A Utah version of the perfect storm is expected to land today when storm systems from coastal Oregon and Southern California collide over the state, bringing snow, rain and gnarly travel conditions just in time for the Easter weekend.
Salt Lake City-based National Weather Service lead forecaster Dave Sanders said the region from Cedar City to Price and Nephi probably would feel the brunt of the big blow, which was expected to drop 10 to 12 inches of snow along the Interstate 15 corridor in the state's midsection and a foot or more in the northern mountains.
"We are going to issue a warning for that area, and we have to have up to 9 inches to justify a warning," Sanders said. "It could be quite nasty down there."
The wintry blast is on the tail of another storm that moved over southern Wyoming by Thursday afternoon, trailing winter storm warnings as it passed the Wasatch Front amid intermittent pounding rain mixed with snow.
That will continue today, "extra heavy," Sanders said.
The storms have dumped several feet of snow in the mountains, leading to avalanche warnings. According to Evelyn Lees of the U.S. Forest Service Utah Avalanche Center, natural slides up to 100 feet wide occurred on wind-loaded slopes in the back country and a large slide near Alta hit the main road, which was closed at the time.
In Provo Canyon, the county road and bike path were closed Thursday from the Bridal Veil/Nunns parking lot to Frasier Park due to avalanche danger. The road from Brian Head to Panguitch Lake also was closed Thursday due to heavy snow.
Lees said warmer conditions at lower elevations were resulting in deep slides and "impressive debris piles." Sunshine peeking through the clouds would lead to more widespread avalanche activity, she said. "Particularly avoid terrain traps such as gullies, where the cement-like wet snow could pile up deeply," Lees said.
Kathy Miner, a ski instructor at Brighton Ski Resort, said Thursday morning the snow was at least a foot deeper than the previous morning, but that the drive up Big Cottonwood Canyon had been trouble-free.
The storm "hasn't slowed us down at all," she said, adding the powder was "relatively fluffy" and the sun made sporadic appearances. "It's brightening up," she said. "You know, it's truly springtime in the Rockies. Wear lots of clothes and sunscreen."
Spring officially arrived Sunday, but hasn't been able to nudge winter aside. The National Weather Service reported some startling precipitation totals by midday Thursday. Since Saturday, Brighton has seen 68 inches of new snow, 39 of those inches since Tuesday. Farmington Canyon at 8,000 feet elevation has seen 32 inches of snow since Saturday. Park City-area mountains reported 12 to 18 inches since Saturday. Cedar Breaks has collected 18 inches since Tuesday, Bryce Canyon 12 inches and Brian Head 10 inches.
Drivers, beware, said Utah Department of Transportation spokesman Brent Wilhite. "People kind of forget how to drive in snow," he said. "We've had a lot of dry weather for a month or so, but people still need to remember that winter weather conditions can creep up on us."
Travelers can get real-time road information by dialing 511, the state's free advisory line. UDOT's Web site, http://commuterlink.utah.gov, gives up-to-the-minute travel information for the Wasatch Front.
Meanwhile, precipitation-weary residents of Gunlock were pleased a temporary bridge at the north end of town was back in service Thursday after a temporary closure due to high water on the Santa Clara River.
Resident Ed Bowler said travel in and out of Gunlock resumed as the river receded a bit. Only minor repairs were needed to the only entrance to the small town 20 miles upstream from St. George.
A bridge on the southern end of Gunlock destroyed during flooding in January remains out.
Washington County received about one-third inch of rain Tuesday and Wednesday. But cool air kept the snow level to 6,500 feet so that the record snowpack on the Pine Valley Mountains and Kolob Terrace did not contribute to flooding.
In Richfield, however, officials are bracing themselves for possible flooding out of the mountains to the west. The city's flood control basin has been upgraded to fix damage during flooding in August.
By tonight, weather along the Wasatch Front should improve, and while a few showers may linger Saturday, by Sunday it could be only partly cloudy and not terribly cold -- in the high 50s on the Wasatch Front and low 70s in the south.
"It will be fairly pleasant for late March," said Sanders. But by Monday, another weather system will be blowing cold, bringing more snow to the northern valleys.
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Tribune reporter Christopher Smart and correspondent Hal Edwards contributed to this story.
