provo on Saturday night, which is scheduled to kick off at 8:15 p.m. There’s a 40% chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly before midnight, and some of the storms could produce gusty winds. After a high in the low 80s, temperatures will drop to the low 60s on Saturday night.
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