High Wind in Grand Flat and Arches, Utah

The Bryson Canyon RAWS station recorded a gust to 58 mph at 148 PM MST on February 7th. This was the only gust above 58 mph recorded in this zone. Other gusts recorded in the area during this period were two gusts to 53 mph at the Utah Department of Transportation Mesonet site I-70 At Mp 226 Harley Dome. One gust was at 110 PM MST and the other was at 330 PM MST. No reports of injuries, damages, or fatalities were received.

Unseasonably warm temperatures and clear skies promoted deep mixing on the 7th of February. In the meantime, the pressure gradient aloft was tightening ahead of a cold and strong low pressure system approaching the area from the west, leading to strong winds at upper levels. The unusual warmth of the day promoted deep mixing, tapping into those strong upper level winds and bringing strong gusts down to the surface. Higher elevations and the valleys of northeast Utah and northwest Colorado saw the peak gusts.