A strong and unseasonably cold storm system moved into Utah beginning October 22. Strong southwesterly winds were observed ahead of the storm, and heavy snow was observed across primarily northern Utah.
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.
The episode as NWS SLC wrote it up.
A strong and unseasonably cold storm system moved into Utah beginning October 22. Strong southwesterly winds were observed ahead of the storm, and heavy snow was observed across primarily northern Utah. Progressively colder air moved into the state through the event, with heavy snow eventually reaching the valley floors of northern Utah and causing some tree damage.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Salt Lake City, UT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Oct 22, 9:30 AM MST, 30 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SALT LAKE CITY UT
1030 AM MDT MON OCT 22 2012
.SYNOPSIS...A BROAD COLD UPPER TROUGH WILL GRADUALLY SHIFT SOUTH
ALONG THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST COAST RESULTING IN AN INCREASINGLY
STRONG SOUTHWEST FLOW OVER THE REGION TODAY. THE TROUGH WILL THEN
SWING INLAND TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. A MOIST AND PROGRESSIVELY
COOLER AIRMASS CAN BE EXPECTED THROUGH LATE THIS WEEK.
&&
.DISCUSSION...WATER VAPOR LOOP SHOWS A COLD CLOSED LOW OFF THE
PACIFIC NORTHWEST COAST. A SHORTWAVE IS LIFTING NORTHEAST FROM
NORTHEAST NEVADA. THIS WAVE IS EMBEDDED IN A 75-125KT CYCLONICALLY
CURVED JET FROM NORTHERN CALIFORNIA INTO THE NORTHERN ROCKIES PER
ACARS. RUC...GOES SATELLITE AND GPS SENSORS INDICATE PRECIPITABLE
WATER VALUES HAVE RISEN TO BETWEEN A THIRD AND THREE QUARTERS OF AN
INCH ACROSS THE STATE.
NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE GOING FORECAST. THE LIFTING SHORTWAVE
HAS CAUSED STRATIFORM PRECIPITATION TO GET GOING IN UPSLOPE
LOCATIONS OF NORTHERN UTAH AND ACROSS MUCH OF NORTHWEST UTAH. WILL
HAVE TO WATCH CONVECTION ASSOCIATED WITH THIS FEATURE AS IT NEARS
NORTHWEST UTAH MIDDAY FOR SEVERE WIND GUSTS AND LIGHTNING. OTHERWISE
PRECIPITATION WILL BECOME SHOWERY THIS AFTERNOON WITHIN THE WARM
SECTOR. ADDED ISOLATED SHOWERS TO PORTIONS OF WESTERN AND SOUTHERN
UTAH THIS AFTERNOON OWING TO INSTABILITY SHOWN BY THE 03Z SHORT
RANGE ENSEMBLES.
THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY ACROSS NORTHERN UTAH WILL LIFT TOWARD THE IDAHO
BORDER THIS AFTERNOON. THIS WILL ALLOW GUSTY SOUTHERLY WINDS TO
REACH ACROSS INTERSTATE 80. GOING HEADLINES LOOK ON TARGET. THE
COMBINATION OF PRESSURE FALLS...PRESSURE GRADIENT AND 40-50KT
SOUTHERLY 700MB WINDS WILL COMBINE TO SUPPORT THE GUSTY WINDS.
WILL BE FOCUSING IN ON SNOW LEVELS...QPF AND POTENTIAL FOR LAKE
EFFECT WITH THE AFTERNOON FORECAST PACKAGE.
PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FOLLOWS...
THE MEAN LONGWAVE TROUGH CENTERED JUST OFF THE WEST COAST THIS
MORNING WILL AMPLIFY AS THE NEXT IN A SERIES OF EMBEDDED SHORTWAVE
DISTURBANCES ROTATES AROUND ITS BASE. MEANWHILE...A COLD FRONT FROM
THE PREVIOUS DISTURBANCE REMAINS STALLED FROM AROUND THE DUGWAY
PROVING GROUNDS THROUGH THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE SALT LAKE
VALLEY. THE FRONT IS EXPECTED TO LIFT NORTH A BIT TODAY...BUT WITH
THE AFOREMENTIONED DISTURBANCE APPROACHING THE AREA...LARGE SCALE
LIFT AHEAD OF THIS FEATURE COUPLED WITH INCREASED CONVERGENCE INTO
THE EXISTING BOUNDARY WILL FOCUS PRECIPITATION ACROSS NORTHERN UTAH
TODAY. ELSEWHERE ACROSS THE AREA...SOUTH WINDS WILL INCREASE SOUTH
OF THE FRONT. THE STRONGEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS WEST-CENTRAL
AND SOUTHWEST UTAH WHERE A STRONG PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL DEVELOP
THIS AFTERNOON AND 700MB WINDS OF 45-50KT SHOULD MIX DOWN FAIRLY
WELL. WIND HIGHLIGHTS REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR NUMEROUS ZONES.
