- Tropical Storm Rachel’s remnants brought significant precipitation to Utah, aiding drought relief.
- Some mountain locations received at least 7.5 inches of precipitation; Cottonwood Heights received over 3 inches.
- Utah’s mountain soil moisture reached record levels, which can improve spring runoff efficiency.
SALT LAKE CITY — The remnants of what was once Hurricane Rachel ultimately delivered big totals across drought-stricken Utah.
Gauges on Big Mountain and the Mount Timpanogos Divide in the Wasatch Mountains collected at least 7.5 inches of precipitation over a span of a few days, while the Pine Valley Mountains in southwest Utah also collected 7 inches.
Precipitation levels for the first 15 days of the water year are now the highest on record for a few Natural Resources Conservation Service sites across the state, including Little Cottonwood Canyon. It entered Thursday having already received 9.2 inches of precipitation since the water year began on Oct. 1…