ST. GEORGE — Rain falling on deep primed snowpack in the headwaters of the Virgin River has resulted in a flood watch being issued by the National Weather Service for Washington, Iron and Kane counties.
The alert, which includes Springdale, specifically covers “flows in the Subway, the Narrows and other drainages through Zion National Park that feed into the North and East Forks of the Virgin River.”
Water levels “may increase quickly and reach critical levels within the park. Mainstem river flooding of the Virgin River is not expected,” the weather service said in a news release.
“The North Fork of the Virgin River is expected to rise above 3,000 cubic feet per second, while the East Fork of the Virgin River is expected to rise above 1,200 CFS, both of which are below mainstem river flood levels. However, flows of these levels will be dangerous to hikers and outdoor recreation within slot canyons and normally dry washes.”
The flood watch is in effect from 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday afternoon.
The Utah Department of Transportation said on its website that the storm will bring “heavy precipitation to the state.” Brian Head is listed as one area that will be impacted by “road snow accumulations,” while Cedar City and the Iron County Interstate 15 corridor could see winds of 40-50 mph.
UDOT encourages drivers to exercise caution should they encounter excessive amounts of water or flooding on the roadway, adding:
“You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible flood warnings. Those with outdoor recreation plans in Zion National Park should be prepared to take action should flooding develop or plan to avoid flood-prone routes within the park.”
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the Virgin River near Bloomington is flowing between 8 and 9 feet but is expected to rise as the storm develops.
Click the links to access on-site webcams at Zion Temples and the Zion National Park South Entrance.