Quite a Saturday Ahead

Mother Nature will be throwing an active day at us today and she is already bringing the goods.

I was up early this morning as I have quite a bit of yardwork to do today, but the weather is not cooperating.  Showers and thunderstorms extend from the Oquirrhs into eastern Utah at 1300 UTC (0700 MDT). 

These storms have been moving northward, leaving a trial of lightning strikes from I-70 to just north of Evanston.  The highest lightning-strike densities are well east of I-15, but there have also been a few in the Salt Lake Valley and adjoining Wasatch Mountains. 

Source: LightningMaps.org.  Lightning in hour ending at 0709 MDT.

Today will be the epitome of if you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes.  The latest HRRR shows periods of showers and thunderstorms in the southerly flow ahead of the front (which we are currently in) and with the approach and passage of the front around 1800 MDT.  I've selected a few forecast hours below to illustrate both the active and break periods over the Salt Lake Valley.  Keep in mind that the chaotic nature of thunderstorms means that you can't count on precision in these forecasts and should keep an eye to the sky throughout the day.  

In addition to rain, we've had some strong winds in the area.  My house has done quite a bit of shaking at times.  Weather observations from a citizen observer in the upper aves show a peak gust of 68 mph yesterday at about 1900 MDT and then a gust this morning of 54 mph at about 0700 MDT.  

Source: MesoWest

Since yesterday, peak gusts reported to MesoWest include 78 mph on the Salt Flats, 70 mph at the Moab Airport, 68 mph in the upper Aves, 64 mph in Magna, 62 mph in Parley's Canyon, 61 mph near Point of the Mountain, and 52 mph at the Salt Lake City Airport.  The list of stations reporting gusts over 50 mph is remarkably long, so strong gusts were reported in many areas.

Stay safe out there.  When thunder roars, head indoors.