New state records for precipitation were set by the heavy rainfall in the North Ogden area, the Salt Lake office of the National Weather Service says.
"Unbelievable and incredible" was the way William J. Alder, meteorologist in charge of the office, described the records for two-hour, three-hour, six-hour and 24-hour periods.Most of the record amounts fell in 24 hours, Alder said.
The new Utah records are as follows:
- The two-hour record, from 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7, was 3.50 inches. The previous record was 2.39 inches in Tremonton, Box Elder County, on July 23, 1985.
- The three-hour record from 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7, was 4.75 inches. The previous record was 3.60 inches at Church Wells, Kane County, July 25, 1983.- A six-hour record from 3 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7, was 5.50 inches. The previous record was 3.60 inches at Church Wells, July 25, 1983, which actually occurred in five hours, from 3 to 8 p.m.
- The 24-hour record, from 6 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 7, to 6 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 8, was 8.40 inches. The previous 24-hour record was 6 inches at Bug Point, southeast of Blanding, San Juan County, on July 5, 1970.
Alder said the Weber County readings were taken with a conical rain gauge by Henry Hall, who lives close to the mountains in the northern part of North Ogden. His figures are substantiated by use of two five-gallon buckets. The exact amount of rainfall in the conical rain gauge equated to the same amount as contained in a coffee can. Also, Hall emptied a 3-inch-deep dog dish at least twice during about 24 hours of the heaviest rainfall during the two days.
Hall recorded a total of 9.15 inches of rain from the storm that began Saturday through 7:30 a.m. Monday.
Sam Johnson, who lives in North Ogden but in the lower valley away from the mountains, used an 8-inch standard weather service rain gauge. His readings would not reflect as much enhanced precipitation from the mountains.
Johnson logged 5.96 inches of water in a 24-hour period from 6 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 7, through 6 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 8. This amount would be a little short of the 24-hour state record, Alder said.
While North Ogden and Harrisville were hit hard, some communities nearby did not receive nearly as much rain from the heavy, localized storm Saturday, Sunday and early Monday. Brigham City received 0.51 of inch Saturday and Sunday; Ogden bench, 4.19 inches; Ogden-Pioneer weather station (mouth of Ogden Canyon), 4.30.