Heavy Snow in Utah, February 17, 1997

Name: Heavy Snow in Utah, February 17, 1997
Start: 1997-02-17T01:00
End: 1997-02-17T14:00
Location: Utah

February 17, 1997 · NWS SLC · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

A disturbance moved through northern Utah leaving heavy snowfall in most locations. The Alta ski resort once again led the way with 16".

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 4
Property damage: $80,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 7

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 disturbance moved through northern Utah leaving heavy snowfall in most locations. The Alta ski resort once again led the way with 16". In the southern mountains, Duck Creek Village had 9". Highest in the valleys was along the Bountiful Bench where 6" of snow accumulated. Several traffic accidents again occurred due to low visibilities and snowpacked roadways.

Event by event

7 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Northern Wasatch Front/Brigham City/Ogden Bountiful

When: February 17, 1:00 AM MST to 2:00 PM MST
Where: Northern Wasatch Front/Brigham City/Ogden Bountiful forecast zone

Heavy Snow, Salt Lake and Toole Valleys

When: February 17, 1:00 AM MST to 2:00 PM MST
Where: Salt Lake and Toole Valleys forecast zone
Injuries: 4 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $80,000

Heavy Snow, Wasatch Mountains I80 North

When: February 17, 1:00 AM MST to 2:00 PM MST
Where: Wasatch Mountains I80 North forecast zone

Heavy Snow, Wasatch Mountains South of I80

When: February 17, 1:00 AM MST to 2:00 PM MST
Where: Wasatch Mountains South of I80 forecast zone

Heavy Snow, Western Unita Mountains

When: February 17, 1:00 AM MST to 2:00 PM MST
Where: Western Unita Mountains forecast zone

Heavy Snow, Wasatch Plateau/Book Cliffs

When: February 17, 1:00 AM MST to 2:00 PM MST
Where: Wasatch Plateau/Book Cliffs forecast zone

Heavy Snow, Central and Southwest Mountains

When: February 17, 1:00 AM MST to 2:00 PM MST
Where: Central and Southwest Mountains forecast zone

What these are

Heavy Snow: Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Utah in 1997 Every state in 1997 This day in weather history Warnings in Utah, February 1997

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: 5602223, 5602224, 5602225, 5602226, 5602227, 5602228, 5602229.