Happy holidays, Utah!
We're in for an active stretch of weather over the next several days, with continued record warmth, strong winds, and heavy rain before a colder pattern brings snow back to the mountains.
Record warm temperatures will continue through Christmas Day, keeping snow levels unusually high. At the same time, strong southerly winds will persist across western Utah through Friday afternoon, with gusts reaching 45 to 50 mph at times. These winds may create areas of blowing dust, briefly reducing visibility, especially across the West Desert.
An atmospheric river is bringing widespread rain to Utah, with the heaviest rainfall expected through early Thursday morning. Some areas in the Pine Valley Mountains have already picked up close to two inches of rain, leading to elevated river and stream flows. Moderate to heavy rain will continue across southern Utah below about 8,500 feet through Thursday, increasing the risk of runoff and high water in washes, streams, and slot canyons.
Snow will remain confined to higher elevations for now, generally above 8,500 to 9,000 feet. The southern mountains and western Uinta Mountains can expect 6 to 12 inches of snow through late Thursday, while valley locations across northern Utah see little accumulation due to warm air and downslope winds.
Precipitation will briefly decrease early Friday before another storm system moves in Friday evening. This system will bring a cold front that lowers snow levels and keeps snow going in the mountains through the weekend. From Friday through Sunday morning, higher terrain across Utah is expected to receive 8 to 14 inches of snow, with localized amounts up to 20 inches. Valley snow isn't looking all that promising at this point; however, there is a small chance that cold enough air will move in while moisture remains in place to generate some valley snowfall. Stay tuned!
