High winds to taper off in N. Utah as snow continues in south

High winds that left parts of northern Utah whiplashed with downed trees, scattered debris and power outages Friday were expected to weaken and eventually subside Saturday, while snow and rain falling in the south showed no signs of stopping.

With gusts reaching up to 40 mph in Weber, Davis and Salt Lake counties, the wind Saturday morning was not what it had been, according to the National Weather Service, where forecasters said the breeziness would taper off gradually throughout the day.

"It's still going to be plenty breezy," said forecaster Mike Conger. "But nothing nearly like what we've seen."

A high wind warning remained in effect through noon Saturday, due to strong cross-winds expected along the Interstate 15, Legacy Parkway and U.S. 89 corridors.

The Utah Department of Transportation warned drivers of semi-trailer rigs, recreational and other high-profile vehicles to exercise caution as they traversed those and other northern Utah highways.

After noon, forecasters said, the wind will begin to die down with most of the strongest gusts likely to disappear by Saturday night.

The lessening wind will help with the chill factor but do little to affect temperatures, which are expected to remain in the 30s and 40s throughout the state. Lows for the weekend could dip into the 20s or the teens in some areas.

In southern Utah, some areas of which were blanketed by up to 10 inches of snow by mid-morning Saturday, the ice and snow on the ground will prevent any warming.

The snow may not stop until late Sunday or early Monday, forecasters said.

St. George may be the first to see a break in the onslaught, according to the NWS, but Interstate 15 will likely continue to see snow all the way to Cedar City for most of the weekend.

Accumulation will likely end by Sunday night, forecasters said.

According to Rocky Mountain Power, as of 4:20 p.m. Saturday, about 849 customers remained without power in Moab because of the weather, down from about 1,929 that morning. The power company expected to restore power by 12:30 a.m. Sunday.

The weather also caused about 599 customers to lose power in Ogden during the afternoon and early evening.

Reporter Michael McFall contributed to this story.

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