ALTA, Utah — It's no secret that it's been a banner year for snowfall at the ski resorts in Utah, but Alta — which typically receives the most snow in the state—has already hit 500 inches for the season.
To put that in perspective, the last two seasons had a total snowfall under that number, and the 2018-19 season, which saw a total of 626 inches for the season, the most by far in the last ten years, had just under 500 inches at the end of February.
Alta's monthly snowfall averages for December and January since 1980 are approximately 95 inches for each month, but this year December saw 164 inches and 186 inches in January 186.
On its website, Alta reports that as of Jan. 31, the resort had 472 inches of snow, the snowiest October–January stretch in the 43-year history of its tracking system, and that they've surpassed surpassed the 1981–82 season, which saw 442 inches of snow by Jan. 31 — on its way to a record-setting 748 inches of seasonal snowfall.
Alta's snowpack is 164 percent of the average usually received and has more snow than six of the last nine seasons.
March sees the most average snowfall at Alta, with an average of 100 inches over the last 40-plus years, so this season could shatter the total season record.
Alta is a skiers-only mountain, but neighbor Snowbird, which also welcomes snow boarders, is not far behind at 470 inches for the current season.
