It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always.
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
However, as seniors grow older, completing daily tasks like showering and enjoying activities such as visiting Lookout Point Rock Fort and Corral in Hurricane, UT gets harder without someone by their side. Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in Hurricane, UT is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
“Best ever. Always very great service. Whitney is awesome.”
“Working for Always Best Care has been a wonderful experience. They genuinely care about”
“I've been a caregiver for ABC clients for just over 6 months. I absolutely love”
“Lea, Brent and the staff are great. Because I live in a different city, the”
“My experience with Always Best Care was hands down amazing! Their staff is super attentive”
“I cannot express enough how grateful I am for the exceptional care Siale provided for”
“Best ever. Always very great service. Whitney is awesome.”
“Working for Always Best Care has been a wonderful experience. They genuinely care about their clients and go above and beyond to make sure that the employees and the clients are valued and important. They are so great to focus on compassion, quality care, and teamwork.”
“I've been a caregiver for ABC clients for just over 6 months. I absolutely love what I do, I love all of the clients, I love the feedback I get from my team! I love my manager shelly!! she is so amazing with communication and so focused on how to help me succeed and grow with this company, and so attentive to our clients! I am so happy to be able to help our clients each day and have such an amazing team!”
“Lea, Brent and the staff are great. Because I live in a different city, the staff takes care of my father’s needs where he lives. Maria is wonderful with my dad. I’ve not personally met the staff, except Maria, but I’m very grateful for all they do for my dad and me. Appreciate them.”
“My experience with Always Best Care was hands down amazing! Their staff is super attentive and kind. I always felt like I was their first priority and that they really cared about me. 10/10 would recommend!!”
“I cannot express enough how grateful I am for the exceptional care Siale provided for my dad. He was committed to delivering the highest quality of care and truly valued my dad as a patient. Siale, he goes over and beyond to make a positive impact on the lives of his patients.”
Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors. That way, older adults can enjoy their favorite local activities, such as visiting Pioneer Park in Hurricane, UT with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.
Common companionship services include:
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. So, if you've always wanted to eat at the local Pig's Ear American Bistro or visit Harrisburg Historic Monument, don't feel bad. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
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While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in Hurricane, UT, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Hurricane, UT understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
Some of the most popular assisted living communities to consider in our area include the following:
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in Hurricane, UT 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
Hurricane • For the second time in two months, floodwaters have devastated Steve and Alayne Isom’s Hurricane home — striking just after they finished repairs and moved all their furniture back inside.“We literally moved our piano and my daughter’s cedar chest back into the home yesterday, about an hour before the second flood came,” Alayne Isom said.The Isoms are not the only repeat victims. Barely two months after an Aug. 14 flood, many Hurricane residents faced a second deluge on Thur...
Hurricane • For the second time in two months, floodwaters have devastated Steve and Alayne Isom’s Hurricane home — striking just after they finished repairs and moved all their furniture back inside.
“We literally moved our piano and my daughter’s cedar chest back into the home yesterday, about an hour before the second flood came,” Alayne Isom said.
The Isoms are not the only repeat victims. Barely two months after an Aug. 14 flood, many Hurricane residents faced a second deluge on Thursday when a powerful storm near Apple Valley dumped up to two inches of rain in just two hours, sending a torrent down Gould Wash and surging into the city, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Alex DeSmet.
According to a Oct. 22 statement posted on Hurricane’s website, the heavy rainfall triggered severe flooding in the Washington County city located roughly 20 miles east of St. George, which prompted Mayor Clark Fawcett to declare a local emergency that afternoon.
City officials’ early assessment was that severe flooding damaged about 80 homes and 50 trailers at Willow Wind RV Park. Jason Bradley, the county’s emergency services manager, said some of the homes sustained severe damage. The flooding, along with mud and debris, also damaged roads, bridges, culverts and electrical boxes, though total costs remain unknown, city officials stated in the release.
Jeffrey Klinger, Willow Wind’s maintenance supervisor, said the only vehicle to sustain major damage came after a shipping container swept through a block wall, striking a trailer and opening a breach that allowed floodwater and silt and other debris into the park.
