The National Weather Service warned of wind gusts up to 70 mph across Salt Lake County on Wednesday, July 29, issuing a Severe Thunderstorm Warning that explicitly named Cottonwood Heights and Holladay among the communities in the storm's direct path.
The NWS Salt Lake City office issued the warning at 7:25 p.m. MDT after trained weather spotters confirmed 60 mph gusts. At that time, thunderstorms stretched along a line from 11 miles northeast of Weber State University to near Emigration Canyon to near West Jordan, moving east at 25 mph.
The warning expired at 8:15 p.m.
What the warning meant
A Severe Thunderstorm Warning means a dangerous storm is already occurring or imminent in the warned area. The NWS threshold for issuing one: wind gusts of at least 58 mph or hail of at least 1 inch in diameter.
The NWS forecast gusts up to 70 mph, which would meet the agency's "considerable" damage threat level, the second-highest of three categories. NWS Salt Lake City said on X that the storm would "contain wind gusts to 70 MPH" and warned residents to expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees.
Storm tracked toward canyon mouths
The system originated in Tooele County earlier Wednesday afternoon, where a weather station on Interstate 80 at Dugway recorded an actual gust of 69 mph. A separate Severe Thunderstorm Warning was issued for Tooele County at 3:58 p.m. before the storm pushed east toward the Wasatch Front.
That eastward track placed the storm on a direct line toward the canyon mouths, including Little Cottonwood Canyon and surrounding areas in Cottonwood Heights. The NWS warning covered Salt Lake County, Eastern Davis County, Southeastern Weber County, Northwestern Wasatch County, Morgan County, Western Summit County, and Northern Utah County.
Safety guidance
The NWS directed residents to move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. The Unified Fire Authority, which serves Cottonwood Heights and Holladay, had not issued a separate public statement about the storm as of Thursday morning.
No confirmed damage reports from Cottonwood Heights or Holladay had been made public as of Thursday, July 30. Residents who experienced property damage can report it to the Cottonwood Heights Police Department or the Unified Police Department serving Holladay.
Additional storm activity remains possible as monsoonal moisture moves through the region. Fox 13 reported that further warnings were expected as the system continued east Wednesday evening.
