Strong Wind — Lower Washington County, Utah

2024-08-23 · Lower Washington County, Utah

Event narrative

Around 430 p.m., three paddleboarders were near the dock at Quail Creek Reservoir when gusty winds pushed them away from the dock. They were not wearing life vests. Two of the people were able to swim back and reach the shore, but a third person was later found unconscious and unresponsive by Quail Creek State Park rangers. The individual, a 50-year-old male, was pronounced dead on the scene. The closest observation, from the White Reef RAWS, indicated southwest winds sustained at 26 mph, gusting to 41 mph at 5 p.m. Note that RAWS report the highest gusts for the previous hour.

Wider weather episode

There were gusty winds for different parts of Utah and flash flooding in southern Utah.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1214327. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.