SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) – Happy Wednesday, Utah! A broad, cold winter storm delivered heavy snow overnight, especially in Salt Lake and Tooele Counties. Cold air filled in behind an organized cold front, and snow stacked up in most of the state. A surface low centered near SW Utah kept very strong winds at play overnight, and we have some wind alerts holding on today through the afternoon. The low is on the move this morning and lifting northeast as it exits Utah. Its counterclockwise flow supports wrap-around moisture and as a result, the snow made the morning commute tricky and snow showers will continue through the day. Snow will taper off as we make it through the afternoon and evening, but quiet conditions are short-lived.

This storm also delivered very cold air to Utah, so high temperatures throughout the state will be well below average. Seasonal norms for this time of year for Salt Lake are in the upper 40s, and in St. George hit the low 60s. Daytime highs will struggle to hit the freezing point along the Wasatch Front with upper 20s expected a slew of 30s in central and southern Utah and St. George only getting into the low 40s. 

The Beehive State is covered in Winter alerts with Winter Storm Warnings and Winter Weather Advisories holding on until 11 pm tonight. The first warning is currently in effect and will continue through 2 a.m. on Thursday. This is for the Wasatch Mountains north of I-80. During the duration of this warning, 2-3 ft. of snow is expected, but we could see isolated higher totals in the Bear River Range and Ogden Area Mountains. 

Most Winter Storm Warnings in valleys and mountain valleys will expire at 11 p.m. tonight, with the exception of the high country. Our mountains actually see the warning hold on until 5 a.m. Thursday with the Wasatch Mountains south of I-80, the western Uintas, and the Wasatch Back impacted. For the mountains within this warning, 2-3 ft. of snow is expected with locally up to 40″+ for the Upper Cottonwoods. For the Wasatch Back 1-2 ft. of snow will be possible. 

This evening the snow will likely begin to ease across the state, but any calm is likely to be short-lived as another system is expected to move in by Thursday into Friday with maybe another system arriving by early next week. This storm Thursday into Friday favors Southern Utah and looks to deliver another dose of heavy snow to the mountains. We will see scattered snow showers pushing from south to north with impacts expected in Central Utah valleys and as far north as the Wasatch Front. Stay with us as we fine-tune the details of this system, but the chance of accumulating snow in St. George is not out of the question.

There is a chance of another storm for the weekend and into next week. Temperatures will slowly moderate by the weekend, but we’ll likely stay a bit below average as the pattern looks to remain active. 

Bottom line? Strong storm exits the state today leaving behind healthy snow totals and frigid air. 

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