looks like it got real ugly on the lake today

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Multiple people without power

By: Jamie Brough - Updated: 5 minutes ago

A brief but violent storm on Thursday afternoon has resulted in multiple Page residents without power and left a trail of destruction in its wake.

Branches, dirt and other debris littered streets across Page after gusts knocked over more than a dozen trees in areas throughout the city. One large tree in City Park crushed a picnic table while another damaged a fence near the Desert View Elementary basketball courts. Other downed trees near residences on Date Street, Elm Street and Morgan Road were also spotted.

A private hangar at the Page Municipal Airport was also ripped apart by the gusts, which were reported by the National Weather Service at close to 50 mph. Airport staff told the Chronicle the hangar is privately owned, but was empty at the time of the storm. No aircraft were damaged.

The Chapman Mobile Home Village was most affected by the winds, with multiple homes damaged by debris and fallen trees. As of 3 p.m., many residents reported they were still without power. An Antelope Point Marina representative said the marina had sustained minor damage to part of the docks and was also without power at the time of this writing.

Page Utility Enterprises was unable to comment further at the time due to a full call for service, but we are awaiting an official statement soon.

The National Weather Service early Thursday morning reported strong thunderstorms moving in from the south, and issued flash flood warnings for northern Coconino County. Severe weather warnings remain in effect into the evening.

There are also confirmed reports of serious injuries and capsized boats throughout The Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Glen Canyon Public Information Officer Mary Plumb told The Chronicle that NPS dispatch was inundated with multiple emergency calls at approximately 1 p.m.

One houseboat picked up by the winds and beached on a nearby shore resulted in a 60-year-old woman losing her arm. Another 57-year-old woman sustained head and hip injuries. The two were transported by members of their party back to Wahweap Marina where they were then transported by Park Service to Page Banner Hospital. Multiple area agencies responded to calls across the lake and include the Coconino County Sheriff's Department, Classic Aviation, and Utah State Park officers.

Several other houseboats from Padre Bay to Gunsight capsized or were severely damaged by the winds as well.

Park Service officials have issued an official warning and ask anyone who plans to recreate in Glen Canyon in the coming days to take extra precautions and be aware of all upcoming weather warnings.
 
Man I hope our boat is still there, we are up at Hall’s. I am going to call them tomorrow and make sure everything is ok. We are headed down Sunday for a 4 day trip. Hope we don't get into any weather trouble.
 
Wahweap main dock broke in about 4 places. Lots of ripped up canvas. Fishing dock almost on land. Power just got back on....no water. A few fingers broken and a few boats smashed up.
 
https://www.deseretnews.com/article...urst-injures-3-sinks-powerboats-jet-skis.html

Lake Powell microburst injures 3; sinks powerboats, jet skis



By Dave Cawley and Annie Knox
Published: Sept. 14, 2017 7:50 p.m. Updated: 17 hours ago


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Coconino County Sheriff's Office
A microburst on Lake Powell sank boats and injured three people on Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017.


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PAGE, Ariz. — A sudden, powerful downward gust of wind swamped or sank dozens of powerboats and jet skis Thursday at Lake Powell along the Arizona-Utah border.

Authorities say at least three people were injured about 1 p.m. A 60-year-old woman sustained a severe arm injury that required amputation.




They say a 57-year-old woman suffered head and hip injuries while another person had a dislocated shoulder.

The National Weather Service says the 56 mph microburst swept through the region in about a minute accompanied by rain showers.

Page police Lt. Larry Jones says the wind knocked down trees across the city, and damaged some fencing, roofing and signs.

At Lake Powell, authorities say helicopters transported people off the lake after several called for help.

Mary Plumb, spokeswoman for Glen Canyon National Recreation area, said everyone had been pulled from the water and crews would continue to survey damage Friday.

Plumb urged safety on the water, saying the forecast called for more unsettled weather.
 
a little off topic, but I was really disappointed the weather forecast was not more accurate that morning. I have been here at BF for a week...we did not go on the water on thursday because of the less than desirable forcast in the morning, but nothing was forecast to be this extreme. I even checked several forecasts about 11 a.m & nothing like what happened. Seems like better accuracy would be possible...
 
