(Salt Lake City, UT) - THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SALT LAKE CITY HAS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WATCH:

* FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN UTAH AND SOUTHWEST UTAH INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING AREAS IN SOUTHERN UTAH - SOUTH CENTRAL UTAH -SOUTHWEST UTAH - UTAHS DIXIE AND ZION NATIONAL PARK AND IN SOUTHWEST UTAH - SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS.

* FROM 10 AM MDT THIS MORNING THROUGH THIS EVENING

* THE APPROACH OF A PACIFIC TROUGH WILL CONTINUE TO ALLOW DEEP MOISTURE TO SURGE NORTH AND WEST INTO SOUTHERN AND SOUTHWESTERN UTAH TODAY WHILE FUELING THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT. THUNDERSTORMS HAVE REMAINED ACTIVE OVER SOUTHERN NEVADA AND FAR NORTHWESTERN ARIZONA OVERNIGHT AND WILL APPROACH SOUTHWESTERN UTAH THIS MORNING. THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY DISSIPATE BRIEFLY THIS MORNING BUT ARE EXPECTED TO REDEVELOP...BECOMING SCATTERED THIS AFTERNOON. RAINFALL RATES OF 1 TO 2 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE...AND TRAINING OF THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE SAME AREAS IS EXPECTED. THESE CONDITIONS MAY PRODUCE FLASH FLOODING.

* ANYONE PLANNING OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE FLASH FLOOD RISK AND AVOID LOCATIONS PRONE TO FLASH FLOODING. FLASH FLOODING MAY OCCUR MILES AWAY FROM THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. BE PREPARED TO MOVE QUICKLY TO HIGHER GROUND IF FLASH FLOODING IS OBSERVED OR A WARNING IS ISSUED.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS -

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP THAT LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. FLASH FLOODING IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS BE ISSUED.