“As many as 80 other trailers may have got their tires wet, but that was the extent of [the damage],” he said.
City officials declined to elaborate on cleanup efforts or update damage reports beyond Thursday’s statement. “The city is still cleaning up and assessing the situation from the flooding event,” Weston Walker, Hurricane’s assistant public works director, said in a text to The Tribune.
The Washington County Water Conservancy District confirmed it is assisting with flood-response efforts, dispatching crews to assist the city and providing personnel and equipment where needed. Several crew members worked onsite, assisting with flood mitigation efforts using pumps, generators and skid steers to help remove water, protect property and support recovery operations, according to district officials.
“We live in and love this community,” said David Jessop, operations manager for the district. “It was amazing to see how many showed up to help. We’re grateful to have been a part of the effort.”
Prior to the flooding, city officials said in the release they notified residents in floodplain areas of the impending flood wave about 8:30 a.m. But Alayne Isom said she didn’t receive any warning until about 11:30 a.m., two hours after the flood waters inundated their home.
For the Isoms, the second flood came shortly after $80,000 worth of repairs from the first flood were completed. The August flood brought mud and water into several rooms, requiring new flooring and the removal of drywall and insulation and a legion of other repairs.
“We just had new carpet installed Tuesday and moved all our furniture back in the house on Wednesday, the day before this second flood,” she lamented. “We also recently finished redoing our front yard, removing two trees and putting in new rock and curbing.”
This time, according to the Isoms, the water was deeper, spread inside the house and rose even higher in the backyard, toppling a brick wall and sending water cascading into the home of a couple who recently welcomed the arrival of a new baby.
“We went 20 years without a single incident, and now this flooding has happened twice,” said Steve Isom, who described the ongoing cleanup and repairs as a recurring nightmare. “So we have to start over.”
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SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Happy Friday, Utah! We get one more day of October warmth with daytime highs still running about ten to 15 degrees above average with low to mid 80s in Northern Utah and low to mid 90s in Washington county.With our ridge of high pressure in place, you can expect mostly sunny skies to partly cloudy skies with a few afternoon showers and thunderstorms developing over the higher terrain with help from the heating of the day. We will also see our southerly flow increase and as a result, breez...
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Happy Friday, Utah! We get one more day of October warmth with daytime highs still running about ten to 15 degrees above average with low to mid 80s in Northern Utah and low to mid 90s in Washington county.
With our ridge of high pressure in place, you can expect mostly sunny skies to partly cloudy skies with a few afternoon showers and thunderstorms developing over the higher terrain with help from the heating of the day. We will also see our southerly flow increase and as a result, breezier conditions arrive with additional cloud cover. These clouds will close out the work week and will just set the stage for massive changes in the weather world as we usher in cool and wet conditions for the weekend and next week.
A soggy set up is underway with deep tropical moisture taking aim at Utah. Our southerly flow will help usher in moisture from what is currently Tropical Storm Rachel into the Beehive state. At last check, the path of the tropical storm looks to move straight into Southwest Utah by Sunday night, although it will have weakened to tropical depression status by the time it reaches us.
However, gusty winds and heavy rainfall will still be a concern. This deep tropical moisture will interact with an approaching storm system, a trough from the Pacific Northwest. Widespread moderate to heavy rainfall threat increases late Saturday and Sunday, with widespread precipitation totaling anywhere from 1 to 3 inches, through Monday morning.
When it comes to tropical cyclones, the circulation of the system really matters and can help dictate different impacts. As this system moves into Utah, areas along and northwest of this track will see the highest chance of heavy rain, and areas to the southeast will see the greatest potential for gusty, possibly damaging winds. This is a type of situation where we could see rotation with severe storms for a period of time on Sunday, so a small tornado, while not likely, is not out of the question!
With an abundance of moisture ahead, you can expect rivers to rise, normally dry washes, creeks, and slot canyons to have rising, fast flows by Sunday evening. The possibility of flash flooding will also spike with heavy rainfall, especially over burn scars. Flooding and debris flow will be possible, and recreation near waterways is not advised this weekend or into the start of the work week.