DQDanny said:
a little off topic, but I was really disappointed the weather forecast was not more accurate that morning. I have been here at BF for a week...we did not go on the water on thursday because of the less than desirable forcast in the morning, but nothing was forecast to be this extreme. I even checked several forecasts about 11 a.m & nothing like what happened. Seems like better accuracy would be possible...
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They can tell us a storm is coming, but I don't think they can predict a microburst. Accuweather has a "minute-cast" option and you can put in your location - it is pretty accurate at telling you when the storm will hit and generally how strong it will be, also if you look at the satellite view with the green, yellow, red, pretty easy to guess if it will be a normal monsoon storm vs a monster. We've been on the lake in Warm Creek when it was dead calm and only a few clouds around and then a warning came through on CH 16 that a major storm was approaching over Page onto the Lake - and literally within a matter of minutes the lake went from dead calm to white caps coming over our transom... pretty scary situation and why we always chose never to camp on open water, but rather back in a protected cove anytime possible and with our nose pointed in the direction the wind "usually blows from this time of year"....... one thing is in September the wind starts to shift direction [as it does in the Fall] and the storms - and even plain old wind storms - can be much more violent than anything you get the rest of the year - this is the case on all these lakes from Powell on down the chain as well as the lakes around Phoenix. BTW microbursts are not uncommon this time of the year when a monsoon hits.
 
DQDanny said:
a little off topic, but I was really disappointed the weather forecast was not more accurate that morning. I have been here at BF for a week...we did not go on the water on thursday because of the less than desirable forcast in the morning, but nothing was forecast to be this extreme. I even checked several forecasts about 11 a.m & nothing like what happened. Seems like better accuracy would be possible...
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Let me ask you a question about these forecasts & forecasters:

Do you think there lips were moving when they gave their forecasts? If they were then ... , well, you know.

Check 6,
Goblin
 
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Some info from Thursday 9/14 thru yesterday, Saturday 9/16.

At Wahweap:
  • Thursday afternoon Wahweap Marina was closed to all land access. The walk ramps were damaged & unstable. Power & services were all out
  • Friday morning Wahweap Marina was closed to all land access. The walk ramps were damaged & unstable.
  • Access to the marina was only by water. A water taxi service was being provided effectively considering all the the turmoil.
  • Wahweap Marina power was out at the above mentioned times.
  • Wahweap Marina water was out at the above mentioned times.
  • Docks were damaged. I say one slip that look liked the dock was listing badly down into the water.
At Antelope Point:
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  • Water was out in the enclosed area
  • Power was out in the enclosed area
  • Fuel was out in the enclosed area
  • Pump out was out in the enclosed area
As of Saturday at 14:00 the only pump out or fuel available on the south end was at Wahweap.

Not sure what the status is today, Sunday 9/18/2017
All this and the Lake Powell Challenge underway

FWIW,
Goblin
 
Goblin said:
I spoke to the husband on Thursday and he said it was in Last Chance. Not sure if that is accurate because he obviously had a lot on his mind.
Goblin
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I'd buy it being Last Chance - just didn't compute, given the background, it was Padre. A lot of gray rock and sand further back in Last Chance.
 
On Thursday afternoon, just as the storms were letting up, I watched a houseboat trying to dock at the Wahweap fuel dock. It was closed but they were just trying to get docked to something. It was like watching a 'monkey playing with a hand grenade', just terrible but you can't look away.

Looking at the boat the front gate was broken off and the canvas was shredded. He related that they were hit by the storm as they rounded Camel Rock and couldn't control the boat in any way except to go nose into the wind. The gate & canvas was damaged from waves coming over the bow. The front sliding door was knocked off the track by the waves. A marine cooler on the front deck was pushed part way up the stairs and then held in place by the grill that was partly up the stairs also.

He said he felt like the boat in the movie, 'Perfect Storm'. I suggested that he get a clip of the movie and show that as them when he would tell the story in years to come. I'm not sure he appreciated the humor but, they all were safe and nobody was injured on their boat.
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Goblin
 
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Here's a guy that posted his firsthand experience as a comment on the Salt Lake Tribune article:

I was at Padre Bay when the storm hit on Thursday. We were anchored with 5 ropes to the beach. We dig down and bury the anchors. The story says it was only a minute but I was there and the wind gusts were terrible for a full 10 minutes. I have been going to the lake for 20 years and have Never been in such a violent storm. It was absolutely terrifying. Our houseboat sustained damage from the winds. The canopy on top was completely ripped and torn off. Soffits panels from the front of the boat were torn off and sank in the bay. One of our anchor ropes snapped, and two anchors were pulled deep into the water (from 10 feet up on the beach) and our boat was pushed parallel to the beach. When our boat was blown sideways, an anchor rope wrapped around one of the props damag ing it. Everything was blown off the top of the boat and our wave runners were pulled from their anchors on the beach and blew into the bay. It was total chaos for 10 minutes as we were at the mercy of the storm. Water was being sucked up into the storm and blowing sideways. Blowing sand and water created zero visibility during the microburst. Driving rains followed the wind event. The Kings were just around the bay from us and sustained the most injuries/damages as their boats were more exposed to the open bay. A boat next to us had steel cables attached to anchors in the rocks and both steel cables were pulled from their anchors. The owner of the boat saw the approaching storm and quickly started both engines and had them at full throttle to try and stabilize during the storm, to no avail. The force of the wind was terrifying. It was one of the most intense experiences of my life.
 
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