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SALT LAKE CITY — Storms returned to Utah Monday just in time for Presidents Day.
Many high-elevation areas are under winter weather advisories that last through the holiday, while wind advisories and a winter storm watch are in effect in southern Utah, according to the National Weather Service. Some of Utah's mountains may receive more than 1 foot of snow by Tuesday morning.
"We really haven't seen a storm of this magnitude (since) all the storms back at the New Year," said KSL meteorologist Grant Weyman. "We're back to that."
Snow forecast
All parts of the state are expected to be affected by the storm — with most of the heavier snow bands expected in the afternoon and evening as the storm sweeps across Utah, Weyman explained Monday morning.
"The impact gets greater throughout the day because it's going to be getting colder," he added.
The mountain snow is welcomed for Utah's snowpack, which has fallen to 82% of normal as of Monday morning, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Northern and central Utah
While "low to moderate" snowfall is expected through much of the state, the National Weather Service said the area around the border of Salt Lake and Utah counties could see heavier snowfall in the morning before moving south.
Five to 10 inches of snow is forecast for most mountainous areas in northern Utah, with amounts higher than that expected in parts of the Cottonwood Canyons, according to one of the alerts. Salt Lake City could receive 1 to 3 inches of snow by Tuesday morning, and other areas — like Park City, Heber City, Nephi and Milford — could receive the most snow with an expected 4 to 6 inches.
Here are the forecast snowfall totals for Sunday evening through Tuesday morning. Confidence is generally high in these ranges except for Salt Lake, Tooele, and Utah Valleys where the band could set up further north (increasing totals) or further south (decreasing totals). #utwxpic.twitter.com/KM6MHcMV3K
— NWS Salt Lake City (@NWSSaltLakeCity) February 20, 2022
Parts of central Utah's mountain areas — like Fish Lake and Joes Valley — are included in a winter storm watch. The alert states that 1 to 2 feet of snow are possible with wind gusts reaching up to 35 mph.
Southern Utah
The winter storm watch also extends south, to upper and lower elevation portions of southern Utah, like Beaver, Cedar City and St. George, as well as Lake Powell.
A wide range of 2 to 12 inches is expected in most of the higher-elevation valleys, while 1 to 3 inches is possible in lower-elevation parts of Washington County, according to the weather service alerts. Communities like Beaver and Cedar City are forecast to receive 2 to 5 inches, while places like Bryce Canyon and Loa may receive 6 to 12 inches.
Wind gusts up to 50 mph are expected throughout the day as well in parts of the region, according to the wind advisory.
Travel Impacts
The Utah Department of Transportation already projected Monday to be busy just with residents returning from holiday weekend trips. The forecast may make that worse.
The weather service warns drivers to plan for winter driving conditions with ice and snow on the roads with "blowing snow and heavy snowfall impacting visibility."
Road Weather Alert: A statewide winter storm will bring road snow and hazardous travel conditions across the state starting 6 PM Sunday through 6 PM Monday. For more info visit: https://t.co/4P1gO1U0Gg@UtahTrucking#utwx#utsnowpic.twitter.com/GFsxMkDPjn
— UDOT Traffic (@UDOTTRAFFIC) February 19, 2022
UDOT issued a weather alert for many roads that extends into Tuesday morning. It states northern Utah roads will be most affected in the late morning hours, while central and southern Utah are more likely to be impacted in the late afternoon and evening. The roads most likely to be impacted by the storm are:
- Interstate 15: Utah-Idaho border to Tremonton, Point of the Mountain to Blackridge Canyon in Washington County
- Interstate 70: I-15 Junction to Fremont Junction
- Interstate 80: Parleys Canyon to Wyoming border
- Interstate 84: Entire route
- U.S. Highway 6: Entire route
- U.S. Highway 40: Entire route
- U.S. Highway 89: Utah-Idaho border to Long Valley Junction
- U.S. Highway 189: Provo Canyon
- U.S. Highway 191: Utah-Wyoming border to Helper
- State Route 14: Entire route
- State Route 20: Entire route
- State Route 143: Entire route
- State Route 153: Entire route
- State Route 190: Entire route
- State Route 210: Entire route
What's on the horizon?
More snow is expected late Tuesday into Wednesday with another wave headed to the state.
⚠️Significant winter storm to impact much of central and southern Utah including St. George Tuesday afternoon into Wednesday evening.
— NWS Salt Lake City (@NWSSaltLakeCity) February 21, 2022
Traveling? Prepare now for widespread winter driving conditions. #utwxpic.twitter.com/CmGzpVFRKu
Colder temperatures and more snow is expected statewide; areas in southern and central Utah could even see "their largest snowfall event of the season," according to a tweet from the National Weather Service.
"We're not done yet," Weyman said.
Full seven-day forecasts for areas across Utah can be found online, at the KSL Weather Center.
