Storms bring high winds and lightning

Threatening thunderstorms rolled across the state Tuesday, bringing high winds and scattered rains to some areas, but today's weather will be much brighter.

Severe thunderstorm watches were in effect for much of the Wasatch Front until late last night, when the storms moved into Colorado. However, the late-June storm left many without power and some residents without a home as an old poplar tree fell onto a house at the corner of 1000 E. 300 South, causing significant structural damage, as reported by the Salt Lake City Department of Urban Forestry.

The National Weather Service reported nickel-size hail and significant lightning in Nephi and scattered storms throughout the day in Summit County, at Kimball Junction in Park City and in the Salt Lake Valley, according to Brian McInerney, a NWS hydrologist.

"The storms moved across the state at about 30 mph, producing good, brief and intense rain spells," he said. "There was also significant lightning and winds."

Wind speeds of up to 65 mph were reported near the Bullfrog marina in southeastern Utah and in areas of Salt Lake. Large gusts of wind knocked down tree limbs and damaged power lines, resulting in loss of power at nearly 4,000 homes and businesses, according to Utah Power spokesman Dave Eskelsen. He said outages were scattered throughout the valley.

A power pole fell in Emery County, causing a substation to blow out, leaving 1,000 without power into the night until it was repaired, Eskelsen said. Dry winds and dry thunderstorms are expected this time of year.

McInerney said June is typically the driest month of the year, but late-afternoon thunderstorms are not unusual as increasing temperatures build into the storms.

"The heat of the day makes the air rise, which then condenses into thunderstorms and produces rain," he said. Tuesday's limited rainfall created no flooding problems, just wind as the moisture coming down pushed the air underneath, causing frequent gusts.

Such storms often taper off in the evening hours, he said, as cooler air descends.

A red-flag warning was in effect for much of the state as weather conditions were "right for starting wildfires," McInerney said. The warning should expire early today.

Today's temperatures are expected to be in the 80s, continuing through the next three days, giving everything a chance to dry out.

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E-mail: wleonard@desnews.com