SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — Dark clouds hung over the Utah State Fair on Friday, but families still lined up for rides, food and a night out.
For Eva Dobysh, the forecast was not enough to change her plans.
“Maybe it's getting my food soggy, but that’s about it,” she said.
WATCH | Utah State Fair watches weather as storms move through Salt Lake City
Storms have moved through northern Utah this week, including Friday morning before the Fairpark opened. Fair officials said staff were on site to secure the grounds and make sure conditions were safe before guests arrived.
Nicki Claeys with the Utah State Fair said staff monitor approaching storms before they reach the Fairpark.
“We start watching the weather at 10 miles out,” Claeys said. “Once it comes to five miles, then we make a decision” about whether guests should shelter in place or move temporarily into buildings.
While Claeys was at the fair Friday, a tornado warning appeared on her phone. She said the warning was for Davis County, not the Fairpark itself, but it underscored how quickly conditions can change.
Fair officials said carnival rides can operate in some rain. High winds, severe thunderstorms, lightning or heavy rain can force them to stop operations.
“The rides can run through certain types of weather,” Claeys said. “When it becomes high wind or more severe thunder or lightning or rain that is really impactful, then yes, we will certainly shut that down.”
The fair can use its public-address system to direct guests if conditions require sheltering. Claeys said the fair has issued rain checks in past years when weather interrupted activities, though officials can often reopen once a storm passes.
Attendance has been down slightly on some weather days, Claeys said, but crowds have continued coming out during the fair’s final weekend.
For fairgoer Destiny Holm, rain was not a reason to leave early.
“Rain’s not gonna ruin this moment,” she said.
The Utah State Fair runs through Sunday at the Utah State Fairpark.