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Tropical Storm Rachel's Leftovers Are Headed for Utah. Is Your Roof Ready for Heavy Rain and Wind?

Drone view of an asphalt shingle roof with valleys and roof vents on a Utah home

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Updated Oct. 14, 2026 with storm-total rain from the National Weather Service Salt Lake City Public Information Statement issued 12:19 PM MDT Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026 (totals from Saturday, Oct. 10 through Tuesday morning, Oct. 13). The original Friday, Oct. 9 forecast section is replaced below. For the latest, check NWS Salt Lake City.

Utah almost never gets a tropical storm. Over the Oct. 10–13 weekend and early week, the leftovers of Tropical Storm Rachel moved through the Southwest and into Utah, where their moisture met a strong low from the Pacific Northwest. KUER had reported, before the storm, that according to the National Weather Service the last time a tropical depression moved through Utah was 1997.

For homeowners from Logan and Ogden to Salt Lake City, Provo, and St. George, the question is practical: what does a soaking, windy weekend mean for my roof, and what should I do before it starts?

What happened (updated Oct. 14)

The Friday morning forecast broadly held up: a soaking, windy stretch from late Saturday through early week, then colder air and mountain snow. Here is what the observations show, with every number from NWS Salt Lake City or attributed news:

  • Storm-total rain (NWS SLC PNS, 12:19 PM MDT Oct. 13). Preliminary storm totals from Saturday, Oct. 10 through Tuesday morning, Oct. 13. On the Northern Wasatch Front, examples include Bountiful Bench 4.52 inches, Kaysville 2.14, Centerville about 2.1, Farmington 2.00, Ogden readings around 1.4 to 2.1, and Layton about 1.6 to 1.7. In the Salt Lake Valley, Riverton reported 3.09, Draper up to about 2.4, Cottonwood Heights 2.32, and a Salt Lake City site at 4,615 ft reported 1.30. Salt Lake City International Airport reported 0.94. Cache Valley examples include Logan USU 1.86. Southwest Utah had heavier spots too (New Harmony 3.42; a Zion NP site 4.04). Totals varied a lot from station to station, even within the same city. Full station lists are in the NWS Salt Lake City Public Information Statement and on the NWS SLC Map PNS.
  • Mountain precip and first snow. KSL reported (updated Oct. 12) that most mountain sites received at least an inch of rain, with places like the tops of the Cottonwood Canyons and Mount Timpanogos closer to 5 inches of precipitation, according to KSL meteorologist Devan Masciulli, and that the season’s first winter weather advisory was issued as leftover moisture turned to snow. NWS Salt Lake City’s Area Forecast Discussion on the morning of Oct. 14 extended a Winter Weather Advisory for the western Uinta range, described the low spinning along the Utah/Arizona border, and expected valley rain and mountain snow to persist over eastern Utah that day while drier air spread into western Utah.
  • Flooding and disruptions (attributed news, not roof claims). KSL reported that state Route 190 in Big Cottonwood Canyon was closed for hours due to flooding and reopened Monday, that flash flood warnings were issued in southwest Utah including Zion National Park, and that the Pine Valley area received over 5 inches near the Forsyth Fire burn scar. Deseret News reported that about 70 runners and volunteers in the Moab 240 ultramarathon were stranded at an aid station; all runners were eventually retrieved safely, and the race was canceled. None of those reports are claims about your roof. They show how heavy the rain was on the ground.
  • What this means for roofs. A multi-day soak with wind is exactly the pattern that finds cracked pipe boots, loose flashing, clogged valleys and gutters, and lifted shingles. If you have a new stain, a drip, missing shingles in the yard, or a gutter pulled loose, use the after-storm checklist later in this article. The NuRoof Guys still recommend inspecting from the ground and hiring out anything that means getting on a wet or damaged roof.

Forecasts for the rest of the week are on weather.gov/slc. As of the Oct. 14 morning discussion, NWS expected dry conditions Thursday through early next week with a gradual warming trend.

Why a storm like this tests a roof differently

Most Utah roofs are built for hail, snow, wind, and intense sun. A storm like this tests something else: hours of steady, heavy rain, sometimes pushed sideways by wind.

That kind of rain finds weak spots a quick summer shower doesn’t. When The NuRoof Guys inspect roofs after heavy rain, the trouble usually starts in a few predictable places:

  • Pipe boots and roof vents. The rubber collar around plumbing vents cracks and shrinks with age and sun. When it fails, water runs down the pipe into the attic or a ceiling.
  • Flashing. The metal where a roof meets a chimney, wall, or skylight can loosen or lose its seal, and wind-driven rain gets behind it.
  • Valleys. Where two roof slopes meet, water concentrates. Leaves and debris that build up there slow drainage and push water under shingle edges.
  • Gutters and downspouts. Clogged gutters overflow. Water can back up at the roof edge, soak the fascia, or pour down next to the foundation. Fall leaves make this worse right now.
  • Lifted or missing shingles. Shingles whose seal strips have let go can lift in strong gusts. A shingle that lifts in Saturday’s wind is an open door for Sunday’s rain.
  • Dried-out shingles. Utah’s high-elevation sun dries asphalt shingles over time, and brittle shingles crack more easily. Our guide on why Northern Utah asphalt roofs age faster explains why.

None of this means your roof will leak this weekend. A sound, well-maintained roof is designed to shed heavy rain. But if your roof has a small problem you’ve been meaning to get to, a storm like this is usually when it shows up.

