HIGHS
FOR THE MONTH (AUG. 24) 95.0 degreesAVERAGE THIS MONTH 86.6 degrees
30-YEAR AVERAGE 89.4 degrees
RECORD (AUG. 4, 1979) 104.0 degrees
LOWS
FOR MONTH (AUG. 30) 46.0 degrees
AVERAGE THIS MONTH 58.4 degrees
30-YEAR AVERAGE 61.8 degrees
RECORD (AUG. 31, 1965) 37.0 degrees
THUNDERSTORMS
TOTAL FOR AUGUST 8
30-YEAR AVERAGE 8
RECORD (1985) 16
NUMBER OF HAIL DAYS 1
PRECIPITATION
TOTAL FOR AUGUST 0.46"
30-YEAR AVERAGE 0.86"
MOST IN 24 HRS. (AUG. 11) 0.27"
RECORD (1986) 3.66"
Records set at Salt Lake westher station
NONE FOR AUGUST
A record cool summer (June-August) with average temperatures of 68.7 degrees; previously 69.5 degrees in 1928.
Utah westher highlights
AUG. 3-11: The summer monsoon finally arrived with major thunderstorms, rain and associated flash flooding and lightning in some areas.
On the seventh, a minor flash flood occurred in Kingston Canyon, leaving mud, water and debris along U-62 near Circleville. About an inch of rain fell in a short time. Lightining struck and injured a 33-year-old man horseback riding with four companions in the Wasatch Plateau foothills above Orangeville, Emery County. His horse was killed.
The eighth brought widespread hail and heavy rain in the central and south portions of Salt Lake County. The hail was one-fourth to 1 1/2 inches in diameter and 3 inches deep in Herriman and 2 inches deep in south Sandy. Some of the more impressive rainfall amounts (in inches): South Sandy, 1.25 in 20 minutes; Sandy, 0.72 in 10 minutes; Tridell, Uintah County, 0.82 in 30 minutes; Midvale, 0.60 in 10 minutes.
On the ninethth, a flash flood and deadly lightning hit Wayne County. The flooding occurred from thunderstorms on the Thousand Lake Mountains north of Bicknell in Red Canyon. Mud and debris covered 1,500 to 2,000 feet of U-24, which runs through Capitol Reef National Park; the road had to be closed for about two hours. On the same mountain range, lightning killed a 12-year-old boy about 6 p.m. A 22-year-old woman was also struck, suffering irregular heartbeat and first-degree burns.
On the 10th, lightning injured two people. In the Synderville Basin seven miles north of Park City, lightning struck within 10 to 15 feet of two horseback riders. One, a 16-year-old girl, was knocked off her horse and suffered a concussion. A 72-year-old man in a Sandy nursing home was struck in the cheek by lightning as it entered the home's call button system. He was knocked unconscious for three to four minutes and blinded for about 10 minutes. Lehi received 1.03 inches of rain in 15 minutes; Pleasant Grove, 0.86 in 45 minutes, American Fork, 0.80 in 15 minutes; Riverton, 0.70 in 15 minutes; and Monticello, 1.40.
On Aug. 11, a high-elevation tornado occurred at about 10,000 to 11,000 feet about 25 to 30 miles north of Roosevelt in the Uinta Mountains. The tornado touched down three times, destroying about 1,000 acres of trees and one truck; it damaged four other vehicles.
Some August monthly precipitation totals (in inches): 1.86 (104 percent); Blanding, 1.79 (126 percent); Brigham City, 0.96 (102 percent); Bryce Canyon, 3.85 (175 percent); Holladay, 0.45 (50 percent); Kanab, 1.67 (112 percent); Provo-BYU 1.03 (99 percent); Heber City, 0.67 (68 percent); Richmond, 1.03 (99 percent); Tooele, 0.46 (49 percent).
Source: Salt Lake office, National Weather Service