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Utah's governor urges people to avoid rivers, streams as state prepares for flooding

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SALT LAKE CITY — As a record-breaking snowpack continues to melt, authorities are watching for increased flooding.

On Tuesday, Governor Spencer Cox was briefed on the situation by state emergency management officials. With Salt Lake City hitting 80-degrees Farenheit, the governor said they were keeping an eye on things.

"We know that rivers will be running high in southern Utah. They’ll have the highest temperatures, obviously," the governor told FOX 13 News on Tuesday. "We’ve seen water in the Weber Basin running high but not flooding yet. We feel good about things. Maybe some localized flooding, but it doesn’t seem big right now and we have a cool down coming."

Temperatures are forecast to decrease over the next few days. If Utah experiences a series of days of hot temperatures, that increases the chances of flooding. The governor said cities and counties are engaged in flood mitigation efforts, including sandbagging.

Gov. Cox said he was more concerned about people being near water bodies, putting their safety at risk. He urged people to stay away from fast-moving streams and rivers.

"Be extra cautious," he warned.