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SALT LAKE CITY — The National Weather Service issued wind and winter weather advisories for different parts of Utah as a result of a storm bringing plenty of wind, rain and snow to the state Monday evening into Tuesday.
Strong wind gusts are expected between Monday afternoon through Tuesday morning as a storm system arrives from the West, said KSL meteorologist Grant Weyman. Passing showers that began earlier Monday are also expected through the evening as the storm arrives.
"The bigger stuff is waiting in the wings (Monday night). It does sweep through early (Tuesday) morning, and it's going to deliver both rain and some snow for us," he said.
Strong winds
Most parts of Utah north of Nephi, as well as parts of central and southern Utah — such as areas in or around Cedar City, Manti and Richfield — are included in a series of wind advisories in effect from Monday evening through Tuesday afternoon. Sustained winds up to 30 mph along with gusts between 50 mph and 60 mph are expected during that time.
A high wind warning was also issued for some localized areas such as Price and Castle Dale in central Utah, and Duchesne and Roosevelt in eastern Utah. Sustained winds of 30 mph to 40 mph, along with 60 mph gusts are expected; the warning remains in effect through Tuesday evening in those areas.
The weather service advises that residents should secure any outdoor objects, while drivers should use caution — especially if operating a high-profile vehicle.
"Strong crosswinds will result in difficult travel along north to south oriented routes, particularly for high-profile vehicles," the alert states.
The agency adds power outages and property damage are possible, especially in areas dealing with the strongest winds.
Precipitation and cooler temps
The weather service's winter weather advisory covers the West Uintas, where 6 inches to 10 inches of snow are expected between Monday and Tuesday evenings. That's in addition to strong wind gusts up to 60 mph.
"The combination of snow and strong gusty winds will create areas of blowing snow that will result in significant travel difficulties," the weather service said.
But rain and snow are expected elsewhere in the state. Other mountain areas may receive up to about a half-foot of snow, Weyman said. He added that he wouldn't be surprised if high bench areas receive an inch or two of snow, while valley floors receive a mixture of snow and rain.
"That's how cold it is," he said.
The weather service even issued a freeze watch for parts of eastern Utah, including Vernal and Moab, where below-freezing temperatures are forecast for Tuesday into Wednesday.
Meanwhile, high temperatures around the Wasatch Front will drop from the mid-60s Monday to highs around 50 degrees on Tuesday and Wednesday, before returning to the 70s by the start of the weekend.
Full seven-day forecasts for areas across Utah can be found online at the KSL Weather Center.
