High Wind in Grand Flat and Arches, Utah

At approximately 1:48 PM MDT, the Bryson Canyon RAWS recorded a wind gust to 59 mph. Other gusts recorded across the zone ranged from 45 mph to the peak gust of 59 mph at Bryson Canyon, and occurred throughout the afternoon of the 20th. No reports of injuries, damages, or fatalities were received.

A trough dropping out of the Pacific Northwest on the 20th helped to tighten the pressure gradient aloft. This in turn worked to increase surface winds across eastern Utah and western Colorado. In addition, a ridge of high pressure that was still partly in place on the 20th promoted clear skies and deep mixing, helping to mix down even stronger winds to the surface. This pattern lingered into the afternoon of the 21st, allowing for a few late wind gusts to pop up at higher elevations of northwest Colorado.