SALT LAKE CITY â Last week’s stormy pattern proved to be fruitful for Utah’s snowpack, and more snow is forecast to start this week.
The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for a portion of the Wasatch Mountains and a series of winter weather advisories ahead of another system arriving in Utah. By Wednesday morning, some mountain locations could receive up to another 2 feet of snow, while many valley communities could receive a few inches.
Storm timing
Last week’s storm pattern dumped nearly 4 feet of snow at Alta, Brighton and Snowbird resorts, while other parts of the Cottonwood Canyons received at least 3 feet of snow. Brian Head also ended up with over 2 feet, as southern Utah received some crucial late-season snow.
KSL meteorologist Matt Johnson explained that another low-pressure system was off the Pacific Northwest coast early Monday, but it will be quickly arriving in Utah behind a “potent” cold front.
Winds have picked up across Utah ahead of the cold front’s arrival. The weather service issued a handful of wind advisories across western Utah that will remain in place through Monday night. Wind gusts of 55-60 mph are possible throughout the day.
Meanwhile, a mix of valley rain and mountain snow is forecast to arrive in northwest Utah by Monday evening before expanding to other parts of the state. Johnson said rain will switch over to snow as the cold front pushes through in the overnight hours, leaving valley snow that is expected to linger during the Tuesday morning commute.
The system will start to clear out throughout the day, but weather models indicate some lingering snow showers are likely in the Wasatch Mountains Tuesday night and possibly into early Wednesday.
“By Wednesday afternoon, we are completely dry,” Johnson said.
Storm accumulations
Wasatch Mountain locations south of I-80, including Alta and Brighton, are included in the winter storm warning. It states that 14-24 inches of snow is possible between Monday night and Wednesday morning, while wind gusts up to 45 mph could also create issues. Some models indicate higher totals are possible.
The National Weather Service’s winter weather advisories cover many other mountain and valley locations across Utah. Those advisories state:
- 5-12 inches of snow is possible in the Wasatch Mountains north of I-80, as well as the Western Uinta, Wasatch Plateau/Book Cliffs, central and southern mountain ranges. “Locally higher” amounts up to 15 inches are possible across parts of the northern mountains, in the Manti-Skyline area, within the Tushar Range and by Brian Head.
- 4-8 inches of snow is possible in the Wasatch Back, including Heber City, Huntsville and Park City. Lower totals of 2-5 inches are projected for areas below 5,500 feet elevation in the area.
- 2-5 inches of snow is possible in parts of central and southwest Utah, including Beaver, Cedar City, Fillmore, Nephi and Scipio.
- A trace to 3 inches of snow is possible across the Wasatch Front and northern Utah. Johnson said lower totals are projected for Utah County because of potential mountain shadowing, while higher totals are possible in the Tooele Valley and by bench areas. The advisory notes some additional snow could fall in southern Davis and northern Salt Lake counties on Wednesday from lake-effect moisture.
Storm impacts
The weather service advises drivers to “slow down and use caution while traveling,” especially during the Tuesday morning commute. As for people recreating in the snow, Utah Avalance Center forecasters already list many of the state’s mountains as having “considerable” avalanche danger.
Additional snow should also help Utah’s snowpack, which has already made major gains this month. Utah’s statewide snowpack is now back to 100% of its median average for this point in the year, and 84% of its seasonal average with 17 days left before its median peak, per Natural Resources Conservation Service data updated on Monday.
The Great Salt Lake basin is now 110% of its median average for mid-March and close to its seasonal normal with a little over two weeks left before its normal peak, showcasing how strong of a season the northern half of the state has had. While still 58% of its median average, the latest storm elevated the Southwestern Utah basin’s running total out of record-low status again, as the state’s driest region has received much-needed moisture.
Utah’s active pattern isn’t over yet, either. Johnson said another storm or two could impact northern Utah this week. Another round of rain and snow is forecast to arrive on Thursday while another storm could impact the region over the weekend.
Full seven-day forecasts for areas across Utah can be found online, at the KSL Weather Center.
The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.