'Secure those loose outdoor items': Parts of Utah under high wind warning Sunday into Monday

SALT LAKE CITY — After rain and snow on Saturday, the National Weather Service says winds will increase Sunday night, leading into a stronger storm Monday with a chance of power outages.

Winds are expected to blow through Utah starting Sunday night and into Monday. The Wasatch Front is under a wind advisory and could see gusts around 55 mph on Monday. Western Utah will see the strongest gusts around 70 mph and is under a high wind warning.

A wind gust of 59 miles per hour was recorded in Tooele on Sunday evening, NWS meteorologist Aaron Woodward said. A gust of 68 miles per hour was noted near the Great Salt Lake Marina Monday morning.

The National Weather Service encouraged people in these areas to secure outdoor items — like furniture, decorations and trash cans — and prepare for strong crosswinds and blowing dust while driving.

"We have a lot of Halloween decorations out there and a lot of people have been doing last-minute yard work, so get out there and secure those loose outdoor items," Woodward said, adding to make sure trash cans are secured.

Travelers on Interstate 80 should take particular precautions because of "some pretty significant crosswinds," Woodward said.

Gusts will roll into western Utah and the Wasatch Front during the Monday morning commute from 6 to 9 a.m. "Definitely take a quick peek at the weather before you head out the door and see what those winds are doing," Woodward said. "Give yourself extra time and space between vehicles to get to your destinations safely."

By lunch, winds will have expanded through much of the state but the magnitude will come down when a cold front starts to come in.

The weather service warned that the wind on Monday could cause power outages from falling trees and the rain could cause some large water puddles or flooding, especially in areas with recent burn scars. It advised people who live along I-80, in Cedar City, in the northern Utah mountains, and between Salt Lake and North Ogden to be prepared for a power outage and bring loose objects inside.

Winds will give way to rain around 6 p.m. In the northern valleys, Utahns could see up to 1 inch of rain, while areas in the west and south of the Wasatch Front could see a quarter-inch to 1 inch. Up to 12 inches of snow could accumulate in the northern mountains.

Woodward warned Utahns could see standing water and ponding on roads as well as rock slides in the mountains.

"Rain is likely Monday afternoon through Monday night for southwest Wyoming and most of Utah," the weather service tweeted Sunday, saying the latest forecast totals are slightly higher than previously expected. "Mountain snow is likely Monday night into Tuesday."

Contributing: Lisi Merkley

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