Name: Winter Storm in Utah, December 1 to 2, 1996
Start: 1996-12-01T08:00
End: 1996-12-02T03:00
Location: Utah

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 30
Property damage: $1.0 million
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 11

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS SLC wrote it up.

A fast-moving, very strong winter storm system blew through Utah wreaking havoc with the heavy travel at the end of the Thanksgiving weekend. Gusty winds combined with periods of heavy snow to create local blizzard conditions. Winds gusted from 30-40 mph. Snowfall amounts were 3-7 inches in the valleys and 10-18 inches in the mountains. The highest totals were in Filmore with 7 inches (valleys) and at several northern ski resorts with 18 inches (mountains). Over 150 traffic accidents were reported statewide during this storm. Numerous power outages and tractor-trailer rollovers were reported. "White-out conditions" occurred from Nephi to Cedar City on Interstate-15. In Fillmore the Utah National Guard was forced to allow about 70 stranded motorists to spend the night in its armory. All 7 motels in the area were already filled to capacity.

Event by event

11 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Cache Valley/Utah Portion

When: December 1, 8:00 AM MST to December 2, 3:00 AM MST
Where: Cache Valley/Utah Portion forecast zone

Winter Storm, Northern Wasatch Front/Brigham City/Ogden Bountiful

When: December 1, 8:00 AM MST to December 2, 3:00 AM MST
Where: Northern Wasatch Front/Brigham City/Ogden Bountiful forecast zone

Winter Storm, Salt Lake and Toole Valleys

When: December 1, 8:00 AM MST to December 2, 3:00 AM MST
Where: Salt Lake and Toole Valleys forecast zone
Injuries: 30 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $1.0 million

Winter Storm, Great Salt Lake Desert and Mountains/Wendover/Snowville

When: December 1, 8:00 AM MST to December 2, 3:00 AM MST
Where: Great Salt Lake Desert and Mountains/Wendover/Snowville forecast zone

Winter Storm, West Central Utah/Delta

When: December 1, 8:00 AM MST to December 2, 3:00 AM MST
Where: West Central Utah/Delta forecast zone

Winter Storm, Southwest Utah/Cedar City/Milford

When: December 1, 8:00 AM MST to December 2, 3:00 AM MST
Where: Southwest Utah/Cedar City/Milford forecast zone

Winter Storm, Southern Wasatch Front/Lehi/Provo/Nephi

When: December 1, 8:00 AM MST to December 2, 3:00 AM MST
Where: Southern Wasatch Front/Lehi/Provo/Nephi forecast zone

Winter Storm, Wasatch Mountain Valleys/Huntsville/Park City/Heber

When: December 1, 8:00 AM MST to December 2, 3:00 AM MST
Where: Wasatch Mountain Valleys/Huntsville/Park City/Heber forecast zone

Winter Storm, Wasatch Mountains South of I80

When: December 1, 8:00 AM MST to December 2, 3:00 AM MST
Where: Wasatch Mountains South of I80 forecast zone

Winter Storm, Wasatch Mountains I80 North

When: December 1, 8:00 AM MST to December 2, 3:00 AM MST
Where: Wasatch Mountains I80 North forecast zone

Winter Storm, Central and Southwest Mountains

When: December 1, 8:00 AM MST to December 2, 3:00 AM MST
Where: Central and Southwest Mountains forecast zone

What these are

Winter Storm: A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Utah in 1996 Every state in 1996 This day in weather history Warnings in Utah, December 1996

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5582929, 5582930, 5582931, 5582932, 5582933, 5582934, 5582935, 5582936, 5582937, 5582938, 5582939.