2003 Utah snowstorm
Encyclopedia
The 2003 Utah snowstorm was a major snowstorm that affected the state of Utah
from December 25-December 31, 2003. Many areas of Utah
were paralyzed by up to four feet of snow. The Wasatch Front
from the Salt Lake Valley
northward saw generally 1–3 feet of snow, with up to four feet on the benches, while the surrounding mountains generally saw 5–7 feet of snow, with up to nine feet in some areas. The storm even reached southern Utah with moderate snow amounts, with a few inches in some low-lying valley locations. At least five deaths were attributed to the heavy snow.
The Salt Lake City
airport
saw 21.9 inches (55.6 cm) of snow. The 19.4 inches (49.3 cm) of snow that fell from December 25 - December 28, in the first wave of the storm, ranks as the 5th-largest storm in Salt Lake City history. The most snow along the Wasatch Front
was found on the Layton
bench in Davis County
, which saw 51 inches (130 cm). Davis
and Weber
Counties were perhaps the hardest-hit areas, with even valley locations recording over two feet and as much as three feet in places. Bountiful
, typically one of the areas hardest hit by lake-effect snows, saw 32 in (81 cm), Clearfield
28 in (71 cm), and Ogden
36 in (91 cm). The storm also affected areas further north, including Brigham City
with 19 in (48 cm) and Logan
with 18 in (46 cm). Areas along the southern Wasatch Front saw less snow, with just six inches (15 cm) in Provo
, although Spanish Fork
saw 17 in (43 cm), due to lake effect snows from Utah Lake
, which Spanish Fork is frequently in the path of. The Wasatch Back
also saw significant amounts of snow, with 50 in (127 cm) in Summit Park, near the summit of Parley's Canyon
and just a few miles northwest of Park City
.
The Wasatch Mountains saw phenomenal, near-record amounts of snow. Farmington Canyon in Davis County
saw the most snow of any place in the storm, with 103 in (262 cm) of snow. The ski resorts of Salt Lake County
saw several feet of snow as well, with some skiers reporting "epic ski conditions." Alta
saw 87 in (221 cm) of snow, Snowbird 82 in (208 cm), Brighton
66 in (168 cm), and Nordic Valley
51 in (130 cm).
Unusual for such a storm, this massive snowstorm even penetrated into southern Utah
, dropping moderate amounts across the south. The Brian Head
ski resort saw 40 in (102 cm) to top off mountain locations, while even low valley locations saw snow, including Kanab
with seven inches (18 cm), and Hurricane
with two inches (5 cm), just a few hundred feet higher and a few miles east of Saint George
.
Overall, five people were killed in the storm. An avalanche
on the east side of Mount Timpanogos
killed three snowboarders on December 26, while traffic accidents killed two people on December 28. In addition, at least 70,000 people along the Wasatch Front
lost power just on the first day of the storm, and at least 1,500 traffic accidents were reported (most of them along the Wasatch Front
). In total, the storm caused at least $1,820,000 in damage. Utah Power
(now Rocky Mountain Power) faced criticism from residents and even the Salt Lake City council on the speed and effectiveness of restoring power to the area after more than 300 customers were still without power 10 days after the storm.http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4188/is_/ai_n11433072
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
from December 25-December 31, 2003. Many areas of Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
were paralyzed by up to four feet of snow. The Wasatch Front
Wasatch Front
The Wasatch Front is a metropolitan region in the north-central part of the U.S. state of Utah. It consists of a chain of cities and towns stretched along the Wasatch Range from approximately Santaquin in the south to Brigham City in the north...
from the Salt Lake Valley
Salt Lake Valley
Salt Lake Valley is a valley in Salt Lake County in the north-central portion of the U.S. state of Utah. It contains Salt Lake City and many of its suburbs, notably West Valley City, Murray, Sandy, and West Jordan; its total population is 1,029,655 as of 2010...
northward saw generally 1–3 feet of snow, with up to four feet on the benches, while the surrounding mountains generally saw 5–7 feet of snow, with up to nine feet in some areas. The storm even reached southern Utah with moderate snow amounts, with a few inches in some low-lying valley locations. At least five deaths were attributed to the heavy snow.
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
airport
Salt Lake City International Airport
Salt Lake City International Airport is a major public airport in Utah. A joint civil-military facility, it is located in western Salt Lake City, approximately four miles from the central business district...
saw 21.9 inches (55.6 cm) of snow. The 19.4 inches (49.3 cm) of snow that fell from December 25 - December 28, in the first wave of the storm, ranks as the 5th-largest storm in Salt Lake City history. The most snow along the Wasatch Front
Wasatch Front
The Wasatch Front is a metropolitan region in the north-central part of the U.S. state of Utah. It consists of a chain of cities and towns stretched along the Wasatch Range from approximately Santaquin in the south to Brigham City in the north...
was found on the Layton
Layton, Utah
-External links:*...
bench in Davis County
Davis County, Utah
Davis County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2010 the population was 306,479, a 28.2% increase over the 2000 figure of 238,994. It was named for Daniel C. Davis, captain in the Mormon Battalion. The county is part of the Ogden–Clearfield Metropolitan Statistical Area as...
, which saw 51 inches (130 cm). Davis
Davis County, Utah
Davis County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2010 the population was 306,479, a 28.2% increase over the 2000 figure of 238,994. It was named for Daniel C. Davis, captain in the Mormon Battalion. The county is part of the Ogden–Clearfield Metropolitan Statistical Area as...
and Weber
Weber County, Utah
Weber County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah, occupying a stretch of the Wasatch Front, part of the eastern shores of Great Salt Lake, and much of the rugged Wasatch Mountains. As of the 2000 census, the population was 196,533, an increase of 24.1% over its population in 1990. By...
