SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Happy weekend, Utah! Are you ready for some wet weather? A couple of systems will move through the Beehive State bringing both rain and snow to parts of Utah.
Our first storm is the milder of the two and moves inland from the Pacific Ocean. This system started to bring changes late Friday, and while it weakens as it moves along, it’s set to deliver scattered showers across the Beehive State. Not everyone will see wet weather, but there’ll be potential for it everywhere. Given that temperatures on Saturday will only cool a fraction compared to Friday, we’ll see valley rain and mountain snow, with the snow-level expected to stay above 7,000 feet.
Our second storm will arrive between Saturday into Sunday, and it will be the more potent of the two.
This storm will result in widespread showers across the state with northern and central Utah likely seeing the most moisture. Coming in from the northwest, this storm will bring in much cooler air. This will result in lowering snow levels.
This means we’ll start with valley rain and mountain snow, but from Sunday morning into the afternoon, the snow levels will likely drop down to the benches (5,000 feet).
It gets even more interesting Sunday evening into Sunday night, as the snow levels will likely drop to the valley floors in northern Utah. Whether we’re able to see snow in our valleys though won’t be dependent on temperatures, it will be determined by whether or not the moisture is still present.
If the moisture clears once the front moves through, we’ll see mainly rain in our valleys and benches, but if the moisture holds on through the second half of Sunday into early Monday, there is a chance we will get our first snow in our valleys.
As a result of this incoming storm, a Winter Storm Watch has been issued by the National Weather Service for the mountains in northern, central and southern Utah. This will evolve through the weekend to a Winter Storm Warning for some and/or a Winter Weather Advisory. Mountain travel will be wintry and commutes could be impacted.
Snow accumulations are looking healthy for the high country with the Cottonwoods seeing 12-24 inches of snow, the Northern Mountains 8-16 inches, the Central Mountains 6-12 inches, and the Southern Mountains could see 5-10 inches.
Mountain Valleys and the Wasatch Back are looking at measurable snow, too. Park City could see anywhere from 2-6 inches of snow with out her mountain valleys accumulating up to 4 inches. Benches could see up a dusting to a few inches, but and if moisture holds on into Monday morning, valley floors could get an inch or two, but that’s if all the pieces align.
If the moisture lingers into Monday morning, then we could be in for a sloppy commute to begin the workweek. By Monday afternoon high pressure will begin to work its way in resulting in a calm and seasonal first half of the workweek.
As we turn towards Thanksgiving, there are indications we could see a quick hitter of a storm move in either on Thanksgiving or Black Friday. Temperature wise, we should be close to average with most seeing highs in the 40s and 50s with the high terrain seeing 30s. We’ll continue to fine tune this forecast as we get closer!
The bottom line? Two soggy storms move through Utah this weekend with statewide impacts expected.
With Utah’s 4Warn Forecast both on-air and online you can stay on top of all the weather changes the Beehive State has to offer! We are Good4Utah!
