Weather
This forecast was created at 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, January 3, 2025.
A warm, moisture-rich storm delivers widespread new snow to Utah mountains from Saturday night through Monday, with snow levels starting high near 7,500 feet before dropping to around 6,000 feet Sunday night and into the 5,000–6,000 foot range Monday. The Cottonwoods look best for totals and improving quality as colder air arrives, while the Wasatch Back and northern mountains also score meaningful snow with some denser periods early; winds will be a factor at times with gusty southwest flow. After a brief break late Monday into Tuesday, the pattern trends toward a drier stretch heading into the second week of January, with overall precipitation favored below normal and temperatures leaning near normal to above normal.
Saturday Night–Monday Storm: Snow ramps up in two main pushes, with a lighter start Saturday night, a relative lull Sunday morning, then the heaviest window Sunday afternoon through Monday afternoon. Snow levels run high early, generally around 7,400–7,600 feet, so lower base areas and the Wasatch Back can see mixed conditions at times, while upper-mountain terrain stays in play. As the colder surge presses in Sunday night into Monday, snow levels drop toward roughly 6,000 feet and continue falling Monday, improving coverage down-mountain and boosting totals. Southwest winds stay noticeable, commonly 15–25 mph with gusts in the 40–50+ mph range at exposed ridgelines, so expect periods of wind-affected snow and occasional lift-impact potential on the highest terrain.
Snow quality starts out dense, then steadily improves late Sunday night through Monday as temperatures cool and snow levels fall. Early SLRs are mostly in the 8–10:1 range in many areas, so the first rounds can be on the heavier side, especially at lower elevations. By Monday and Monday night, SLRs climb into the 12–15:1 range across much of the Wasatch, bringing noticeably better, more ski-friendly snow with a lighter feel in the Cottonwoods and upper elevations. Totals favor the Cottonwoods (Alta/Snowbird/Brighton) with widespread double digits, while Powder Mountain and Beaver Mountain do well but trend slightly denser overall, and Eagle Point picks up a solid, shorter burst Sunday night into Monday.
Monday Night–mid-January: Precipitation winds down late Monday into Tuesday with only spotty, light leftover snow, then a quieter, drier stretch becomes more likely heading into January 9–17. Over the 6–10 and 8–14 day windows, Utah trends toward below-normal precipitation, with temperatures near normal early in that stretch and leaning above normal later, which generally favors fewer storms and less frequent refreshes. If a colder late-week system materializes in the broader pattern, it would feature much lower snow levels and higher ratios than this weekend’s warm start, but the stronger signal beyond Tuesday is for a ridge-influenced lull and reduced snowfall opportunities statewide.
Resort Forecast Totals
- Alta – 19″–25″ Sat night (01/03) – Tue night (01/06)
- Snowbird – 18″–25″ Sat night (01/03) – Tue night (01/06)
- Brighton – 17″–22″ Sat night (01/03) – Tue night (01/06)
- Solitude – 16″–22″ Sat night (01/03) – Tue night (01/06)
- Powder Mountain – 14″–19″ Sat night (01/03) – Tue night (01/06)
- Beaver Mountain – 12″–16″ Sat night (01/03) – Tue night (01/06)
- Park City – 11″–15″ Sat night (01/03) – Tue (01/06)
- Deer Valley – 10″–13″ Sat night (01/03) – Mon night (01/05)
- Eagle Point – 5″–7″ Sun night (01/04) – Mon night (01/05)
