Remembering Utah’s epic snowstorms: Here are the top 6 history-makers

SALT LAKE CITY — Waking up to a driveway covered in deep snow makes you a true Utahn. But before you grumble about an aching back from shoveling the sidewalk or unburying a vehicle, remember some local storm warriors have done much, much more.

While the average Salt Lake Valley storm brings in 3 to 4 inches of frosty flakes, there have been times when it has been more than six times that amount. Our unique geography — between the Wasatch Mountains and the Great Salt Lake — lends itself to some potentially huge, intense snowstorms.

Per data from the National Weather Service, here’s a list of the top six snowfalls from a single storm, based on the snow level recorded at the Salt Lake City International Airport.

6) October 1984: 18.4 inches

It snowed and snowed and snowed — for 17 hours in October 1984. Starting at 5:04 a.m. on Oct. 17, the flakes didn’t stop falling for good until 10 a.m. the following day. When the weather cleared, 18.4 inches of the white stuff had fallen at the Salt Lake airport.

The benches received even more — Holladay saw a whopping 27 inches from the early fall storm. Surprisingly, due to the nature of the lake effect, there was only a light dusting just a few miles away in and around Taylorsville.

At the time, the Deseret News reported that half a million trees were damaged. The heavy snow broke limbs still covered in leaves, which then landed on power lines. As a result, 20,000 homes from Salt Lake to Sandy were left in the cold and dark for hours — and some up to three days.

5) December 2003: 19.4 inches

Everyone hoping for a white Christmas got their wish and then some during a storm that began at 8 a.m. on Dec. 25, 2003. The snow fell for three days, finally petering out in the early morning hours of Dec. 28.

When the flakes finally stopped, 19.4 inches of snow were recorded at the Salt Lake City International Airport. The storm hit Davis and Weber counties the hardest, with 36 inches reported in Ogden. Even Hurricane, in southern Utah, received a couple of inches from the storm, while Kanab reported 7 inches.

The heavy, wet snow left more than 50,000 Utah residents without power at various times. It also threw a major wrench in holiday travel — there were some 15,000 accidents reported over those busy few days.

4) January 1996: 19.8 inches

A storm began in the early afternoon of Jan. 24, 1996, and over the next 26 hours, it dumped a record 19.8 inches of snow around Salt Lake City. The storm came on the heels of another, just one week earlier, that included howling, 85 mph winds and up to 5 inches of snow across the state.

The record storm made January 1996 one of the snowiest in state history, with a total of 45 inches. For the year, more than 108 inches of snow were recorded at the Salt Lake airport.

Interestingly, in 1996, southern Utah suffered an extreme drought. Because of the dry, hot conditions, several wildfires spread rapidly, the largest five burning more than 260,000 acres.

3) February 1998: 20.4 inches

The snow came fast and furious in February 1998. From Feb. 24-25, 20.4 inches fell, starting just after 8 a.m. and ending about 12:30 p.m. the next day. Of that, 19 inches fell in the first 24 hours, then tapered off.

As a result of the intense storm, the Salt Lake airport was closed for the day, as were several private schools in Salt Lake County. Unfortunately for most kids, public schools remained open. The Capitol was among several Salt Lake Valley spots without power for a while.

With a total of 32.1 inches, 1998 was the snowiest February ever for the state, beating the 1969 record of 27.9 inches.

2) March 1944: 21.6 inches

A three-day storm in March 1944 brought a record 21.6 inches of snow to Utah. On March 13, the second day of the snowstorm, 15.3 inches fell — a record single-day snowfall at the time. That record remained until Dec. 28-29, 1972, when 18 inches fell in a 24-hour period.

1) January 1993: 23.3 inches

To date, the greatest storm in Utah occurred in January 1993. In less than 24 hours, 23.3 inches fell at the Salt Lake City International Airport. Starting about 1 p.m. on Jan. 5, the storm made for a slow and treacherous Wednesday evening commute. The snow continued to fall until 11 the next morning.

But that was just the first wave. The snow continued to fall for days until it finally blew itself out on Jan. 11. Throughout the six days, road crews were overwhelmed, some working 16-hour shifts to keep the roads cleared — as well as they could, anyway.

Drifting snow made roads hazardous, leading to several accidents, including a 27-vehicle pileup on 1-84. Ultimately, about $8 million was spent on snow removal during those few days.

The heavy snow wreaked havoc on homes and buildings as well. Business owners and residents were urged to remove excess snow from roofs, which were collapsing under the heavy weight. Then-Gov. Mike Leavitt declared a state of emergency and activated 80 Utah National Guardsmen to help with snow removal.

That first storm kicked off a month of steady snow accumulation. In all, 50.3 inches fell in January 1993 — the most on record in Utah.