Our excessive rainfall threat has jumped for Sunday and Monday with a slight risk (a two on a scale of four) for southern Utah and central Utah Sunday, and SW Utah seeing the potential of heavy rain Monday. The entire state has an elevated threat of excessive rainfall for both those days as well. Rachel remnants appear to exit Utah by the start of the work week, but an area of low pressure will meander through the West and keep unsettled conditions with the chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms through at least the middle of next week.
On top of the potential of moisture, our temperatures will shift as well. By Saturday, temperatures will fall by about 5 degrees, but will still be in the upper 70s to low 80s for most. As the weekend continued and we head into next week, you can expect daytime highs to drop closer to average, so 60s in Northern Utah and 70s in Southern Utah.
Monday through Wednesday period of widespread valley rain and mountain snow is possible with snow levels dropping to around 8500 feet and accumulation expected at our highest peaks above 9,000 feet. The “Fall feels” will be working overtime this weekend and next week with wet and cool conditions! Enjoy your Friday!
On Thursday morning in Hurricane, Utah, Juana Puga stood in ankle-deep brownish water asking herself: "Why again?"Just a couple hours earlier, at around 8:30am, Puga went out to run some errands. It wasn't raining outside, she says. But when she returned to her house, rainwater had flooded her whole yard."It was just coming in so fast that it was just hard to even understand," Puga says. "Within five minutes most of my house was underwater."Rare, heavy rainfall started to ...
On Thursday morning in Hurricane, Utah, Juana Puga stood in ankle-deep brownish water asking herself: "Why again?"
Just a couple hours earlier, at around 8:30am, Puga went out to run some errands. It wasn't raining outside, she says. But when she returned to her house, rainwater had flooded her whole yard.
"It was just coming in so fast that it was just hard to even understand," Puga says. "Within five minutes most of my house was underwater."
Rare, heavy rainfall started to hit New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and Arizona on Wednesday. Since then, brown-colored floodwaters have led to road closures, mandatory evacuations and emergency declarations across the four states. The southern Utah city of Hurricane issued an emergency declaration on Thursday after flooding damaged more than 100 homes and RVs.
Puga, her husband, and five young boys just moved back into their house on Oct. 1. A flood in August forced them to renovate and rebuild. Less than a month after her sons fixed up their new rooms, Puga says she's living through a "nightmare" again.
"We were literally in our house for only 22 days," she says. The family is staying with Puga's in-laws in one room, but are hoping to move to a rental next week.
"It's just devastating," Puga says. "So much work we put into our house and I just thought, 'why again?' "
In response to a post on X that showed brownish-red floodwaters in Hurricane, Gov. Spencer Cox, wrote on Thursday: "Our hearts are with the families whose homes and livelihoods have been impacted."
Over the weekend, the flood watch extended to central and southern New Mexico and far west Texas.
As of Saturday, areas of southern Utah, southwest Colorado, and the northern parts of Arizona and New Mexico had been hit the hardest. The intense rain led to rapidly rising floodwaters, Thursday and Friday.
In San Juan County, N.M., looking out a window on Friday afternoon, Devin Neeley saw light, puffy clouds and a blue sky. The county's public information officer for emergency management called the stark contrast to the brown rainwaters "surreal."
"[The sky] belies really the danger that is coming down the river in historic levels," Neeley says. "We have not seen flooding like this in generations."
Neeley says emergency responders rescued people on their roofs after floodwater inundated their homes. The county was put under an emergency declaration and residents in susceptible areas were told to evacuate Thursday afternoon.
"These are communities that have beautiful riverfront places to live," Neeley says. "And unfortunately, that's a problem today."
In Farmington, N.M., located in the center of the hard-hit regions, Police Chief Steve Hebbe said at a press conference on Friday that "this is singular and this is real."
"So far, we have not had any deaths that is very fortunate, but this is not something that should be played with," Hebbe said.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis declared disaster emergencies in 12 counties. Polis also authorized the use of National Guard members to assist with rescue efforts in southwest Colorado.
On Friday morning, La Plata County sheriff closed parts of the Animas River in Durango, Colo. to recreation, KSUT reported.
