‘This was a good storm’: How much snow, rain Utah got before Thanksgiving
Nov 27, 2024, 6:55 PM
Freshly-fallen snow in Ferron, Emery County, on Tuesday night. Many parts of Utah received strong snow totals from what was its largest storm of the season, so far. (Michael Pitchforth, iWitness)
(Michael Pitchforth, iWitness)
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah’s mountains received a much-needed jolt from an atmospheric river that passed through the state before Thanksgiving. The rain and snow were welcomed after a relatively slow start to the water year.
The latest storm, which arrived on Monday, slammed central and south-central Utah the hardest, dropping about 2 feet of snow at Eagle Point Resort, officials at the Beaver resort reported on Wednesday. The National Weather Service reported that Big Flat, a mountain site east of Beaver, received 4.3 inches of precipitation, showing off how water-heavy the snow was.
“They were the big winners,” said KSL meteorologist Matt Johnson, adding that other areas also piled on the snow. “This was a good storm … The water content in this was great.”
Storm totals
This storm was the biggest to hit Utah so far this season. Brighton Resort in Big Cottonwood Canyon, Deer Valley Resort in Park City and Snowbasin Resort in Ogden Canyon all reported near or more than 1½ feet of fresh powder, while several others ended up with at least a foot of new snow.
Northern Utah’s mountains weren’t as fortunate, where some resorts received about 5 to 7 inches.
Eagle Point Resort officials said they believed they could have gotten another foot had cooler temperatures prevailed earlier in the system. Nevertheless, they were thrilled with the outcome before their scheduled mid-December opening date.
Read more: Division of Outdoor Recreation reminds people to be aware of cold water dangers
“(The) snow is very dense and is exactly what we need for a good base,” a post on the resort’s Instagram account says.
Johnson said there might be some lingering showers or flurries in the mountains on Wednesday, potentially padding the totals, but most of the storm is clearing out. The National Weather Service canceled most of its winter storm warnings Wednesday morning, slightly earlier than expected.
More importantly, the storm brought plenty of water with it. The weather service reported that many high-elevation sites across central and southern Utah ended up with over 3 inches of precipitation, while one Beaver site led all valley communities with 1.76 inches of precipitation.
Parts of northern Utah also came away with plenty of water. North Ogden received 1.31 inches of precipitation, while a site near Ben Lomond Peak received 2.7 inches of precipitation. Parts of the Cottonwood Canyons also wound up with over 1.5 inches of new water.
