Utah Officials Warn of Dangerous Flooding and Road Closures

Flash Floods and Rockfalls Sever Southern Utah Routes

“Widespread rainfall will continue through Monday. Excessive runoff will also increase flooding risks,” warned San Juan County officials as severe storms battered the region.

Local officials issued dire warnings for residents to stay off the roads as the severe weather system continued to drop heavy precipitation.

Zion National Park and State Route 9 Impacts

In Zion National Park, the Kolob Canyon Scenic Drive was temporarily closed above Taylor Creek early Sunday following a rockfall. Maintenance crews cleared the debris quickly, allowing the road to fully reopen just after noon. A similar incident struck nearby on State Route 9 at milepost 26 west of Rockville, where a rockfall blocked a single lane before crews cleared the obstruction.

Ash Creek Reservoir Shuts Down Old Highway 91

Water depths exceeding two feet forced a complete shutdown of Old Highway 91 between exits 40 and 36 at Ash Creek Reservoir in New Harmony. The New Harmony Fire Association urged drivers to bypass the area entirely, pointing travelers toward alternate open routes.

Contrasting Reports and Regional Forecasts

While local agencies in Washington and San Juan counties managed localized closures, regional forecasting painted a broader picture of the storm’s reach. KUTV reported that significant and historic flooding struck southeastern Utah and southwestern Colorado, bringing between 1.5 and 3 inches of rain to parts of the warning zone by Sunday afternoon.

While fox13now.com focused primarily on park impacts and localized road washouts in Washington County, KUTV highlighted the wider multi-state scope, noting that the National Weather Service flagged the event as a particularly dangerous situation for drivers traversing low-lying areas, rivers, and creeks.

Extended Warnings and Upcoming Weather

Flood warnings remained active late Sunday for Garfield, Kane, San Juan, and Washington counties. Authorities confirmed that conditions across both northern and southern Utah are expected to improve by Monday morning, though a weaker secondary storm system is slated to arrive on Wednesday.