A winter storm warning is in effect from 11 a.m. Friday until 5 a.m. Monday across northern Utah, with a foot or more of snow possible in the valleys and 2-4 feet expected in the mountains. The National Weather Service is calling it a “relentless period of winter weather.”
From Friday through Saturday morning, 2-6 inches are in the forecast for the Salt Lake and Tooele valleys. Another 4-8 inches expected from Saturday afternoon through Monday morning, and up to 12 inches could fall in some areas.
Along the northern Wasatch Front, including eastern Box Elder County and the Cache Valley, 5-10 inches of snow is expected, with up to 14 inches in some areas.
Widespread winter driving conditions are expected from Friday afternoon through Sunday, and could impact the Friday evening commute. Blowing and drifting snow will make driving difficult from Tremonton north to the Idaho border, forecasters said.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) A woman walks through the Gallivan Center, during a snow squall, on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024.
Utah County could see up to 3 inches through Saturday morning, with and additional 3-6 inches (and up to 8 inches) from Saturday afternoon through Monday morning.
According to the weather service, rain may mix with snow at times from Saturday evening into Sunday morning along the valley floors — especially in Salt Lake and Utah counties — which would reduce snow totals.
Considerably more snow is forecast for higher elevations — 2-4 feet in the northern mountains, with up to 5 feet in the upper Cottonwoods; and 1-3 feet in the central mountains, with up to 4 feet possible in some areas. Winds, strongest near ridgetops, may exceed 65 mph on Friday and Saturday.
According to the Utah Avalanche Center, avalanche danger on Friday is “extreme” in the Logan area; “high” in the Salt Lake, Ogden, Provo, Skyline and Uintas areas; and “considerable” in the Moab area.
In Salt Lake, Ogden, Provo and Skyline, the Utah Avalanche Center predicted even higher avalanche danger through the weekend because of expected high winds and additional feet of snowfall.
In central Utah, including Juab and Millard counties, the National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory, forecasting up to 2 inches through Saturday morning and another 2-4 inches of snow from Saturday until 5 a.m. Monday.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Pedestrians walk down Main Street during a snow squall, on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024.
In the Salt Lake City area, there’s an 80% chance of snow on Friday; a 100% chance on Friday night; an 80% chance on Saturday; a 100% chance on Saturday night; a 90% chance on Sunday; a 60% chance on Sunday night; and a 30% chance on Monday. The forecast calls for mostly sunny skies on Tuesday, but there’s the chance of another snowstorm on Wednesday.
Temperature will remain colder than normal. In Salt Lake City, the expected high on Friday is 35, with an overnight low of 21. The forecast predicts a high of 35 and low of 30 on Saturday, and a high of 38 and low of 23 on Sunday. And, after a high of 30 on Monday, a brutally cold low of 10 — “approaching dangerous conditions,” according to the weather service — is expected Monday night into Tuesday morning.
Normal highs for this time of year are 38-39. The normal low is 31.
It will also be somewhat colder than usual in southern Utah until Monday, although there’s not much precipitation in the forecast. The forecast temperatures are a high of 42 and a low of 26 on Friday, a high of 46 and a low 31 on Saturday, a high of 49 and low of 29 on Sunday and a high of 52 and low of 26 on Monday.
Normal highs are 53-54. The normal low is 28.
Follow @ScottDPierce