Heavy Snow — Western Uinta Mountains, Utah

2020-09-08 to 2020-09-09 · Western Uinta Mountains, Utah

Event narrative

Heavy snow occurred on the north slope of the Uinta mountains. Spirit Lake SNOTEL recorded 1.5 inches of liquid equivalent precipitation, or approximately 22 inches of snow, Hickerson Park SNOTEL recorded 1.2 inches of liquid equivalent precipitation, or approximately 18 inches of snow, and the Hole-in-Rock SNOTEL recorded 0.8 inches of liquid equivalent precipitation, or approximately 12 inches of snow.

Wider weather episode

An abnormal weather pattern for September developed, triggering a significant downslope wind event. Based on climatology and previous case study findings, this type of event most commonly occurs during the winter months. Downslope wind events are often confined to areas near canyon mouths, and usually impact only isolated areas with extreme winds. This event broke the mold in terms of both the early fall timing and extensive spatial coverage of the damage. High winds were reported as far south as the Tooele Valley, with high wind reports all along the Interstate 15 corridor stretching north into the Cache Valley. With the trees having their full canopy, the tree damage all along the Wasatch Front was extreme, with an estimated 4,500 trees damaged in Salt Lake County alone. Current estimates put the cost at $8.9 million. The storm led to 1 fatality, 20 direct injuries, and 4 indirect injuries.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 921701. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.