Inversions could last for another month despite storms, meteorologists say

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SALT LAKE CITY — Conditions are ripe for more inversions in Utah, and the snowfall the state already has is making the problem worse. Meteorologists say the conditions could mean these inversions will continue for potentially the next month.

This is bad news for Utahns who are sensitive to the bad air. Robert Calacino, for example, suffers from aggravated allergy symptoms during an inversion.

"I used to get headaches years ago, but now it's just the congestion and sore throat," Calacino said.

He's not alone in getting sick from the inversion.

Yeah, kind of going out on a limb: I'd say the next month is going to be cold and wintery.

–Glen Merrill, National Weather Service

"I just got back from Hawaii and the air (there) was awesome," said Spencer Pratt. "But when I came back — I got asthma again since I've been back — and I think it could be from the air."

What National Weather Service meteorologist Glen Merrill has to say isn't likely to go over well with them.

"Yeah, kind of going out on a limb: I'd say the next month is going to be cold and wintery," Merrill said.

He also said we should forget about the storm coming later this week, though it will clear the air temporarily. A solid, widespread snowpack early in the season, like Utah has this year, often creates a cycle that's tough to break. The snow keeps the air close to the ground cold, and that increases the inversion potential.

"Once you get that snowpack this time of year, until you essentially melt it off you're going to be seeing inversions during non storm-periods," Merrill said.

The good news, on the other hand, is that the snowpack is normal.

"I'm enjoying the normalcy in Utah," said Randy Julander, Snow Survey supervisor at the National Resources Conservation Service. "It's a rare event."

Julander watches the snow for a living, and he said this year's offerings are a big improvement. The snowpack is at 108 percent of normal so far this year, compared to 69 percent in January of 2012.

"We really hope for a normal year," Julander said. "Actually, as long as you're hoping, you might as well hope for a good year."

As for what the snowpack does from here, Julander said it could either be feast or famine. In the famine case where there would be no more snowfall, Utah is only at 40 to 50 percent of normal snowpack for the year. If it stays like that, Utah could have water shortages in some areas this summer.