This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

The calendar gives Utah almost three more weeks of winter, but already the season has set records for being the warmest and least snowy in National Weather Service records.

Considering the past weekend's snowstorms and cooler temperatures, that may be hard to accept — until you realize that "meteorological winter," the official period from December through February measured by forecasters, ended on Saturday.

For meteorological winter, then, Salt Lake City saw 41 percent of the period's days at 50 degrees or higher. February also was the warmest — and least snowy — on record, as well as being the sixth driest, when you consider all forms of precipitation.

Again, with central and southern Utah walloped by heavy snowfall over the past couple days. All that seemed a lot like Detective Frank Drebin of "Naked Gun" infamy insisting, "There's nothing to see here!"

Forecasters issued a Winter Storm Warning through 4 p.m. Tuesday for sections of eastern and southern Utah, predicting up to 1-3 feet of snow. The heaviest snowfall was expected in the southern mountains, while the warning covered parts of the state from near Vernal south to Monticello, and Milford south through Cedar City, Bryce Canyon to just north of St. George.

The Utah Department of Transportation cautioned motorists to be aware of icy, snow-clogged driving conditions along the higher mountain passes of both Interstate 15 and U.S. 89. Indeed, more than 20 slideoffs had been reported on the region's freeways by the Utah Highway Patrol by mid-morning.

Also, it was the first of what was expected to be two weeks of closures for the San Juan School District's Monument Valley High School and Tse'biinidzisgai Elementary School. The district announced the closures over the weekend due to area roads being too snow-clogged and muddy to traverse.

San Juan also closed down Bluff Elementary, Montezuma Creek Elementary and Whitehorse High School both Monday and Tuesday due to storms.

Heavy snowfall Monday also prompted the National Park Service to close the Kolob Canyons Road and its' Visitors Center in Zion National Park.

A Winter Weather Advisory, also in effect through 4 p.m. Tuesday, was in place for chunks of northern, central and southcentral Utah. Snow accumulations of 10 to 20 inches were forecast for the Wasatch Range and western Uintas. The advisory area included Park City south to Provo, Nephi, Manti, Price, Richfield and Escalante to the Arizona border.

All that white stuff on the way will only add to a weekend storm that dumped nearly 13 inches on Cedar City and 11 inches on the Kodachrome Basin. Among the other higher 48-hour storm totals were the 9 inches measured in Panguitch, and the 7 inches that fell on Brighton and Park City. Boulder, New Harmony and Provo Canyon each got 6 inches.

All that fresh snow translated to "considerable" risk for potentially deadly backcountry snowslides for southeastern Utah's Moab, and the Uintas earned a "moderate" grade from the Utah Avalanche Center. The Logan, Ogden, Salt Lake City and Provo districts remained at "low" risk as of Monday morning.

The Utah Division of Air Quality graded all monitoring stations as "green" into the midweek.

For more extensive forecast breakdowns visit the Tribune weather page at http://www.sltrib.com/weather/.

Twitter: @remims Road Weather Highlights for Road Snow and Slush •

Winter road conditions through 9 a.m. Tuesday:

A significant and prolonged winter storm will continue to impact much of Utah Monday through Tuesday. Travel will be impacted by periods of road slush and snow on many roadways across central and southern Utah, and periods of light road slush and snow across portions of northern Utah.

The following routes will be impacted through the forecast period:

Northern Utah:

— I-15, Wasatch Front

— I-80, mile post 77 through Salt Lake City, to the Wyoming border; Parleys' Summit

— I-84, through Weber Canyon to Echo Junction

— I-215, Salt Lake City

— US-40, entire route; Mayflower & Daniel's Summits; Uintah Basin

— US-191, Vernal to Wyoming border

— US-89, Sardine & Logan Summits; along Wasatch Front

— US-189, Provo Canyon

— Cottonwood Canyons (SR-190 & SR-210)

Central/Southern Utah:

— I-15, Nephi to Black Ridge

— I-70, I-15 junction to Green River, especially Clear Creek and Ivie Creek Summits

— US-89, from Thistle to Kanab

— US-191, Monticello to Blanding; Indian Canyon Summit

— US-6, West Desert routes; Soldier Summit

— Source: Utah Department of Transportation