Moab Severe weather

 

During my last trip in May 2014, our group was hiking at Fisher Towers. The weather had been on and off thunderstorms for several days. Our hike this day started out with some clouds and sun. While we were in the sun, I can see off in the distance Nimbus clouds forming with some virga. After about 1 mile of hiking I heard some thunder and stopped the group. As I contemplated the decision to turn back, the wind abruptly kicked up. Luckily the desert here is wide open and I can see the Nimbus clouds get darker and appear to move in our direction. I turn our group back quickly toward the trailhead. I passed several groups of hikers and warned of the impending weather. I felt it would be severe due to the thunder but more importantly the strength and sudden approach of the wind. They disregarded me and continued on.

We reached the trailhead as a light drizzle began. Within 10 minutes we were in the cars out to the main road driving when it hit. The heavy rain and thunder was mixed with nickel sized hail. It was so bad I pulled over thinking the windshield was going to be smashed. Within 20 minutes it passed to just be rain. That must have been a long 20 minutes for those hikers that continued on as there is no protection and if lightening were to strike Fisher Tower it likely would have splashed over onto them.

My group learned a valuable lesson about weather and the desert.  The photos above are shown in order as I returned the group to the cars and subsequent hail storm.

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