Winter Storm in Utah, January 20 to 22, 1999

A major Winter storm finally blasted the Northern half of the state with very heavy snow in the mountains and locally heavy snow in the valleys. Thunderstorms and gusty winds accompanied the cold front as it moved through the state on the 21st. Heavy snow in Park City caused a closure of the schools on the 21st. This was a much needed storm for area ski resorts, but it also exacerbated the avalanche danger. The storm generally dropped 3-6 inches on the valley floors of the north, with 4-10 inches along the benches of the Wasatch Front, with 1-3 feet of fresh powder common in the Northern mountains. Some of the higher amounts in the mountains included 41 inches at Alta and Silver Lake, 39 inches at Snowbird, 38 inches at Brighton, 36 inches at Solitude and 32 inches at The Canyons. Valley and bench locations included 10 inches at East Millcreek, 8 inches in Bountiful, 7 inches in Logan, 6 inches in Sandy and the University of Utah, 5 inches in East Layton and 4 inches in Orem. The snow made driving rather hazardous, and there were several minor traffic accidents reported, but no injuries occurred.