Weathered asphalt shingles with a pipe boot and roof vents, common leak points in heavy rain
Pipe boots and roof vents like these are some of the first places long, wind-driven rain finds a way in.

What to do before the rain starts Saturday

Do what you can from the ground. Don’t get on your roof, especially with wind and wet weather on the way.

  1. Look at your roof from the yard. Walk around the house and look for missing, lifted, or creased shingles, a pipe boot that looks cracked or tilted, or flashing that has pulled away. Binoculars help.
  2. Clear gutters and downspouts, but only if you can do it safely. If you’re comfortable on a ladder with someone holding it, clear the leaves and make sure downspouts flow. If not, skip it. A fall is far worse than an overflowing gutter.
  3. Point downspouts away from the house. Make sure water comes out several feet from your foundation.
  4. Secure loose items. Patio furniture, trampolines, and trash cans can blow into roofs, gutters, and windows in 40-mph gusts.
  5. Check the attic now. With a flashlight, look for old water stains on the roof deck or insulation, so you can tell new from old if you look again during the storm.
  6. Take dated photos. Photograph each side of the roof from the ground, plus any problem areas you can see. If you ever need to file a claim, before-and-after photos help. Our roof checklist for Utah homeowners insurance covers what else to keep on file.

During the storm

  • Check ceilings, especially near bathrooms, vents, chimneys, and skylights, and look in the attic if you can get there safely.
  • If you find a drip, put a container under it, move valuables out of the way, and take photos.
  • If a ceiling is sagging with water, keep people and pets out from under it and call for help.
  • Stay off the roof during rain, wind, or lightning, and while it’s still wet.

After the storm: a calm order of operations

  1. Walk the property. Look for shingles or shingle pieces in the yard, debris on the roof, bent gutters, or damaged flashing you can see from the ground.
  2. Look inside again. Compare ceilings and the attic to your before-storm check. Some leaks show up a day or two later.
  3. Document everything with dated photos and notes.
  4. Call your insurance agent if you have damage, and ask how your policy treats it. The NuRoof Guys aren’t an insurance agency and can’t tell you what your policy covers.
  5. Get a roof inspection from a licensed, insured Utah contractor. You can verify any contractor’s license with Utah DOPL’s license lookup.
  6. Be careful with door-knockers. Big storms bring out-of-town crews. Be cautious with anyone who shows up uninvited, pressures you to sign that day, wants a large payment up front, or offers to “cover your deductible.”

For a local example of how storm damage looks on the Wasatch Front, see our post on the September hail in Layton, Kaysville, and Farmington.

Does homeowners insurance cover storm damage like this?

It depends on what happened and what your policy says, so treat these as questions for your agent:

  • Flooding is usually separate. According to the National Flood Insurance Program, most homeowners and renters insurance does not cover flood damage. NFIP flood coverage generally takes effect 30 days after purchase, with a few exceptions, so a policy bought today wouldn’t apply to this weekend. FloodSmart.gov has the details.
  • Wind damage to a roof is a different question. Policies often treat sudden storm damage, like wind tearing off shingles, differently from leaks caused by wear or deferred maintenance. Wording varies by company, so ask your agent how yours handles it.
  • Know your deductible. Some policies have a separate wind or hail deductible. Our insurance checklist, linked above, explains what to look for.

Repair, restore, or replace: what an inspection decides

After a storm like this, a good inspection should tell you plainly which path fits your roof. The NuRoof Guys sort every roof into one of three:

  • Roof repair for a specific problem, such as a cracked pipe boot, loose flashing, a few blown-off shingles, or a leak at a valley.
  • Roof restoration / roof rejuvenation for an aging asphalt roof that’s drying out but still sound. GoNano rejuvenation is a specialty for The NuRoof Guys on roofs that qualify. Rejuvenation is not a fix for an active leak, and it is not right for every roof. Leaks, storm damage, and soft decking get repaired first.
  • Roof replacement when the roof system has failed or the damage is too widespread to repair.

Quick answers

Can heavy rain damage a roof that isn’t leaking yet? A sound, well-maintained roof is designed to shed heavy rain. The bigger risk is that a long, heavy rain exposes weak spots that already exist, like a cracked pipe boot or loose flashing, and wind-driven rain can get under shingles that have lifted.

Should I tarp my own roof after a storm? Climbing on a wet or damaged roof is dangerous. If you have an active leak, protect the inside of the house first, then have a roofing contractor tarp or repair the roof.

When is it safe to get on my roof after the storm? For most homeowners, the safest answer is to inspect from the ground and let a professional go up. Wet shingles, wind, and storm debris make roofs slippery.

Does a leak during heavy rain mean I need a new roof? Not necessarily. Many leaks come from one component, like a pipe boot, a piece of flashing, or a damaged section, and can be repaired. An inspection tells you whether it’s an isolated repair or a sign the roof is near the end of its life.

Get a straight answer on your roof

If this weekend’s storm leaves you with a drip, a stain, or a missing shingle, or you just want to know your roof is ready for winter, The NuRoof Guys offer a free roof inspection with photos and a written recommendation, whether that’s repair, restoration, or replacement. We serve homeowners statewide across Utah, with deep roots in Northern Utah and the Wasatch Front.

Licensed Utah contractor #14225732-5501. Authorized GoNano installer.

Call 385-383-8479 · Email [email protected] · Schedule a free roof inspection

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