Snowstorms over northern Utah have a dramatic effect on regional commerce, transportation, and daily activity and are a major forecast challenge for local meteorologists. The region is characterized by intense vertical relief with the Great Salt Lake and surrounding lowlands located near 4300 ft MSL while the adjoining Wasatch Mountains to the east reach as high as 11,000 ft MSL. This relief has major impact on winter storms and results in large contrasts in average annual snowfall. For example, Salt Lake City International Airport (4280 ft MSL) receives an average annual snowfall of 65" while Alta ski area (8750 ft MSL) observes 520". Populated terrain benches surrounding the Salt Lake, which are located 150-200 m higher than the airport, have annual accumulations near 100". Snowfall is also influenced by the Great Salt Lake which appears to produce localized snowbands several times each winter. Such snowbands are known locally as "lake effect bands," produce some of the region's worst winter storms, and continue to perplex operational and research meteorologists. The graphics loops that can be accessed through this WWW page allow meteorologists to examine the evolution of snowstorms that have been observed over the Salt Lake Valley since 1961. Future work will attempt to determine the large-scale environment in which post-frontal snowbands form to the lee of the Great Salt Lake and will examine snowstorms in the Wasatch Mountains.

Synoptic Evolution of Snowstorms 1961-1996

Snowstorms 1961-1970*

Snowstorms 1971-1980*

Snowstorms 1981-1990*

Snowstorms 1991-1996*

Post-Frontal Snowstorms
Dates Investigated by David M. Carpenter@ 1971-1988**
Recent Snowbands Observed by Doppler Radar