Flash flood warning for Kane County

KANE COUNTY — The National Weather Service in Salt Lake City has issued a flash flood warning for central Kane County in effect Monday until 9:30 p.m.

Affected areas

At 3:24 p.m., Doppler radar indicated a thunderstorm producing heavy rain over Hackberry and Paria drainages. The radar indicates that up to 2 inches of rain have already fallen.

Dots denote areas subject to flash flood warning at 6:20 p.m., Kane County, Utah, May 25, 2015 | Image courtesy of National Weather Service, St. George News | Click on image to enlarge
Dots denote areas subject to flash flood warning at 6:20 p.m., Kane County, Utah, May 25, 2015 | Image courtesy of National Weather Service, St. George News | Click on image to enlarge

Flash flooding will mainly remain over the rural areas of central Kane County along the Cottonwood Canyon Road north of Highway 89.

Precautionary/preparedness actions

A flash flood warning tells residents that flooding is imminent. All residents in the affected areas should move to higher ground as quickly as possible. Remain alert for flooding, even in locations not receiving rain. Dry washes, streams and rivers can become raging killer currents in a matter of minutes, even from rain falling at a distance.

Please report any flooding to local law enforcement agencies when safely able to do so.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association and the National Weather Service offer safety rules for flash flood conditions:

  • Conditions may develop that lead to flash flooding. Flash flooding is a very dangerous situation.
  • Flash flood waves, moving at incredible speeds, can roll boulders, tear out trees, destroy buildings and bridges, and scour out new channels. Killing walls of water can reach heights of 10 to 20 feet. You will not always have warning that these deadly, sudden floods are coming. When a flash flood warning is issued for your area, or the moment you first realize that a flash flood is imminent, act quickly to save yourself. You may have only seconds.
  • Most flood deaths occur in automobiles. Do not drive your vehicle into areas where the water covers the roadway. Flood waters are usually deeper than they appear. The road bed may not be intact under the water. Just one foot of flowing water is powerful enough to sweep vehicles off the road. If the vehicle stalls, abandon it immediately and seek higher ground. Rapidly rising water may engulf the vehicle and its occupants and sweep them away. Case in point: In July 2013, a tour bus in Arizona tipped over and got swept nearly one-half mile down an otherwise dry wash.
  • Do not hike rivers and especially slot canyons while flash flood warnings are in place.
  • Do not hike alone, and always tell someone where you and your buddy and others are going.
  • Get out of areas subject to flooding. This includes dips, low spots, canyons, washes, etc.
  • Avoid already flooded and high-velocity flow areas. Do not try to cross a flowing stream on foot where water is above your knees.
  • Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize flood dangers.
  • Do not camp or park your vehicle along streams and washes, particularly during threatening conditions.
  • During any flood emergency, stay tuned to your NOAA weather radio, commercial radio or television; follow St. George News at com and Facebook for weather alerts and updates relevant to Southern Utah. Information from the National Weather Service and disaster and emergency services may save your life.

Related posts

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @STGnews

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2015, all rights reserved.

Free News Delivery by Email

Would you like to have the day's news stories delivered right to your inbox every evening? Enter your email below to start!

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.