Post-Christmas snow triggers winter storm warning for Utah mountains

SALT LAKE CITY — Several Utah communities, including Tooele and Park City, as well as banks along the Wasatch Front experienced a white Christmas Wednesday, but the holiday storm system provided a gift of moisture that continues to provide.

The National Weather Service issued a series of winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories for the entire state on Thursday, some of which have now been extended through Saturday.

Federal meteorologists note that parts of the Wasatch Mountains and other nearby mountain ranges are likely to receive an additional 18 inches or more of snow over the next few days.

Persistent precipitation

Not everyone in Utah had a white Christmas, but the Christmas storm brought a good dose of precipitation across the state after another dry stretch.

Pleasant Grove collected 0.58 inches of rainfall to serve all valley communities, while Kaysville added 0.43 inches. Salt Lake City recorded 0.29 inches of precipitation, ending the day just under an inch of December normal, leaving less than a week left in the month.

KSL meteorologist Matt Johnson said the Christmas storm was too warm for valley snow in some parts of the state, which models show could happen. More importantly, it displaced the ridge of high pressure over the state, opening the door for more precipitation this week.

Rain and snow showers are forecast to move through Utah over the next few days. Some of it will be light, but there could also be heavy bands of precipitation in some places, Johnson said.

Storm accumulations

The occasional showers are a little more difficult to forecast because they are not as organized as a traditional winter storm. However, the Winter Storm Warning – issued for the Wasatch Mountains, West Uinta and Wasatch Plateau/Book Cliffs – indicates that there is a high chance of significant snow accumulation in certain areas.

The Upper Cottonwood Canyons, the mountains at Ben Lomond Peak and the Bear River Range have a 70-90% chance of receiving more than 18 inches of snow by the end of Saturday. According to the weather service, these areas also have a good chance – about 20-30% – of exceeding 30 inches.

“The highest chances are further north in the Bear River Mountains,” the warning states. “Snow will be denser than normal, with warmer temperatures and increasing snow amounts over the weekend.”

A winter weather advisory has been issued for the central mountains, with 6 to 12 inches of snow expected to fall over the next few days. Another warning was issued for eastern Box Elder County, where “widespread snow” in the valley could cause problems Thursday.

KSL weather models indicate that 0.5 to 1 inch of precipitation or more could accumulate across most of the Wasatch Front between Thursday morning and Saturday afternoon, most of which will fall as rain. Parts of central and eastern Utah could also get away with 0.1 to 0.5 inches; Rain and snow are less likely in southern Utah, which could be skipped by the persistent showers.

Storm impacts

Johnson said some of the showers could come during traditional commute times or as vacationers return.

Utah Department of Transportation officials issued a road weather advisory and advised drivers to exercise “moderate” and “high” caution on roads in the northern half of Utah. Aside from potential issues related to road snow in northern Utah, traction laws were enforced on several mountain passes Thursday:

• Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons in Salt Lake County.
• US 91 through Sardine Canyon in Box Elder/Cache counties.
• State Route 224 at Empire Pass in Summit County.

During restrictions, only four-wheel drive or tracked vehicles are allowed on the roads. The chain restrictions could be extended or tightened selectively in other areas in the next few days.

For those recovering in the snow, a “significant” avalanche danger remains in the Wasatch Mountains, according to the Utah Avalanche Center. The agency has received several avalanche reports in recent days, including one that temporarily buried a snowmobiler in the Franklin Basin area of ​​the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest on Christmas Eve.

The agency’s meteorologists say the avalanche danger could increase as new snow falls on “weak layers” in the mountains. They recommend avoiding inclines of 30 degrees or more.

On the go more?

The National Weather Service advises that another storm could hit the state between Sunday and Monday. It’s unclear how much additional moisture this would provide.

Then the sky clears up. Dry and cool temperatures are currently forecast for late 2024 and early 2025.

Complete seven-day forecasts for areas across Utah can be found online at the KSL Weather Center.