Winter weather finally expected in Utah this week with two storms arriving
Dec 5, 2021, 5:31 PM
COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS, Utah – A change in the weather pattern on Sunday helped clear up the hazy skies in valleys along the Wasatch Front. More weather changes are expected this week with a series of storms.
“It’s going to be a busy weather week,” said KSL-TV meteorologist Kristen Van Dyke.
The first storm is weak, Van Dyke explained, and is expected to arrive on Monday and linger into Tuesday.
“This system is not going to be a big snowmaker,” she said.
Northern Utah mountains could expect 2 to 5 inches of snow, while valleys could see no snow accumulation, or just a dusting of the white stuff, during the first storm.
A heavier storm should arrive in Utah Wednesday night and stay until Friday.
“This one could potentially bring in a foot and a half of snow to our mountains and several inches of snow to our valleys,” Van Dyke said of the second storm. “It’s a still a long ways out, so we’ll be fine-tuning the forecast.”
After weeks of warmer-than-normal weather, the arrival of winter weather will benefit ski resorts and help improve Utah’s low snowpack amid the ongoing drought.
“I love skiing up in the mountains, so hopefully it snows a bunch,” said Tyler Valovic, who was visiting Big Cottonwood Canyon on Sunday. “We need a lot of snow.”
Valovic said he’s also glad that the incoming storms will improve air quality.
“It seems like the inversion has been getting a lot worse every day,” he said. “It’s been kind of not very fun to go into the city and have to breathe all that air. So, it’s nice to come up here and get away from it all.”
The National Weather Service’s Salt Lake City Forecast Office also said to expect much colder temperatures next weekend after the second storm leaves the area.
Bust out your #WinterWeather gear and put your winter driving hat on…because confidence is increasing in a widespread winter weather event Thu into Fri. Stay tuned… #UTwx
A chance for a rain/snow mix will arrive along the Wasatch Front Mon w/ little impact to area roadways. pic.twitter.com/zX74cyi1KY
— NWS Salt Lake City (@NWSSaltLakeCity) December 5, 2021
“There is still plenty of room for changes amongst models, but things point to the most impactful snow event since last winter,” the National Weather Service said of the storm Thursday into Friday.
