Winter storm expected to impact Monday, Tuesday commutes
The National Weather Service and transportation officials are advising commuters to be wary, with a strong band of snow gradually building over the northern Utah mountains and strengthening just in time to mess up the evening commute on Monday.
Road Weather Alert: Heavy mountain road snow and heavy valley road snow during the Monday evening commute is expected; valid 6AM Monday through 6AM Tuesday. For more info visit: https://t.co/wyBKivQhj0@UtahTrucking #utwx #utsnow pic.twitter.com/Q5R7bXrnoJ
— UDOT Traffic (@UDOTTRAFFIC) December 27, 2021
The snow will result in winter driving conditions for mountainous routes, especially over the northern mountains and in central and southern Utah, difficult travel is expected along the I-15 corridor, the agency said.
Expect the conditions to continue into Tuesday morning and strong winds to continue to complicate weather conditions.
By Tuesday in the Ogden area, wind chill values will hover at -3. On Saturday, the low in Ogden will be zero, even absent any winds. Southwest wind speeds were clocked Monday morning at 23 mph at the Salt Lake City International Airport.
During the first leg of this storm, the National Weather Service warns of wind gusts of up to 40 mph in areas like Huntsville, Brigham City, Logan, Park City and Randolph.
The high temperature for the Salt Lake City International Airport may reach 21 degrees on Monday, but forecasters said it will feel more like zero due to the wind.
Winds gusting to 30 mph along I-80 near Evanston. Picture courtesy of UDOT. #utwx pic.twitter.com/VvWVk2RhEp
— NWS Salt Lake City (@NWSSaltLakeCity) December 27, 2021
There remains a chance of snow in the Salt Lake City area Wednesday and during the daytime on Thursday and then heavy snow is predicted late Thursday evening into Friday.
The Old Farmers Almanac, which predicted a possible “season of shivers” this winter is not a science-based tool relied on by meteorologists, but it is certainly playing out in Utah and other parts of the West as of late.
Glen Merrill, hydrologist with the National Weather Service in Salt Lake City, said it is so cold because this series of storms are rotating around an Arctic trough and the air mass itself is just getting colder and colder.
While there will be a marginal break from valley snow in portions of Utah later this week, the next storm, he reiterated, will pound the state Friday.
Utah will get a break over New Year’s Day and early January and then the next round of storms is due to hit.
The statewide average on snowpack is at 104 degrees of normal, which is good news, but more snow is needed, Merrill said.
“The bottom line is this series of storms have really helped us out in the short term, but we need to keep it going through the rest of the winter.”
Why is it so cold in Utah right now? Here’s what the forecast says
Source: Gabriella Pinoys
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