rain

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.

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.

Utah municipalities involved in the program say interest has spiked since the extreme drought in 2020.

It’s uniquely hard to predict Utah’s weather patterns because of where it’s located, but the hive is in the midst of a wet cycle.

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

Climate change is altering the way rain falls on Utah’s grasses, shrubs and trees. That could end up transforming which plants you see around the state.

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.

New research shows that the long-term trend of warmer winters and less snow has made Utah’s streamflow more sporadic. And researchers say Utahns should prepare for it to keep getting worse.

“[The drought’s] probably not going to go away in one year, but we are in a better situation than we were this time last year,” said a state coordinator.