Utah Flash Floods Strand Runners, Cancel Ultramarathon

Remnants of Tropical Storm Rachel and an approaching low-pressure system brought—and were forecast to bring—heavy rain, strong winds and flash-flood danger across Utah, with the greatest rainfall expected in southern and higher-elevation areas. Flooding on Oct. 11 stranded ultramarathon runners near Moab, forced cancellation of the Moab 240, and restricted uphill traffic in Big Cottonwood Canyon. Forecasters warned that several inches of rain, with localized totals potentially much higher, could rapidly raise rivers and streams and trigger flooding, especially around wildfire burn scars, slot canyons, normally dry washes and urban areas with poor drainage. The rainfall could also improve soil moisture heading into next spring’s snowmelt, though its effect on the coming winter’s snowpack was uncertain.