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SALT LAKE CITY — Utah's droughtless streak didn't last very long, but the section now in drought could get some much-needed rain over the next few days.
About 5% of the state — almost entirely in Tooele County — is back in moderate drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor's weekly report released on Thursday. It comes three weeks after the Beehive State was drought-free for the first time since 2019 as it cleared out in eastern Utah.
Utah's current drought situation is still far better than other parts of the West.
"Warmer temperatures and below-normal precipitation resulted in the introduction of exceptional drought in western Montana, as well as the expansion of drought in other parts of Montana, across much of Oregon into northern California, while moderate drought was introduced in northwest Utah," wrote Rocky Bilotta, a physical scientist National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in the report.
Drought's Utah return
The return to drought isn't much of a surprise. "Abnormally dry" conditions have spread across the state this summer amid heat waves and long stretches without rain. For example, Salt Lake City posted its second-hottest June on record and this month remains on track to land within the Top 10 hottest Julys on record, according to National Weather Service data. Up until Thursday, it also hasn't received measurable rain since June 21.
It's representative of the conditions across most of Utah's northern half this summer, which is why "abnormally dry" conditions now exist throughout most of the Wasatch Front, northern Utah and west desert. About 55% of the state is now considered "abnormally dry," which is a precursor to drought.
🥵 Temperatures were 3 to 9 degrees above normal across much of the West region. Conditions worsened in Montana, much of Oregon, northern California, and northwest Utah. Conditions improved in parts of New Mexico. https://t.co/hs7rCpQMsY#DroughtMonitorpic.twitter.com/KZv4pzZqmF
— NOAA NCEI (@NOAANCEI) July 25, 2024
The section of Utah listed in moderate drought covers a little more than half of Tooele County and a small sliver of western Box Elder County. Tooele has only received 0.03 inches of rain this month, which all fell from a small storm last week. It collected just 0.01 inches in June. The county was last listed in drought on May 16, 2023.
The drying conditions aren't expected to mess with Utah's water supply this summer, but federal, state and local firefighters all cite the drying conditions for the growing wildfire activity and risk within the state. At least some level of fire restrictions exist in every region of the state, though there are fewer restrictions in southeast Utah as it has benefited from more monsoonal moisture than any other of the state's regions this summer.
"Because we had such a wet winter, it leads to high fuel content in vegetation. That moisture content can be down really fast, especially with this heat," said Salt Lake fire spokesman Bob Silverthorne, as the department battled a 204-acre wildfire that sparked in the city's foothills on Saturday.
The Great Basin Coordination Center listed southwest and northwest Utah — including the section of the state now in drought — as having above-normal fire risk this month in its long-range fire potential outlook. The above-normal risk in northwest Utah is expected to last through at least September.
Some relief this week
The good news is that rain finally returned to Utah's northern and there's more potentially on the way after weather patterns blocked monsoons from reaching the region this week.
With only a meager 0.01 inches on Thursday, Salt Lake City snapped its streak without measurable rain at 34 days, according to National Weather Service data. It added a tiny bit more early Friday.
Other areas benefited more from the scattered showers. Thatcher, Box Elder County, received 0.84 inches from overnight storms, while other communities in northern Utah like Tremonton, Snowville and Laketown all wound up with more than a half-inch of rain. Alpine and Riverton, closer to the Point of the Mountain within the Wasatch Front, ended up with 0.31 and 0.25 inches, respectively.
Parts of southern and central Utah also got in on the action as storms have persisted in that region this week. Kanarraville and Boulder each picked up over a half-inch of rain on Thursday.
"It was a great drink of water for a lot of us and we love to see it," said KSL meteorologist Matt Johnson.
More rain is in the forecast for Friday throughout the state.
Scattered storms are expected to pick up early Friday afternoon in southern and central Utah, picking up in intensity as the day continues, Johnson said. He said some storms will start to reach the Wasatch Front by Friday evening before sweeping into northern Utah on Friday night and early Saturday.
⚠Gusty thunderstorm winds are once again expected across much of the area this afternoon/evening, with the highest chances for 50-60 mph wind gusts over western Utah (dark green shade). Be sure to stay weather aware and have a plan to seek shelter when storms approach. #utwxpic.twitter.com/ZZVbrbpGTj
— NWS Salt Lake City (@NWSSaltLakeCity) July 26, 2024
Some lingering pop-up storms could impact the northern Utah and the Wasatch Front regions again Saturday afternoon, but storm activity may not be as likely as Friday.
Drier conditions are forecast to return by Sunday and into the next week. The shift in patterns is also expected to cap high temperatures in the mid-90s throughout the Wasatch Front this weekend after Salt Lake City tied its all-time Pioneer Day record of 105 degrees on Wednesday.
Full seven-day forecasts for areas across Utah can be found online, at the KSL Weather Center.
