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Why do the mountains get more rain and snow (than the valleys) and why is it colder in the mounains. Brian G.
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This question comes up a lot and for good reason, if it snowed 500 inches in the valley like it does at places like Alta or Solitude Mountain, we'd find ourselves in a bit of trouble!
When air rises, it cools, it then condenses and makes clouds and eventually snow or rain. As air is forced to rise over terrain such as mountain ranges clouds are formed over those mountains.
This effect of the air rising, then cooling and creating clouds and precipitation is called Orographic Lifting. This happens on the windward facing slope. Now, as the air goes down the other side of the mountain (the lee side) you can have a shadowing effect. As air sinks it will warm and compress and the clouds will dissipate, meaning less precipitation on the other side of the mountain.
When we have flow from the south, the air is rising over the Uinta Mountains, we have enhanced snow on those slopes that are facing southward.
So, even when we see a fast storm moving over Salt Lake that produces small accumulations of snow, it might snow a lot more in the mountains because that air is being forced to rise over those mountains. It is also colder the higher up you go, so snow the freezing level is often very much above the valley floor, so much moisture will be in snow form at our ski areas or higher up.
Some links on the right will help you learn more about this neat weather phenomena.
Answered by KSL Meteorologist Dina Freedman
