3-day snow storms bringing big numbers for Utah


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SALT LAKE CITY — After a few days of the intense snow storms that have traveled across Utah, many people are waiting for a break from the nerve-wracking driving conditions and the back-breaking shoveling.

Over the past three days of snow storms, 15 inches fell in Centerville and 26 inches in Sundance. And for residents in Salt Lake County, they have done their fair share of shoveling snow every morning for the past three days as well.

But, not everyone has been dreading the storms. Elevated Property and Snow Removal employee, Tyler Thayer, and his employees are glad to see the snow.

"It's been fun actually for us," said Elevated Property and Snow Removal employee, Tyler Thayer. "We love it. Last year, we were pouring concrete in t-shirts. We didn't have a winter last year."

His crew worked from 2 a.m. until well past noon for each of the last two days dealing with the snow removal.

"These little three storms like this, we're good for a while," Thayer said.

Skiers head to SLC after 3-day storm
by Alex Cabrero
Airports are always full of suitcases, child car seats, and duffel bags.

Go to Salt Lake's airport after a snowstorm, though, and that's where the helmets, boots, and ski's start to show up.

"Everything here is snow. Snowbird, snow this, snow that," said Fresno resident Larry Fleming.

He decided to come to Utah after a friend told him about Utah's snowstorm totals.

"Oh my gosh, the powder is like up to here," said Fleming, pointing to his hip.

The past few days have brought Utah's ski resorts the best snow numbers in two seasons.

In Southern Utah, Eagle Point got buried with 34 inches in 24 hours.

Along the Wasatch, Brighton got 21 inches.

In northern Utah, Snowbasin saw 20 inches of fresh snow.

Those totals are exactly why Kristin Martin and her family chose to ski in Utah, even though Lake Tahoe is closer to their Napa Valley home.

"We're avoiding the crowds at Lake Tahoe and we're coming here," said Martin, "it's actually really easy to get here from the Oakland airport."

Besides, her son is excited to try out his new Christmas snowboard on Utah's fresh powder.

"On a scale of 1 to 10, about a 12," laughed Martin.

UDOT had their hands full with the snow removal as well with 687 employees working across the state to clear the roads. Statewide 499 plows cleared more than 6,000 miles of roadway. They've also put down more than 1.5 million pounds of salt.

At times, the snow overwhelmed the work of the plows, and state troopers responded to crash after crash. During the three-day snowstorm, 88 crashes were reported in Salt Lake County, 32 in Utah County and 24 in Davis County. 15 people were hurt in those crashes, but there were no fatalities.

However, the ski resorts have greatly benefited from all the fresh powder. Utah's winter resorts piled up the best numbers in two seasons. Eagle Point was hammered with 34" in 24 hours, Brighton weighed in with a 21" and Snowbasin picked up 20".

"I love it," said truck driver, Steven Condie. "We need all the moisture we can get."

Condie just returned from a round-trip, white-knuckle delivery to Reno in the snowy weather, but now he can relax when he is home shoveling his driveway.

"It was pretty nasty," he said. "It was snowing really hard. I fought it almost 3/4 of the way across Nevada."

But, the shoveling can take it's toll on people as well.

If an individual had a two-car driveway that was 24 feet wide and 30 feet long, and if they shoveled a foot of snow over the last 48 hours at about 10 pounds per cubic foot of light Utah snow, that would be about 7,200 pounds of snow.

But, the U.S. Postal Service is asking people to continue to shovel their walks and to help clear out access to their mailboxes as soon as possible after it snows. It's not always easy, but they need to deliver the mail in the snow.

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Jed Boal

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