Easterly flow caused high winds to northern Utah on 23 May 2019 and with it, many power outages (
KSL story).
This picture is from my grandpa's backyard in North Logan. Winds knocked down many trees and fences in the neighborhood...
At 0700 UTC (1:00 AM local time), winds gusts exceeded 60 MPH in Brigham City.
Maximum wind gusts exceeding 40 MPH for the previous 24 hours at 1800 UTC (12:00 PM local time) are shown below...
The HRRR forecasts compared with HRRR 3-yr climatology shows this was an exceptional wind event for this time of year and location. Below shows that the wind speeds in northern Utah exceeded the 95th percentile wind speed by over 10 m/s.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Salt Lake City UT
413 AM MDT Thu May 23 2019
.SYNOPSIS...
The unsettled weather pattern with a trough over the western
United States will continue through Friday. There will be
somewhat of a hiatus Saturday into Sunday as the trough redevelops
a little farther west allowing a drier southwest flow aloft to
prevail. This new trough will move across Utah early next week.
&&
.SHORT TERM (Through 00Z Monday)...Strong easterly winds have been
blowing overnight across the northern Wasatch Front and Cache
Valley. These winds are expected to remain strong through at least
early morning as the 700mb winds remain above 35 kts from about
Brigham City northward as well as across the Cache Valley. Farther
south the winds have not been as strong as the 700mb winds near
the Ogden area were forecast to only be 30 kts earlier this
evening and are forecast to be down to under 20 kts by mid
morning. May be able to drop the High Wind Warning highlight
sooner than later, especially for Davis and Weber counties. The
strength of these easterly winds downsloping along the northern
Wasatch Front and Cache Valley has prevented showers from
occurring overnight, but as these winds relax and the instability
of the cold pocket aloft moves in from the south later this
morning through this afternoon showers will become widespread.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Salt Lake City UT
1033 AM MDT Thu May 23 2019
.SYNOPSIS...
The upper level low pressure over northwest Utah will maintain
unsettled weather across much of the region through early Friday.
The low pressure will exit the area and bring a break in
widespread precipitation Friday night through the weekend. The
next storm system will move across Utah early next week.
&&
.DISCUSSION...The upper trough centered over the Great Basin is
showing multiple circulation centers this morning. These
circulations will consolidate into one center over northwest Utah
this afternoon, then lift northeast toward the northern Plains
later tonight through Friday. A residual upper trough will remain
behind the exiting upper low, with this feature merging with the
next upper low moving into the Pacific Northwest early in the
weekend.
The canyon/downslope high wind event for areas north of SLC is
winding down late this morning. Decreasing easterly near 700 mb
winds and the retreat of the tight northeast surface gradient back
into western/central Wyoming signals the end of the strongest
winds, though gusty easterly winds will continue through around
mid-afternoon. Will keep the current High Wind Warning going
through the scheduled expiration at 19Z.
