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SALT LAKE CITY — A wicked windstorm whipped across the Wasatch Front, packing gusts as high as 80 mph in a couple of locations.
Surging winds on the west side of the Salt Lake Valley blew dirt for miles. Further south, on the west side of Utah Lake, KSL's Alex Cabrero snapped a photo of the "sea of tumbleweed" he had to drive through.
Dangerous roads
Driving was especially dicey for big trucks. On I-80, south of the great Salt Lake, the wind was extremely intense, with gusts of probably 40 to 50 miles per hour.
Earlier in the day, the Utah Highway Patrol warned drivers to keep an eye out for semitrucks. Smaller cars should stay away from high-profile vehicles, troopers said, as they can be blown around on the road very unexpectedly.
"Your car can be pushed around in the wind, whenever those gusts happen," said UHP Sgt. Todd Royce. "To anticipate that, put your cellphones down, put your distractions away, which you should always do, but make sure you're concentrating on the road and anticipating what's ahead of you."
Damaged neighborhoods
In Wasatch Front neighborhoods, the damage was mostly minor.
"They had some minor shingle damage today," said Jed Fisher, project manager with Paul Davis Restoration.
Lots of shingles flying everywhere, lots of fences; we have toys going through glass windows.
–Jami Furniss, Paul Davis Restoration
Jed Fisher, project manager with Paul Davis Restoration, spend the afternoon fortifying bare roofs in areas where shingles had blown off.
"Gusts today, I believe, reached 60 or 70 miles per hour; that wreaks havoc on roofs and siding and that kind of thing," Fisher said.
When the wind picked up, the restoration company got plenty of calls.
"Lots of shingles flying everywhere, lots of fences; we have toys going through glass windows," said Jami Furniss, also with Paul Davis Restoration.
The professionals recommend that you inspect your roof for any loose shingles or gutters, clear your yard of debris and branches, and make sure barbecues, lawn furniture and trampolines are all secure.
"We've seen trampolines go through windows, glass doors. Anything like that, that doesn't weigh a ton, you're going to want to tie down — because it will fly, and it will cause lots of damage," Furniss said.
As many people discovered, you can't always prevent a fence from being blown down or losing shingles in the wind, but sometimes a quick look around the house can prevent damage.
Contributing: Sam Penrod