THE NEXT COLD FRONT WILL PUSH INTO NORTHERN UTAH THIS EVENING AND
OVERNIGHT. THIS FRONT WILL ALSO STALL ACROSS NORTHERN UTAH AND
CONTINUE TO FOCUS PRECIPITATION IN THAT GENERAL AREA. HOWEVER...THIS
COLDER AIRMASS WILL LOWER SNOW LEVELS TO AROUND 6500-7500FT AND
BRING ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL TO THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTHERN UTAH.
ACROSS SOUTHERN UTAH...SOUTH WINDS WILL REMAIN ELEVATED THROUGH
TOMORROW ON THE WARM SIDE OF THE FRONT.
ANOTHER REINFORCING COLD FRONT WILL ARRIVE TOMORROW NIGHT AS THE
NEXT PIECE OF ENERGY MOVES THROUGH. THIS FRONT WILL PUSH A BIT
FARTHER SOUTH THAN THE PREVIOUS ONE. AS THE TROUGH AXIS BEGINS TO
SHIFT INLAND...THE AIRMASS WILL BECOME PROGRESSIVELY COOLER...AND
SNOW LEVELS WILL CONTINUE TO LOWER AND MAY AFFECT THE CACHE AND
MOUNTAIN VALLEYS. ONE MORE SHOT OF REINFORCING COLD AIR WILL ARRIVE
ON THURSDAY WITH THE LAST SIGNIFICANT DISTURBANCE. THE GFS...EC AND
GEM ARE ALL INDICATING 700MB TEMPERATURES DOWN TO -10C ACROSS
NORTHERN UTAH ON THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT. THIS COULD BRING SNOW
DOWN TO THE VALLEY FLOORS ACROSS NORTHERN UTAH AND POSSIBLY
CONTRIBUTE TO SOME LAKE-EFFECT SNOW.
THE TROUGH AXIS WILL FINALLY SHIFT EAST OF THE AREA FRIDAY AND WARM
ADVECTION WILL DEVELOP AREAWIDE. ENOUGH MOISTURE MAY BE LEFT IN
PLACE...ESPECIALLY WITH A GRAZER OF A SYSTEM LATE FRIDAY NIGHT INTO
SATURDAY...TO KEEP SOME PRECIPITATION ACROSS THE FAR NORTH.
OTHERWISE...A GENERAL DRYING TREND WILL TAKE PLACE AND FINALLY BRING
AN END TO THE ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN.
&&
.AVIATION...THE SURFACE COLD FRONT THAT HAS WAFFLED NORTH AND SOUTH
OF THE KSLC TERMINAL THIS MORNING SHOULD REMAIN NORTH OF THE
TERMINAL THROUGH AT LEAST LATE THIS AFTERNOON. STRONG SOUTHERLY
WINDS WILL EXIST TODAY...WITH AN AIRPORT WEATHER WARNING TO REMAIN
IN EFFECT THROUGH MOST OF THE AFTERNOON. CONVECTION FORMING NEAR THE
FRONTAL BOUNDARY SHOULD REMAIN OVER THE SURROUNDING HIGHER TERRAIN
AND CONCENTRATED NEAR THE FRONT TO THE NORTH OF THE TERMINAL. WINDS
DIRECTION/SPEED COULD BECOME AN ISSUED LATE THIS AFTERNOON/THIS
EVENING AS OUTFLOW FROM ANY CONVECTION COULD GENERATE BRIEF WIND
SHIFTS AT THE TERMINAL. VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL THROUGH EARLY
THIS EVENING. ANY CEILINGS THAT EXIST SHOULD REMAIN ABOVE 8 KFT...
EVEN IN BRIEF SHOWERS.
&&
.SLC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
UT...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 10 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR
UTZ003>005-013-014-019>021.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM MDT TUESDAY FOR UTZ008-517-518.
HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 10 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR UTZ015-016.
WY...NONE.
&&
PUBLIC...ROGOWSKI/CHENG
AVIATION...CONGER
FOR MORE INFORMATION FROM NOAA/S NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE VISIT...
HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/SALTLAKECITY (ALL LOWER CASE)
FOR FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
VISIT...
HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/SALTLAKECITY/GENERAL/AFD_FAQS.PHP (ALL LOWER CASE)HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SALT LAKE CITY UT 544 AM MDT MON OCT 22 2012 UTZ001>016-019>021-517-518-WYZ021-231200- CACHE VALLEY/UTAH PORTION-NORTHERN WASATCH FRONT- SALT LAKE AND TOOELE VALLEYS-SOUTHERN WASATCH FRONT- GREAT SALT LAKE DESERT AND MOUNTAINS-WASATCH MOUNTAIN VALLEYS- WASATCH MOUNTAINS I-80 NORTH-WASATCH MOUNTAINS SOUTH OF I-80- WESTERN UINTA MOUNTAINS-WASATCH PLATEAU/BOOK CLIFFS- WESTERN UINTA BASIN-CASTLE COUNTRY-SAN RAFAEL SWELL- SANPETE/SEVIER VALLEYS-WEST CENTRAL UTAH-SOUTHWEST UTAH- UTAHS DIXIE AND ZION NATIONAL PARK-SOUTH CENTRAL UTAH- GLEN CANYON RECREATION AREA/LAKE POWELL-CENTRAL MOUNTAINS- SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS-SOUTHWEST WYOMING- 544 AM MDT MON OCT 22 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE WESTERN TWO THIRDS OF UTAH AND SOUTHWEST WYOMING. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A STALLED COLD FRONT ACROSS NORTHERN UTAH THIS MORNING WILL LIFT NORTH SOMEWHAT TODAY. PRECIPITATION WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP NEAR THIS FRONT...WITH SNOW LEVELS AROUND 9000-9500 FEET. SOUTH OF THE FRONT...STRONG GUSTY SOUTH WINDS WILL DEVELOP BY THIS AFTERNOON. WIND GUSTS ARE EXPECTED TO EXCEED 45 MPH IN MANY AREAS SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 80...AND MAY REACH 60 MPH ACROSS WEST-CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST UTAH. THE NEXT COLD FRONT WILL PUSH INTO NORTHERN UTAH THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. SNOW LEVELS WILL LOWER TO BETWEEN 6500 AND 7500 FEET BEHIND THE FRONT AND ACCUMULATING SNOW CAN BE EXPECTED ACROSS THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY GUSTY SOUTHERLY WINDS MAY PERSIST ON TUESDAY ACROSS SOUTHERN UTAH ON TUESDAY. PROGRESSIVELY COLDER AIR WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH INTO THE AREA THROUGH THURSDAY. PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO SPREAD SOUTH INTO CENTRAL UTAH BY WEDNESDAY. THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTHERN UTAH COULD SEE SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATIONS THROUGH THURSDAY. SNOW LEVELS COULD LOWER TO THE VALLEY FLOORS OF NORTHERN UTAH ON THURSDAY. ALTHOUGH SNOWFALL IN MOST VALLEYS MAY BE BRIEF...WHERE SNOW ACCUMULATES ON TREES THAT STILL HAVE LEAVES...DOWNED BRANCHES MAY RESULT. THE COLLECTION OF FALLEN LEAVES WILL LIKELY CAUSE DRAINAGE ISSUES ON AREA ROADWAYS...RESULTING IN PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS. WITH THE COLDER AIR ARRIVING...A HARD FREEZE IS LIKELY ACROSS ALL BUT THE FAR SOUTH FOR THE LATTER HALF OF THE WEEK. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. FOR MORE INFORMATION FROM NOAA/S NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE VISIT... HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/SALTLAKECITY (ALL LOWER CASE) FOR INFORMATION ON POTENTIAL TRAVEL IMPACTS VISIT... HTTP://WWW.UDOTTRAFFIC.UTAH.GOV/ROADWEATHERFORECAST.ASPX
4 winter weather, 3 high wind, 2 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Peak recorded wind gusts across the Salt Lake and Tooele valleys included 63 mph at Vernon Hill and 59 mph at Stockton Bar.
The US-6 at Eureka sensor recorded strong winds for several hours, with a peak wind gust of 68 mph.
The Gunnison Island sensor recorded a peak wind gust of 59 mph.
The Wasatch Mountains north of I-80 had the largest snow totals in Utah from this storm. Much of the snow fell early in the event, with Randolph receiving 9 inches of snow in the first 12 hours of the event, and Monte Cristo receiving 26 inches of snow in the first 24 hours of the event. Eventual storm totals included 42 inches of snow at Powder Mountain, 30 inches at Monte Cristo, and 17 inches of snow at both Randolph and Laketown.
Heavy snow occurred across the Ogden Valley, with storm totals of 28 inches of snow in Liberty and 21 inches of snow in Eden. The early snowfall also impacted other parts of the Wasatch mountain valleys, with school being cancelled at Mountain Green Elementary and Morgan Elementary, and downed trees causing power outages in multiple communities, including Kamas.
Snow levels reached the floor of the Cache Valley on the morning of October 23, much earlier in the storm than along the Wasatch Front. Generally 2 to 3 inches of snow fell across the Cache Valley through the storm. Combined with the fact that most trees still had their leaves intact, many fallen tree branches were reported, causing power outages to several hundred homes.
Heavy snow fell over the northern Wasatch Front, with a storm total of 7 inches of snow reported in South Ogden and 5 inches on the Bountiful Bench. Combined with the fact that many trees still had their leaves intact, fallen tree branches were common, and some smaller trees were completely toppled. In addition to cleanup costs, some of these fallen trees also caused power outages for hundreds of customers across the area, primarily in South Ogden and West Haven.
Storm totals in the Salt Lake and Tooele valleys included 7 inches of snow in Tooele and 6 inches in Upper Millcreek. Combined with the fact that most trees still had their leaves intact, several fallen tree branches were reported across the area.
Generally 2 to 3 inches of snow fell across the southern Wasatch Front with this storm system. Combined with the fact that most trees still had their leaves intact, many fallen tree branches were reported, causing power outages primarily in Lindon and Pleasant Grove.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Utah in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Utah, October 2012
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: 417513, 417514, 417512, 417509, 417511, 417792, 417789, 417791, 417790.