A snow squall warning was issued for the Salt Lake City area on Tuesday evening as Utah’s northern mountains were already under a winter storm warning through early Thursday.
The snow squall, also referred to as a “whiteout,” briefly punctuated the first of two winter storms expected to bring several inches of snowfall along the Wasatch Front this week. And with the forecast comes increased avalanche danger.
In the Wasatch Mountains north of Interstate 80, the National Weather Service expects snow accumulations of 1-2 feet, with up to 30 inches possible in the Logan-area mountains. Winds could gust as high as 60-70 mph in some spots.
The snow squall that arrived late Tuesday brought a drop in visibility amid blustery snowfall and potentially icy roads, making driving conditions dangerous.
People should avoid or delay travel until the snow squall has passed, the weather service advised. Snow squall conditions were first reported near the northern Utah border at about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday before traveling south to Salt Lake City as the storm progressed.
The Salt Lake City area snow squall warning was expected to lift by about 7 p.m., according to the weather service, with more snow possible through the evening.
After a short break early Wednesday, a second winter storm will follow, with precipitation expected from about midday Wednesday through early Thursday.
Expected snowfall
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) A snowplow clear the road in Big Cottonwood Canyon on Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024.
In Salt Lake City, there is a chance of 1-3 inches of snow on Wednesday; 3-5 inches on Wednesday night; 1-3 inches on Thursday; and 3-5 inches on Thursday night; with another 3-5 inches possible on Friday.
Snow remains in the forecast Saturday through Monday, according to the weather service.
High temperatures are expected to hover below freezing, with a forecast high of 28, 24 and 30 on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, respectively. Overnight lows should be in the mid- to upper teens. The normal high for this time of year is 38; the normal low is 24.
The second cold front is expected to move farther south — to places like Cedar City, Kanab and possibly lower Washington County, which could see snow accumulations. (There is a 30% chance of up to an inch of snow in the St. George area.)
Avalanche danger
(Utah Department of Transportation) This aerial photo shows an avalanche slide in the White Pines area of Little Cottonwood Canyon on Wednesday, April 5, 2023.
With multiple snowstorms expected, the Utah Avalanche Center and the National Weather Service have issued warnings that avalanche danger will be high in the mountains across northern and central Utah.
That’s because this week’s new snow is expected to overload the “sugary” type of snow mountains saw in December, potentially triggering avalanches “hundreds of feet away, creating particularly tricky and dangerous conditions,” the Utah Avalanche Center advised in a news release.
Avalanches are “quite possible” and could occur without warning in steep terrain during storms.
The weather service’s avalanche warning is in effect until 6 a.m. Friday, with both natural and human-caused avalanches “likely.”
The Utah Avalanche Center is urging everyone to check the latest backcountry forecast at utahavalanchecenter.org, though “staying out of backcountry avalanche terrain is the safest option,” especially off and out from under slopes of 30 degrees or steeper.
Follow @ScottDPierce