Listen to this articleUpdate: Gates are open at the Utah Pride Festival.
The opening of the Utah Pride Festival has been postponed.
Salt Lake City Police Dept. issued a statement via Twitter: “Due to the potential of severe weather approaching, the opening of the Pride Festival in downtown is being temporarily postponed. This is a decision made by the event organizers. Please follow @NWSSaltLakeCity and the Utah Pride Center on Facebook.”
The grounds have been evacuated. Many people are taking refuge in the Salt Lake City Public Library and parking garage.
The National Weather Service issued the following warning, including the possibility of a tornado.
…A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 130 PM MDT
FOR NORTHEASTERN SALT LAKE…EASTERN DAVIS…SOUTHWESTERN MORGAN AND
WESTERN SUMMIT COUNTIES…
At 119 PM MDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Canyon Rim, or
7 miles east of Salt Lake City, moving northeast at 15 mph.
HAZARD…Quarter size hail.
SOURCE…Radar indicated.
IMPACT…Damage to vehicles is expected.
Locations impacted include…
Salt Lake City, South Salt Lake, Summit Park, Emigration Canyon,
Canyon Rim, Mill Creek Canyon, Mount Olympus, Sugarhouse, Parleys
Summit and University Of Utah.
This includes the following highways…
Interstate 15 near mile marker 306, and between mile markers 309 and
310.
Interstate 80 in Utah between mile markers 124 and 140.
TORNADO…POSSIBLE
HAIL THREAT…OBSERVED
MAX HAIL SIZE…1.00 IN
WIND THREAT…RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST…<50 MPH
According to the Weather Channel radar, the storm should pass by 3:30 p.m. Utah Pride organizers will contact QSaltLake Magazine when a decision on the timing of the opening of the event
This is a developing story.
