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| source: KSL.com |
Still, winds in Spanish Fork are stronger today than normal on this downslope windstorm type of day. The ten minute averaged winds are around 15 mph and gusts nearing 30 mph.
However, winds are much stronger further north. At the University of Utah, on top of the William Browning Building, ten minute average wind speeds are 25 mph with stronger winds at the mouth of Red Butte Canyon. Gusts are over 55 mph.
And a little further north, in Farmington, some of the strongest winds have been reported. This station currently is reporting sustained winds of 44 mph with gusts up to 77 mph! Surrounding stations measure similar wind speeds and gusts.
I remember being told that Lagoon's ferris wheel, the Sky Ride, was built to withstand a hurricane. We don't have hurricanes in Utah (obviously), but we definitely get hurricane strength winds.
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| Clearfield Traffic Camera with blowing snow. source: UDOT.utah.gov |
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| source: KSL.com |
These high winds will last most of the day and into the night. By this evening you may have new snow to shovel while you're neighbor will be lucky enough to have no more snow in their yard. It all depends on where those snow drifts settle.
From the National Weather Service:
High Wind Warning
URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SALT LAKE CITY UT 202 AM MST TUE DEC 30 2014 UTZ002-302300- /O.CON.KSLC.HW.W.0011.000000T0000Z-141231T1100Z/ NORTHERN WASATCH FRONT- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...BRIGHAM CITY...OGDEN...BOUNTIFUL 202 AM MST TUE DEC 30 2014 ...HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM MST WEDNESDAY... * AFFECTED AREA...THE NORTHERN WASATCH FRONT FROM BRIGHAM CITY SOUTHWARD TO NORTH SALT LAKE. THE STRONGEST WINDS ARE OCCURRING BETWEEN LAYTON AND BOUNTIFUL...INCLUDING FARMINGTON AND CENTERVILLE. * WINDS...EAST WINDS GUSTING IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH...WITH LOCAL GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 75 MPH. * TIMING...THE STRONGEST WINDS ARE FORECAST TO OCCUR THIS MORNING...PEAKING MID TO LATE MORNING...BEFORE GRADUALLY DIMINISHING THROUGH TONIGHT. * IMPACTS...THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. STRONG CROSSWINDS ARE OCCURRING ALONG I-15...HIGHWAY 89 AND THE LEGACY PARKWAY THROUGH DAVIS AND WEBER COUNTIES WHICH WILL CREATE HAZARDOUS TRAVEL FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES AND THOSE WITH TRAILERS. SIGNIFICANT BLOWING AND DRIFTING OF SNOW WILL ALSO CAUSE GREATLY REDUCED VISIBILITY AND SLICK ROADWAYS. VERY COLD WIND CHILLS CAN ALSO BE EXPECTED...WITH READINGS OF 20 TO 25 DEGREES BELOW ZERO. POWER OUTAGES ARE POSSIBLE... GIVEN THE VERY COLD TEMPERATURES HAVE A CONTINGENCY PLAN IN THE EVENT OF A LOSS OF HEAT. LOOSE OBJECTS SUCH AS TRASH CANS... TRAMPOLINES AND LAWN ORNAMENTS WILL BECOME AIRBORNE RESULTING IN POTENTIAL PROPERTY DAMAGE. WIND SENSITIVE OPERATIONS WILL BE AFFECTED. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A HIGH WIND WARNING MEANS A HAZARDOUS HIGH WIND EVENT IS EXPECTED OR IS OCCURRING. SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS OF AT LEAST 40 MPH OR GUSTS OF 58 MPH OR MORE CAN LEAD TO PROPERTY DAMAGE. VEHICLES... ESPECIALLY HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES...CAN BE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL AT TIMES IN HIGH WINDS. MOTORISTS SHOULD TAKE EXTRA CAUTION... ESPECIALLY WHILE CROSSING BRIDGES...OVERPASSES AND UNSHELTERED AREAS.
Also be aware of the elevated avalanche danger today:
THIS AVALANCHE WARNING IS FOR CANYON MOUTHS AND FOOTHILLS OF CACHE...DAVIS...WEBER AND EASTERN SALT LAKE COUNTIES. STRONG WIND WILL CREATE POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WIND SLAB AVALANCHE CONDITIONS IN LOW ELEVATION AREAS WHERE PEOPLE DO NOT NORMALLY SEE AVALANCHES. AVALANCHE DANGER IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE TODAY AND CONTINUE INTO WEDNESDAY. THIS WARNING DOES NOT INCLUDE SKI AREAS OR HIGHWAYS WHERE AVALANCHE CONTROL IS NORMALLY DONE.
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