A significant winter storm entered the state on February 18, bringing heavy snowfall to both valley and mountain locations.
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 significant winter storm entered the state on February 18, bringing heavy snowfall to both valley and mountain locations.
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 Feb 17, 9:02 PM MST, 7 hours 58 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Salt Lake City UT
902 PM MST Sat Feb 17 2018
.SYNOPSIS...A cold upper trough will start to move into the Great
Basin on Sunday, then move slowly south and east across the
region through Tuesday. The coldest air of the season will
accompany this storm, and remain over the area through much of the
upcoming week.
&&
.DISCUSSION...A cold upper trof continues to deepen over swrn
Canada and the PacNW states this evening with a fast westerly flow
downstream across UT this evening.
South winds picked up today and are continuing in many locations
this evening with mild temperatures. a short wave ejecting out of
the west coast trof is shifting rapidly east thru the nrn Rockies
and has pushed some cloudiness into the nrn CWA while skies across
the remainder of the area are clear.
The passing wave will push the developing frontal boundary almost
to the nrn UT border late tonight with a few light showers right
along the border, but it looks like the bulk of precip holds off
until after 12z when the main upper trof starts to sag swd thru
WA and OR.
Models remain very consistent pushing a tightening baroclinic zone
swd thru UT on Sun as the upper trof deepens into the Great Basin.
This strengthening cold front will be accompanied by a swath of
heavy precip and it will likely change over quickly to snow once
the front passes, or even start right out as snow. Snow should
continue a number of hours behind the front then gradually taper
off from the north on Monday. The very cold airmass following the
front will result in snow sticking to all surfaces significantly
impacting travel Sunday night and Mon.
The cold pool with the upper trof will keep instability showers
going into Tue and with orographic help, some mtn areas will get
large totals, and snow could also persist in adjacent upwind
valleys. Current suite of Winter Weather highlights is on track
and no changes needed at this time.
Strong south winds ahead of the cold front tomorrow afternoon will
reach advisory levels and the Wind highlight is also on track.
Updated forecasts earlier to lower pops nrn UT after midnight. No
other changes planned at this time.
Last AFD for me. Am moving on after 32 1/2 years with the NWS.
Been a good career, and I've seen a lot of changes in that time.
Best part has been all the good dedicated people I have had the
opportunity and good fortune to work with, both inside and outside
the agency. Best wishes to all and thanks for the memories!
&&
.AVIATION...Because of the storm system approaching the terminal,
you will see southerly winds through the evening hours that are
expected to become gusty during the overnight hours. The winds will
peak during the late morning before the approach of the front,
expected by early afternoon. VFR conditions will be expected through
the evening and overnight hours with high and mid level clouds
expected to remain well above 6000 feet AGL overnight.
&&
.SLC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
UT...Wind Advisory from 9 AM to 9 PM MST Sunday for UTZ013-020-021.
Winter Storm Warning from 9 AM Sunday to 4 PM MST Monday for
UTZ006-008>010.
Winter Storm Warning from 5 AM Sunday to 5 AM MST Monday for
UTZ007.
Winter Weather Advisory from 5 AM Sunday to 5 AM MST Monday for
UTZ005.
Winter Storm Warning from noon Sunday to noon MST Monday for
UTZ003-004.
Winter Storm Warning from 5 AM to 11 PM MST Sunday for UTZ001-
002.
Winter Storm Warning from 5 PM Sunday to 9 PM MST Monday for
UTZ014>016-517-518.
Wind Advisory from 9 AM to 8 PM MST Sunday for UTZ015-016.
WY...Winter Storm Warning from 9 AM Sunday to noon MST Monday for
WYZ021.
&&
PUBLIC...Wilensky
AVIATION...Traphagan
For more information from NOAA's National Weather Service visit...
http://weather.gov/saltlakecity
For frequently asked questions about the Area Forecast Discussion
visit...
http://weather.gov/saltlakecity/general/afd_faqs.phpHazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Salt Lake City UT 449 PM MST Sat Feb 17 2018 UTZ001>016-019>021-517-518-WYZ021-181400- 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- 449 PM MST Sat Feb 17 2018 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the western two thirds of Utah and southwest Wyoming. .DAY ONE...Tonight Snow will begin across the northern outlook area late tonight. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday Widespread heavy snow and much colder temperatures will spread across the outlook area from north to south on Sunday. The cold front could bring near whiteout conditions to the mountain passes in heavy snow and strong winds for a few hours as it moves south on Sunday. The snow will slowly taper off from the north Sunday night through Monday afternoon but will last in some areas through Monday evening. The snow could continue into Tuesday across mountainous locations favored in northwest flow, as well as locations downwind of the Great Salt Lake and Utah lake. Strong south winds are expected ahead of this storm on Sunday across central and southern Utah. The very cold temperatures that spread into the outlook area Sunday through Sunday night will continue through Tuesday night into Wednesday. At this time it looks like Wednesday morning will be the coldest in this stretch with lows ranging from the low teens to below zero. Any plants or trees that have starting budding out will be affected by this cold snap. .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 For information on potential road travel impacts visit... http://www.udottraffic.utah.gov/roadweatherforecast.aspx
8 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Storm total snowfall amounts included 16 inches in Logan, 12.5 inches in Hills, and 11.5 inches in Providence.
Powder Mountain received 19 inches of new snow.
Storm total snowfall included 24 inches at Snowbird and Alta Ski Area, 23 inches at Brighton Resort, and 20 inches at SunCrest.
While many locations in the Northern Wasatch Front saw 2-4 inches of snow, some locations received considerably more snow, including 15.5 inches on the Bountiful Bench, 15 inches in Bountiful, 7 inches in Centerville, and 6.5 inches in Fruit Heights.
The Salt Lake and Tooele Valleys saw widespread heavy snowfall. Storm total snowfall reports included 25 inches in Sandy, 23 inches in Cottonwood Heights, 17.5 inches in Tooele, 15 inches in Olympus Cove, and 14 inches in Taylorsville. For the calendar day of February 19, Tooele recorded 13 inches of snow, which broke the calendar day record of 8 inches, set in 1945.
Storm total snowfall in the Utah Valley included 20.5 inches in Santaquin, 16 inches in Elk Ridge, 13 inches in Mapleton, and 12 inches in Springville, Spanish Fork, and Payson. For the calendar day of February 19, Spanish Fork recorded 12 inches of snow, which broke the calendar day record of 10 inches, set in 2007.
Reported snow totals in west central Utah included 15 inches in Fillmore and 11 inches in Oak City.
The Pine Creek SNOTEL received 1.6 inches of liquid equivalent precipitation, or approximately 19 inches of snow.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Utah in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Utah, February 2018
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: 739085, 739089, 739090, 739086, 739087, 739088, 739091, 739092.