UDOT snowplows prepared for intense snow in Sardine Canyon
Jan 9, 2024, 7:07 PM | Updated: Jan 10, 2024, 7:09 am
MANTUA – A winter storm was expected to dump up to two feet of snow on some parts of Utah over the next several days.
Intense snow and wind combined for dicey conditions up Sardine Canyon for Tuesday’s rush hour.
The KSL Weather team forecast 1 to 3 inches in valley locations for Tuesday and “squall” warnings could be issued in the days ahead.
Phones squealed out a squall warning for Tuesday as dangerous wind and snow conditions hit northern Utah. The warning expired at 7 p.m.
Snow squall warnings are alerts that should be read carefully because a snow squall can heavily impact a person’s commute.
A snow squall warning is in effect until 7:00 PM MST for I-84 near Morgan, UT and I-15, I-215 near Ogden–Layton, UT and I-15 near Provo–Orem, UT and I-15, I-215, I-80, US-89 near Salt Lake City–West Valley City, UT. pic.twitter.com/OXXvsaFbhU
— NWS Salt Lake City (@NWSSaltLakeCity) January 10, 2024
Snow started to increase by 5:30 p.m. Tuesday on the Cache County line.
Plow crews started clearing the highway shoulders earlier in the afternoon.
Utah Department of Transportation crews planned days ahead, making sure they had enough manpower throughout the night if needed, depending on what the storm brought.
U.S. Highway 89/91 is not only a mountain road but a commuter road for many people heading in and out of Cache Valley.
UDOT said it’s important to pay attention to the traction requirements as those can change quickly.
Traction laws are overall hard to enforce since it’s hard to tell whether people have traction devices or chains, but those rules are there for your safety.
“If we have that traction law in effect, I know that there sometimes people ignore it but I don’t. That’s not a wise decision to make,” said Mitch Shaw with UDOT. “You know, we put it, we have that law in effect so people can be safe.”
UDOT also asked people to watch out for the plows and give them plenty of space to work.
A snowplow spun out of control and flipped on its side after a car attempted to pass it Friday evening.
UDOT said its team member was unharmed but called the crash preventable.
“This situation could’ve been easily avoided if the other driver remained patient and gave the snowplow space,” UDOT’s tweet said.
