Flash Flood Warning: Washington County, UT — flooding now or soon, until 6:15 p.m. MDT Sunday, Oct. 11

What is happening: National Park Service officials reported thunderstorms with heavy rain and flash flooding in the Zion National Park area at 2:59 p.m. MDT Sunday (1:59 p.m. PDT). Water runs off fast from the steep rock into canyons, washes and roads. The National Weather Service office in Salt Lake City says flash flooding is happening now or will start soon. NWS calls this life-threatening flash flooding. Between 1.25 and 2.25 inches of rain have fallen.

Where: The warning covers east-central Washington County in southwestern Utah, including Zion National Park, Springdale and Rockville (the same warning covers west-central Kane County); and the Forsyth burn scar in central Washington County, including Pine Valley, the Santa Clara River and Utah Route 18 between mile markers 26 and 27. Places NWS named include Pine Valley, Zion National Park, Springdale and Rockville.

Until when: The warning lasts until 6:15 p.m. MDT Sunday, Oct. 11 (5:15 p.m. PDT). NWS has 2 warnings here; the last one ends at that time. One covering Pine Valley runs until 6:15 p.m. MDT Sunday, Oct. 11 (5:15 p.m. PDT). One covering Zion National Park, Springdale, Rockville runs until 6 p.m. MDT Sunday, Oct. 11 (5 p.m. PDT). NWS can extend it or end it early, so check for updates.

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Zion and slot canyons: Narrow canyons and creek beds in and around Zion National Park, such as the Narrows and other slot canyons, can fill with fast water in minutes. Do not enter slot canyons or hike in creek beds now. If you are already in one, climb to high ground and wait. Follow park rangers and check https://www.nps.gov/zion for closures.

Burn scar danger: NWS says this is a life-threatening situation. Expect extensive and severe flash flooding of creeks, streams and ditches in the Forsyth burn scar, and severe debris flows across roads. Roads and driveways may be washed away. Campers and hikers should stay away from streams and creeks. Do not drive SR 18 through water or debris; if you meet floodwater, climb to safety.

What to do: Turn around, don't drown. Never drive or walk into floodwater. Six inches of moving water can knock you down, and one to two feet can carry away a car. Stay away from creeks, streams, washes, rivers and low roads. Do not drive around barricades. If water starts rising near you, go to higher ground right away. Flooded roads are hard to see in the dark.

Stay informed: Check https://www.weather.gov/slc/ for the latest from the National Weather Service, and follow the Utah Division of Emergency Management (https://dem.utah.gov), Washington County Emergency Services and Kane County Emergency Management, and check Zion National Park alerts and closures at https://www.nps.gov/zion. Turn on emergency alerts on your phone and keep it charged.

Find shelters and supplies: https://zost.app/pages/ut/washington

Get prepared: https://noticenearby.com/prepare

Sources: National Weather Service Salt Lake City Flash Flood Warning via api.weather.gov (https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.19dfdee8e929eb48bb49f802bee489c6eb27b210.001.1); National Weather Service Salt Lake City Flash Flood Warning via api.weather.gov (https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.8e2944d3ea8e200b6030a23df48716b466be4d81.001.1). Updated 2:42 p.m. PDT Sunday, Oct. 11. Notice Nearby wrote this brief in its own words. More Washington County notices: https://noticenearby.com/ut/washington