Aaron Schenk took out a 14-foot cataraft to glide down 26 miles of the Animas River that weren't closed.
"There were real big waves, fast currents, lots of water flooding," Schenk says. "The river in spots was half a mile wide when normally it's a couple hundred feet at most."
Schenk, who owns a sewage disposal company called Mountain Septic, expects to see an uptick in repairs across La Plata County.
"This is definitely not normal," he says, adding that the region has "received more moisture in the last, 6 or 8 weeks than we have in the entire 12 months prior."
The flooding comes after extreme weather hit the Southwest throughout the week. Arizona saw baseball-sized hail and a possible tornado that injured at least one person Wednesday evening.
The region's mountainous and desert terrain is conducive to flooding. In August, intense flash flooding in the Grand Canyon led to multiple deaths.
Severe thunderstorm warnings started earlier in the week, says Kris Sanders, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Grand Junction, Colo. The remnants of Hurricane Trudy, which was active from Oct. 15 to Oct. 18, in the Pacific Ocean formed into a slow-moving low-pressure system that worked its way southwest.
Sanders says a lot of the storms weakened as they came through the region, but the heavy rain did not. Portions of southwest Colorado and southeast Utah saw two to four inches, whereas areas with higher elevations, like the San Juan Mountains, got up to six inches. This caused small creeks and streams and rivers to flood.
"Those rainfall amounts are records in themselves," Sanders says.
While the amount of rainfall is rare, he says, these storms typically happen in the region at this time of year. An event last year caused major flooding in the same spots, "like a carbon copy" of this year, Sanders says.
The threat is not over, he says, and thunderstorm watches are active in many of the same areas through Sunday.
Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, says the severe thunderstorms are fueled by the large amount of moisture in the air. He says that moisture comes from the record-warm waters off parts of the West Coast, which are driven by an ongoing strong El Niño event and a recent marine heat wave (which he attributes largely to human-caused climate change).
The flooding isn't a surprise, he says, pointing to a prediction he and others made in the spring – that if El Niño materialized according to forecasts, southwestern U.S. could see extreme precipitation events through October.
Now, "that is exactly what we've seen," he says, "because this isn't even the first event this fall."
Puga, whose home flooded in Hurricane, Utah, says she and her neighbors have been cleaning up their properties and are trying to "see the light." She doesn't want to move and leave the community she loves, she says.
"We already did this. We can do it again," Puga says. "But it's just hard."
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Happy Saturday, Utah! Unprecedented weather is knocking on our door as Tropical Storm Rachel prepares to make landfall. Today will bring a mix of sun and clouds with scattered afternoon thunderstorms in northern and eastern Utah, with more isolated activity in the southwest. Temperatures will be a few degrees cooler than yesterday but will still run about 5-10 degrees above average.Big changes begin tonight. A significant swath of moisture ahead of Tropical Storm Rachel will move into sou...
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Happy Saturday, Utah! Unprecedented weather is knocking on our door as Tropical Storm Rachel prepares to make landfall. Today will bring a mix of sun and clouds with scattered afternoon thunderstorms in northern and eastern Utah, with more isolated activity in the southwest. Temperatures will be a few degrees cooler than yesterday but will still run about 5-10 degrees above average.
Big changes begin tonight. A significant swath of moisture ahead of Tropical Storm Rachel will move into southwestern Utah by the evening, bringing heavy precipitation, thunderstorms, and strong winds.
The tropical moisture should make it to northern Utah by around midnight. Rachel will continue to inch closer, and should arrive in southwestern Utah and southern Nevada by about noon, and northern Utah by about 6 pm. Fortunately, it should weaken to a tropical depression right before it crosses into Utah, but it will still pack a serious punch with historic rainfall and severe weather on deck.
The track brings the heart of Tropical Storm Rachel just west of St. George, which is actually worse than if it were a direct hit. The eastern side of hurricanes tend to see the strongest winds and the most supercell development. That being said, small brief tornadoes are going to be something we’re watching out for.
However, tornadoes should hopefully be the least of our concerns. Flooding and damaging wind will have the most impact Saturday night into Sunday morning. As a result, several flood and wind alerts are in effect.
