'It is an impactful storm': UDOT crews prepare for statewide winter storm

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SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Department of Transportation has planned for an impactful winter storm to hit the state starting Sunday night.

"Down here in the valleys, we're expecting rain showers transitioning into snow, and so there's not going to be a lot of pretreatments," explained John Gleason, a UDOT spokesman.

The plow drivers' shifts start Sunday night.

"With a storm like this, the duration, a couple days here, we'll make sure that they're getting their rest before the storm's here," Gleason said.

UDOT is asking drivers to stay home Sunday night through the Monday morning commute while trucks clear the snow.

"If you have to be anywhere tonight in those later evening hours through midnight, early morning, that's when you're really going to need to slow down," Gleason said.

He said they will have crews spread out.

"I think the mountains are going to get a great deal of snow, and even down here in the valleys, we're going to see probably 3 inches down here on the valley floor by tomorrow morning," Gleason said. "Even higher up in Davis County, maybe up to 5 inches on the benches there."

UDOT expects the snow to impact the Monday morning commute.

"A lot of times if there is that congestion and there are those slide-offs, people will wonder where the plows are, and the truth is they're stuck in those backups just like you and me," Gleason said.

Crews are prepared for road conditions to be challenging through Tuesday.

"The cold temperatures (Monday) night, that's really going to cause some issues. If the temperatures are that much colder, it makes it a lot harder to deal with ice freezing up on the roads and snow sticking to the roads," Gleason said.

He said there is good news that comes with this round of winter weather.

"It's going to be warmer temperatures and so that's going to cause slushy conditions, but our plows will be out there when that rain is transitioning into snow," Gleason said.