NOAA has placed a winter weather advisory early this morning for the Northern Wasatch region in Utah. Snow has increased to a steady rate, and is expected to become heavy this afternoon in the mountains of Northern Utah.  The region is expected to get up to a foot of fresh snow in the next 24 hours.

From Wasatch Snow Forecast:

Precipitation will slowly spread south late today and tonight through the entire state with snow above 6,000 feet.  Mountain accumulations should be in the 6-12″ range, with up to 15″ possible in favored locations like the upper Cottonwoods.

A reporter at Wasatch Snow Forecast calls this a “bowling ball” system. “This QPF map shows the relatively narrow corridor that this bowling ball is taking from Northern Oregon and Washington state, heading southeast directly through Utah on it’s way to New Mexico.  The San Juans of southwestern Colorado should get nailed as well!  Strike!”

The winter weather advisory is in effect until 11am MST on Tuesday. 

NOAA Winter Weather Advisory:

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SALT LAKE CITY UT
407 AM MST MON JAN 12 2015


WASATCH MOUNTAINS I-80 NORTH-WASATCH MOUNTAINS SOUTH OF I-80-
WESTERN UINTA MOUNTAINS-WASATCH PLATEAU/BOOK CLIFFS-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...WOODRUFF...RANDOLPH...ALTA...BRIGHTON...
MIRROR LAKE HIGHWAY...SCOFIELD
407 AM MST MON JAN 12 2015

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM MST
TUESDAY...

* AFFECTED AREA...THE WASATCH AND WESTERN UINTA MOUNTAINS ALONG
  WITH THE WASATCH PLATEAU AND BOOK CLIFFS.

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...STORM TOTALS OF 8 TO 16 INCHES.

* TIMING...LIGHT SNOW WILL INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY
  TODAY...BECOMING LOCALLY HEAVY AT TIMES THIS AFTERNOON AND
  EVENING. SNOW IS EXPECTED TO TAPER OFF LATE TONIGHT THROUGH
  TUESDAY MORNING.

* IMPACTS...ACCUMULATING SNOW WILL IMPACT TRAVEL AT TIMES ALONG
  ALL ROUTES ACROSS THE NORTHERN UTAH MOUNTAINS...INCLUDING
  PARLEYS CANYON ON INTERSTATE 80.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW MEANS THAT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS
WILL CAUSE PRIMARILY TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SNOW
COVERED ROADS. USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.

FOR WINTER ROAD CONDITIONS FROM THE UTAH DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION...VISIT
HTTP://WWW.UDOTTRAFFIC.UTAH.GOV/ROADWEATHERFORECAST.ASPX OR DIAL
511.