Wind Advisories are in effect until 6 am Sunday across western Utah, including the Wasatch Front, Cache Valley, and the West Desert. These areas could see southerly winds sustained at 25-35 mph and gusts up to 55 mph. High Wind Watches are also in place for the Central/Southern Mountains, southwest Utah, and the West Desert in central Utah. These areas could see sustained winds of 30-40 mph with gusts in excess of 60 mph.
These are damaging winds. Minor property damage could occur, and power outages are expected. Prepare now before the storm arrives.
Flood Watches are also in place for nearly the entire state until Monday afternoon. We could see 2-4 inches widespread, with some locations having the potential for up to 6-8 inches! That is an absurd amount of water and far more than our soils allow.
To put it into perspective, most locations average 0.75-1.25 inches in the entire month of October, and we could get that in hours. Last October had record-breaking precipitation due to a tropical system as well and brought a 100-year flood to Tooele. This setup is looking worse than last year’s. The National Weather Service tells us that “extensive flooding” will be possible in roadways, low-lying areas, near streams, and downstream from burn scars. If you live in a flood zone or near a waterway, consider preparing for floods now.
Sunday is when we will have the brunt of the storm, but moisture is anticipated to stick around into the middle of next week thanks to yet another storm system out of the north. The soils will already be saturated and waterways full, so there will be nowhere for the water to go. While Monday through Wednesday it won’t have as much precipitation, flooding is going to remain a concern.
This storm will be significant, prolonged, and destructive. Not everyone will have the same severe weather, but it could happen anywhere across the state. It’s better to prepare.
THE TAKEAWAY: Repeated rounds of rain transformed a normally dry wash into a raging torrent in Hurricane, Utah, on Thursday, inundating approximately 80 homes and 50 recreational vehicles and triggering life-threatening flash flooding and evacuations.The flooding came as rare severe weather swept across the Southwest, sending muddy water through parts of the southern Utah city.Mayor Clark Fawcett issued a proclamation of local emergency as crews worked to assess damage, restore access and respond to ongo...
THE TAKEAWAY:
Repeated rounds of rain transformed a normally dry wash into a raging torrent in Hurricane, Utah, on Thursday, inundating approximately 80 homes and 50 recreational vehicles and triggering life-threatening flash flooding and evacuations.
The flooding came as rare severe weather swept across the Southwest, sending muddy water through parts of the southern Utah city.
Mayor Clark Fawcett issued a proclamation of local emergency as crews worked to assess damage, restore access and respond to ongoing impacts.
Local runoff transformed Gould’s Wash, a natural desert canyon, into a raging torrent that sent muddy floodwaters through nearby communities, forcing residents to evacuate as the water inundated the area.
(Paul Canfield / FOX Weather)
The typically dry region was transformed by the heavy rainfall, with floodwaters turning streets into rushing waterways.
"Hurricane City crews and emergency response partners have been actively responding to significant flooding and related infrastructure damage throughout the community," Hurricane City Emergency Services said in a press release.
City officials issued a Proclamation of Local Emergency on Thursday to address the ongoing flooding and assess the damage.
(Paul Canfield / FOX Weather)
According to city officials, the flooding has already impacted 80 residential homes and 50 recreational vehicles at Willow Wind RV Park.
In addition, bridges, culverts, public roadways and electrical power boxes were damaged or destroyed across the city.
"Mud and debris covering roadways, along with potential impacts to utility infrastructure, have created public safety concerns and may disrupt essential services," Hurricane City Emergency Services said.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox addressed the flooding on social media, saying, "We are closely monitoring the flash flooding in Hurricane. Our hearts are with the families whose homes and livelihoods have been impacted."
The intense flooding comes as severe storms swept through the region beginning Wednesday.
Hurricane experienced substantial flooding after more than an inch of rain fell in 12 hours, an unusually heavy amount for the typically dry region, according to the FOX Forecast Center.
Emergency officials are urging residents to remain alert, use caution around flooded areas, and follow posted road closures, detours and instructions from emergency personnel.
Residents should not enter flooded roadways or areas where water, mud, debris or infrastructure damage may pose a hazard.
Check back for updates on this developing story.
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