Tooele Sees Record Snowfall In Powerful February Winter Storm

TOOELE, Utah – A powerful winter storm left behind a record snow total for the day Wednesday and homeowners on the hillside east of town found it particularly challenging to dig out.

According to the National Weather Service, Tooele recorded 14.3 inches, easily doubling the old record of 6.6 inches set back in 1986.

On Herman Herrera’s street, however, the total was close to 2 feet.

“By the time I woke up, there was at least 14 inches on the ground and we’ve had at least 10 more,” said Herrera, whose yard was nearly clear of snow two days ago.

Neighbor Miles Belliston characterized the conditions in one word: “hell.”

“Yeah, I think we’ve had enough,” Belliston said, as he shoveled his driveway.
Belliston’s snow blower had already broken down.

“It probably could be worse,” he shrugged.

Herrera also started the process of clearing his large driveway with a snow blower, but quickly employed a side-by-side with a plow attached to it.

“I finally went out and got me a snow plow for my side-by-side, so now I’ll be able to move it and pile it,” he said.

Across the street, another neighbor’s car sat along the curb almost completely buried in snow. The storm had proved to be too much.

“There’s nowhere to push the snow,” Herrera acknowledged. “I feel bad because I push all the snow I can down here, but then I don’t want any of the neighbors or passersby to get stuck.”

Herrera and Belliston said their neighborhood was no stranger to large snow storms, though this was one they wouldn’t soon forget.

“Just got to deal with it,” Herrera said. “We make do. It is what it is.”

I initially thought this was a snowbank…and then I saw the car… @KSL5TV #KSLTV #Utah #utwx pic.twitter.com/yp8JOADGWX

— Andrew Adams (@AndrewAdamsKSL) February 6, 2019