Winter Storm and Lightning Strike in Utah, October 23 to 24, 1997

Name: Winter Storm and Lightning Strike in Utah, October 23 to 24, 1997
Start: 1997-10-23T04:00
End: 1997-10-24T20:00
Location: Utah

October 23 to 24, 1997 · NWS SLC · 14 events in 14 counties and zones

A strong winter storm system moved through Utah during this time. Scattered thunderstorms with heavy rain and snow showers developed in the southwest flow ahead of the cold front on the 23rd.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $56,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 14

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 strong winter storm system moved through Utah during this time. Scattered thunderstorms with heavy rain and snow showers developed in the southwest flow ahead of the cold front on the 23rd. Lightning sparked a house fire at about 1815 MST at 3700 south 2700 east in Salt Lake City. The bolt hit a tree in the front yard, travelled through gas pipes underground up to a gas meter on the wall. The gas meter exploded and the fire was ignited. Fortunately no one was injured, though extensive damage occurred to the house. Nearby homes had windows blown in as well. The surface cold front moved through on the 24th with gusty northwest winds 30-40 mph and widespread snow developing. Lake enhanced snow bands again occurred southeast of the Great Salt Lake. Some of the higher storm snowfall amounts included: The Alta Ski Resort 30", Herriman 11", Uintalands 12", Brian Head 10", Flaming Gorge and Park City 7", and 6" in Randolph. Most northern and central Utah valleys received from 2-5" of snow.

The radar

The Grand Junction radar (KGJX), 195 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 10:56 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

13 winter storm, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, C E Summit/X Ne Wasatch/N Duchesne

When: October 23, 4:00 AM MST to October 24, 8:00 PM MST
Where: C E Summit/X Ne Wasatch/N Duchesne forecast zone
Property damage: $30,000

Winter Storm, Daggett/N Uintah

When: October 23, 4:00 AM MST to October 24, 8:00 PM MST
Where: Daggett/N Uintah forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.506, -109.513 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, E Wasatch T X Ne/S Wc Duchesne/X Ne San Pete/Carbon T Sc/P X Ne X Nw Emery

When: October 23, 4:00 AM MST to October 24, 8:00 PM MST
Where: E Wasatch T X Ne/S Wc Duchesne/X Ne San Pete/Carbon T Sc/P X Ne X Nw Emery forecast zone

Winter Storm, Millard T X E/Juab T X E

When: October 23, 4:00 AM MST to October 24, 8:00 PM MST
Where: Millard T X E/Juab T X E forecast zone

Winter Storm, Ne Box Elder T X Ne/W Weber/Davis

When: October 23, 4:00 AM MST to October 24, 8:00 PM MST
Where: Ne Box Elder T X Ne/W Weber/Davis forecast zone

Winter Storm, Nw Cache

When: October 23, 4:00 AM MST to October 24, 8:00 PM MST
Where: Nw Cache forecast zone

Winter Storm, P Nc Weber/P C Morgan/P W C Summit/P Sc Wasatch

When: October 23, 4:00 AM MST to October 24, 8:00 PM MST
Where: P Nc Weber/P C Morgan/P W C Summit/P Sc Wasatch forecast zone

Winter Storm, Rich/Cache T Nw/P E C Weber/Most of Morgan/Nw Summit/Ne Salt Lake/X Ne Box Elder

When: October 23, 4:00 AM MST to October 24, 8:00 PM MST
Where: Rich/Cache T Nw/P E C Weber/Most of Morgan/Nw Summit/Ne Salt Lake/X Ne Box Elder forecast zone

Winter Storm, S Uintah/N Grand

When: October 23, 4:00 AM MST to October 24, 8:00 PM MST
Where: S Uintah/N Grand forecast zone
Coordinates: 39.554, -109.544 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, W Salt Lake T X W/E Toole T X E

When: October 23, 4:00 AM MST to October 24, 8:00 PM MST
Where: W Salt Lake T X W/E Toole T X E forecast zone

Winter Storm, W Summit T Nw/Se Salt Lake/Wasatch X Sc/E Utah/P X E Juab/X Nw San Pete

When: October 23, 4:00 AM MST to October 24, 8:00 PM MST
Where: W Summit T Nw/Se Salt Lake/Wasatch X Sc/E Utah/P X E Juab/X Nw San Pete forecast zone

Winter Storm, W Utah T X Nw/P X E Juab

When: October 23, 4:00 AM MST to October 24, 8:00 PM MST
Where: W Utah T X Nw/P X E Juab forecast zone

Winter Storm, X Nw Kane/Xs Xe Iron/N W Washington/Nw Wc Garfield/Piute/W Wayne/Sevier T C/X E Millard/S Sanpete T Sc/X Se Juab/P X Nw Emery/X E Beaver

When: October 23, 4:00 AM MST
Where: X Nw Kane/Xs Xe Iron/N W Washington/Nw Wc Garfield/Piute/W Wayne/Sevier T C/X E Millard/S Sanpete T Sc/X Se Juab/P X Nw Emery/X E Beaver forecast zone

Lightning, Salt Lake

When: October 23, 6:10 PM MST to 6:20 PM MST
Where: Salt Lake County, Salt Lake City
Property damage: $26,000
Coordinates: 40.668, -111.924 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Winter Storm: A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
Lightning: A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.

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, October 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: 5623843, 5623844, 5623845, 5623846, 5623847, 5623848, 5623849, 5623850, 5623851, 5623852, 5623853, 5623854, 5623855, 5623856.