SALT LAKE CITY — Strong storms have caused significant damage along the Wasatch Front over the past two days. Residents in Salt Lake and Utah counties are now dealing with the aftermath of heavy rain.After a dry July, severe storms brought intense thunderstorms, lightning, large hail, and urban flooding, all fueled by monsoon moisture.
On Tuesday, after the heavy rains, the Utah Department of Transportation advised drivers to avoid part of I-15 between Lehi and Orem due to high water levels on the road. Traffic cameras even captured what looked like snow along the interstate, but it was actually a large amount of hail near Lindon, which slowed traffic and was later cleared by UDOT plows.
Areas like South Jordan, American Fork, and Orem saw hail ranging in size from quarters to ping-pong balls.
It looked like snow in August with all the hail, said ABC4’s Chief Meteorologist Alana Brophy. We had quarter-sized hail, winds up to 60 mph, and heavy rain.
Brophy explained that the storms were fueled by monsoon moisture from the south, combined with an unstable airmass overhead. This is typical for Utah’s monsoon season, which usually starts in late June or early July and lasts through September. The moisture is pulled up from the south by a high-pressure area to the southeast, and a low-pressure system from the California coast also contributed to the stormy weather.
We’ll dry out as we close out the work week, with lingering moisture allowing for isolated storms along the Wasatch Front on Wednesday,” Brophy said. The risk of thunderstorms will decrease midweek, focusing more on northeast Utah and southwest Wyoming. Drier air will take over through Friday.
While temperatures are expected to rise and conditions to dry out over the next few days, monsoon moisture is likely to increase again over the weekend and into early next week, bringing back the chance of thunderstorms.