FEMA Grants Salt Lake City $2.4 Million For Damaging Wind Event in 2020

Salt Lake City is getting reimbursed for recovery efforts needed after a damaging downslope wind event in September of 2020. [embed]https://twitter.com/NWSSaltLakeCity/status/1302925710353285123[/embed] The $2.4 million in funds from FEMA are in addition to previous disaster money approved earlier, for a total of $5.4 million. Wind gusts in the valleys around Salt Lake City and surrounding communities peaked at 99 mph, with even stronger winds in the higher elevation mountains and canyons. The winds downed trees across the region, created a large amount of debris and damage to infrastructure, in addition to turning over trucks on the highway. Travel restrictions for high profile vehicles were issued to keep roads safe. https://twitter.com/UTHighwayPatrol/status/1303350659039678470 Gusts in the region picked up during the afternoon on the 7th of September, as cold air began to drain into the valleys and basins. Gusts then intensified in the lower elevations the next morning, when they became widespread enough to be picked up by seismometers in the region, likely as objects rooted in the ground swayed and toppled over. https://twitter.com/UUSSquake/status/1303348485601677313 At one time, more than 180,000 customers lost power during the event. https://twitter.com/UtahEmergency/status/1305932794166611968 Salt Lake City is no stranger to violent downslope wind events. In 2011, Davis County (just north of downtown Salt Lake City) incurred more than $75 million in damage. You can read the full press release from FEMA here.