monsoon

Although Utah’s reservoirs are in good shape now, soil dried out by the summer heat could mean water problems for the runoff next spring if monsoons don’t pick up.

How much rain? Salt Lake City, Spanish Fork, Provo and Lehi all recorded more rain on Monday and Tuesday than in a typical entire month of August.

St. George and other southern Utah hot spots experienced relentless heat in July. Scientists say it’s another sign of how climate change — fueled by greenhouse gas emissions — is impacting Utah.

The monsoon has fizzled so far this year in Utah. Even so, it’s “been a tale of two summers” where northern Utah has been drier than the southern end of the state.

Thunderstorms are hopscotching around the Southwestern U.S., bringing much-needed moisture to a region where every drop counts.

The hot, dry outlook for this summer’s rainy season shows Utah’s recent string of wetter-than-average years may be coming to an end.

Forecasters expect a quick transition from El Niño to La Niña in the coming months, which could impact southern Utah’s monsoon season and next winter’s snowpack.

St. George just broke its all-time record for the most precipitation during a water year, which is measured from October to October.

Relentless heat waves across Utah set new records for daytime highs and overnight lows, creating dangerous health risks and speeding the return of drought.

Emergency personnel in Southwest Utah are already battling frequent fires as the extra grass and brush that grew during the wet spring are providing more fire fuel as they dry out.

El Niño is expected to bring a shift to weather patterns across the western United States this year. For some parts of Utah, that might mean a drier summer. But Utahns shouldn’t expect to see much drastic change right away.

“A lot can change between now and the heart of summer,” said Jon Meyer, the assistant state climatologist at the Utah Climate Center.