- Heavy rainfall in northern Utah flooded basements and streets and prompted concerns about sewer backups.
- North Ogden officials had been monitoring a burn scar caused by the Willard Peak Fire on the periphery of the city, but didn't report any large-scale mudslides.
- As much as 3 inches fell in some parts of the county.
FARR WEST, Weber County — Heavy rains flooded basements in northern Utah on Wednesday, inundating streets and prompting worries about sewer backups in North Ogden.
Some kids in Farr West pulled out kayaks and paddleboards to take advantage of the flooded streets in that city. It wasn't so fun for Diane Montgomery, though, who said the basement of her North Ogden home quickly filled with 5 inches of water. She heard reports of some neighbors' homes flooding, as well, some with up to 3 feet of water.
"That meant that mountain ... was that saturated with water," said Montgomery, whose home sits amid pastures west of the Wasatch range. "We did have tons of rain during the night, and this morning — earlier, especially — it was just pouring. Unbelievable."
According to a National Weather Service precipitation map, 3.16 inches of water had fallen in the mountains east of North Ogden over the prior 24 hours as of late Wednesday afternoon, the heaviest reported rainfall in Weber County. At Ogden-Hinckley Airport, 1.57 inches of rain had fallen, while the total was 1.93 inches in the Pleasant View-Farr West area in northern Weber County.
The National Weather Service forecast for the area around Ogden, North Ogden, Farr West and Pleasant View calls for a 40% chance of rain on Thursday.
North Ogden officials had made sandbags available on Wednesday in the Mason Cove neighborhood, adjacent to the mountainside burn scar caused earlier this month by the Willard Peak Fire, north of where Montgomery lives. North Ogden City Manager Jon Call, though, didn't report widespread issues in that area.
"My understanding is three homes have let the city know they got water and dirt in their basements. A large-scale mudslide has not occurred," he said. The sandbags were meant as a hedge against the possibility of mudslides caused by heavy rain atop the barren terrain where the fire occurred."
However, North Ogden's sewer system experienced high volumes due to the heavy rainfall. The city reported 3.1 inches of rainfall in just a three-hour period on Wednesday.
"We understand the need for sump pumps, but please run them to the curb or storm drain and do not drain into showers, bathtubs, toilets or sinks. We also ask residents to avoid using washing machines, dishwashers and bathtubs for the next several hours so the sewer system can catch up," the city said in a Facebook post Wednesday afternoon. "We're not asking you to stop all sewer use, just please reduce where possible to help prevent further backups."
In Farr West, Mayor Ken Phippen said the heavy rainfall tested that city's stormwater system, though it seemed to be operating as designed. "It's just a little overwhelmed by the large amount of water that happened that we don't normally get," he said.
Some neighborhoods in the city had several feet of standing water in the roads and near houses earlier Wednesday. It prompted Kyle Brown to offer a helping hand, using specialized pumping equipment to help lower water levels in some streets. His aim, he said, was to "just keep the water down far enough from the houses" as water neared them.
In Ogden, city crews pitched in to help mitigate flooding. "With the massive rainstorm that swept through Ogden city, our fire crews were on the ground assisting residents by clearing debris from gutters and pumping out flooded areas. If you see this in your neighborhood, please help a neighbor in need," the Ogden Fire Department said on Facebook.
Contributing: Daniel Woodruff
