Utah forecast: It’s spring, but a wintry spring

Rain, snow, lightning » Don’t store away those heavy coats yet, northern Utahns.

By Bob Mims

| The Salt Lake Tribune

First Published Mar 21 2013 06:53 am • Last Updated Mar 21 2013 12:46 pm

OK, as you shiver against the cold winds, freezing rain and snow, chant this weather mantra: It is spring; the calendar says so.

Then bundle up.

Northern Utah still began Thursday under a Winter Weather Advisory. The National Weather Service reported that the Wasatch Mountains north and south of Interstate 80, along with the western Uintas, were buffeted by decidedly un-spring like conditions into early afternoon.

Punctuated occasionally by lightning, snowfall approaching a foot fell in some locations before the advisory expired at noon, with winds up to 20 mph causing low visibility and some drifting in higher elevations.

The Utah Department of Transportation restricted semi-trailer rigs to chains on westbound Interstate 80 at the height of the Thursday morning storm. Vehicles were restricted to chains or four-wheel drive as snow fell in Big and Little Cottonwood canyons before conditions gave way to mid-day sunshine.

Northern Utah’s high temperatures for Thursday were in the 40s, and the continued cold — and in places snowy — weather that was expected to resume on Friday.

Southern Utahns expected windy days going into the weekend, but otherwise spring-like weather prevailed in the forecast. High temperatures Friday were to be in the 70s, mirroring expectations for Thursday.

The Utah Division of Air Quality awarded "Green," or healthy air quality grades statewide, while the Utah Avalanche Center rated the state’s mountains at "moderate" risk for potentially dangerous backcountry snow slides on Friday.

Salt Lake City’s Friday high was to be 39, compared to Thursday’s 44-degree forecast; Ogden looked for 37 and 41 degrees, respectively; Provo 46 and 47; Logan 31 and 35; Wendover 41 and 46; Duchesne 36 and 41; Cedar City 53 and 54; St. George 69 and 73; and Moab 57 and 60 degrees.

remims@sltrib.com

Twitter: @remims

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