ST. GEORGE — The National Weather Service in Salt Lake City has issued a “Hazardous Weather Outlook” for the western two-thirds of Utah and southwest Wyoming, Saturday through Friday.

Affected areas

Cache Valley / Utah portion, northern Wasatch Front; Salt Lake and Tooele valleys; southern Wasatch Front; Great Salt Lake desert and  mountains; Wastch Mountain valleys; Wasatch Mountains – Interstate 80 north; Wasatch Mountains south of I-80; western Uinta Mountains; Wasatch Plateau/Book Cliffs; western Uinta Basin; Castle Country; San Rafael Swell; Sanpete and Sevier valleys; west-central Utah; southwest Utah; Utah’s Dixie and Zion National Park; south-central Utah; Glen Canyon Recreation Area, Lake Powell; central and southern mountains of Utah; southwest Wyoming.

Saturday

Isolated scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected to develop across central and southern Utah Saturday, spreading  north into northern Utah and southwest Wyoming Saturday evening and overnight.

Gusty winds, locally heavy rain and lightning will accompany the thunderstorms.

Temperatures will remain hot across the area. Excessive heat can be hazardous and the added stress can be dangerous, particularly to sensitive individuals.

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Read more: Heat can kill, getting lost can be fatal; how to survive the heat, be found when you’re lost or in distress

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Sunday through Friday

Moisture will continue to increae again over the region through the early week. Scattered showers and thunderstorms are possible across much of the affected area listed below. Temperatures will return closer to seasonal levels due to cloud cover and precipitation.

A drier and gusty southwest wind is expected to develop mid- to late-week, increasing the threat of hazardous fire weather conditions.

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Read more: Southern Utah Fireworks Guide for 2015; find your city permissions, restrictions here

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Precautionary/preparedness actions

If heavy rain causes flash flooding, move to higher ground now. Act quickly to protect your life.

Do not drive your vehicle into areas where the water covers the roadway. The water depth may be too great to allow your car to cross safely.

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Rains come down, floods come up; STGnews Videocast, Photo Gallery – Friday, July 3

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Turn around. Don’t drown.

Remain alert for flooding even in locations not receiving rain. Dry washes, streams and rivers can become raging killer currents in a matter of minutes, even from distant rainfall.

Please report flooding to your local law enforcement agency when you can do so safely.

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Read more: Rescue commander tells how to survive a flash flood

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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association and the National Weather Service offer safety rules for flash flooding:

• Flash flooding is a very dangerous situation
• Flash flood waves, moving at incredible speeds, can roll boulders, tear out trees, destroy buildings and bridges and scour out new channels. Killing walls of water can reach heights of 10 to 20 feet. You will not always have warning that these deadly, sudden floods are coming. When a flash flood warning is issued for your area or the moment you first realize that a flash flood is imminent, act quickly to save yourself. You may have only seconds.
• Most flood deaths occur in automobiles. Do not drive your vehicle into areas where the water covers the roadway. Flood waters are usually deeper than they appear. The road bed may not be intact under the water. Just one foot of flowing water is powerful enough to sweep vehicles off the road. If the vehicle stalls, abandon it immediately and seek higher ground. Rapidly rising water may engulf the vehicle and its occupants and sweep them away
• Do not hike rivers and especially slot canyons while flash flood warnings are in place
• Do not hike alone and always tell someone where you and your buddy and others are going
• Get out of areas subject to flooding, including dips, low spots, canyons and washes
• Avoid already flooded and high velocity flow areas. Do not try to cross a flowing stream on foot where water is above your knees
• Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize flood dangers
• Do not camp or park your vehicle along streams and washes, particularly during threatening conditions

During any flood emergency, stay tuned to your NOAA weather radio, commercial radio or television, follow St. George News at STGnews.com and St. George News Facebook for weather alerts and updates relevant to Southern Utah.

Information from the National Weather Service and disaster and emergency services may save your life. The NWS encourages weather spotters to report significant weather conditions according to standard operating procedures.

Related posts

• Evening flash flood warning; thunderstorm over Pine Valley Mountain
• When it is stormy, be flood smart; what to do after flooding
• Flooding, thunder, lightning: Storms rage in So. Utah; STGnews Photo Gallery

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