Counties were perhaps the hardest-hit areas, with even valley locations recording over two feet and as much as three feet in places. Bountiful
Bountiful, Utah
Bountiful is a city in Davis County, Utah, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 42,552, a three percent increase over the 2000 figure of 41,301...
, typically one of the areas hardest hit by lake-effect snows, saw 32 in (81 cm), Clearfield
Clearfield, Utah
Clearfield is a city in Davis County, Utah, United States. The population was 25,974 at the 2000 census. The city grew drastically during the 1940s, with the formation of Hill Air Force Base, and in the 1950s with the nation-wide increase in suburb and "bedroom" community populations and has been...
28 in (71 cm), and Ogden
Ogden, Utah
Ogden is a city in Weber County, Utah, United States. Ogden serves as the county seat of Weber County. The population was 82,825 according to the 2010 Census. The city served as a major railway hub through much of its history, and still handles a great deal of freight rail traffic which makes it a...
36 in (91 cm). The storm also affected areas further north, including Brigham City
Brigham City, Utah
Brigham City is a city in Box Elder County, Utah, United States. The population was 17,899 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Box Elder County. It lies on the western slope of the Wellsville Mountains, a branch of the Wasatch Range at the western terminus of Box Elder Canyon...
with 19 in (48 cm) and Logan
Logan, Utah
-Layout of the City:Logan's city grid originates from its Main and Center Street block, with Main Street running north and south, and Center east and west. Each block north, east, south, or west of the origin accumulates in additions of 100 , though some streets have non-numeric names...
with 18 in (46 cm). Areas along the southern Wasatch Front saw less snow, with just six inches (15 cm) in Provo
Provo, Utah
Provo is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Utah, located about south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the county seat of Utah County and lies between the cities of Orem to the north and Springville to the south...
, although Spanish Fork
Spanish Fork, Utah
Spanish Fork is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Provo–Orem, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 31,497 as of the 2008 census estimate.-History:Spanish Fork was settled by LDS pioneers in 1851...
saw 17 in (43 cm), due to lake effect snows from Utah Lake
Utah Lake
Utah Lake is a freshwater lake in the U.S. state of Utah. On the western side of Utah Valley, the lake is overlooked by Mount Timpanogos and Mount Nebo. The lake's only river outlet, the Jordan River, is a tributary of the Great Salt Lake and is highly regulated with pumps. Evaporation accounts...
, which Spanish Fork is frequently in the path of. The Wasatch Back
Wasatch Back
The Wasatch Back is a region in the Rocky Mountains in the U.S. state of Utah. It includes such cities as Park City, Morgan, Heber City, and Midway. The name Wasatch Back differentiates it from the Wasatch Front, which includes Utah's three most populous cities: Salt Lake City, Ogden, and Provo...
also saw significant amounts of snow, with 50 in (127 cm) in Summit Park, near the summit of Parley's Canyon
Parley's Canyon
Parley's Canyon is a canyon located in the U.S. state of Utah. The canyon provides the route of Interstate 80 up the western slope of the Wasatch Mountains and is a relatively wide, straight canyon. The lower part of the canyon, however, is relatively twisty and had to be dynamited to make way for...
and just a few miles northwest of Park City
Park City, Utah
Park City is a town in Summit and Wasatch counties in the U.S. state of Utah. It is considered to be part of the Wasatch Back. The city is southeast of downtown Salt Lake City and from Salt Lake City's east edge of Sugar House along Interstate 80. The population was 7,558 at the 2010 census...
.
The Wasatch Mountains saw phenomenal, near-record amounts of snow. Farmington Canyon in Davis County
Davis County, Utah
Davis County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2010 the population was 306,479, a 28.2% increase over the 2000 figure of 238,994. It was named for Daniel C. Davis, captain in the Mormon Battalion. The county is part of the Ogden–Clearfield Metropolitan Statistical Area as...
saw the most snow of any place in the storm, with 103 in (262 cm) of snow. The ski resorts of Salt Lake County
Salt Lake County, Utah
Salt Lake County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. It had a population of 1,029,655 at the 2010 census. Its county seat and largest city is Salt Lake City, the state capital. It occupies Salt Lake Valley, as well as parts of the surrounding mountains, the Oquirrh Mountains to the west...
saw several feet of snow as well, with some skiers reporting "epic ski conditions." Alta
Alta, Utah
Alta is a town in Salt Lake County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Salt Lake City, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 370 at the 2000 census, a slight decrease from the 1990 figure of 397....
saw 87 in (221 cm) of snow, Snowbird 82 in (208 cm), Brighton
Brighton Ski Resort
Brighton Ski Resort is a ski area located in Big Cottonwood Canyon, from downtown Salt Lake City, Utah. Brighton Ski Resort was the first ski resort in Utah, and one of the first in the United States. Brighton was started in 1936 when members of the Alpine Ski Club built a rope tow from wire and...
66 in (168 cm), and Nordic Valley
Wolf Mountain
Wolf Mountain is a small local ski area in the Ogden Valley near Eden, Utah. The area was known as Nordic Valley until June 29, 2005, when it was acquired by the nearby Wolf Creek Golf Resort....
51 in (130 cm).
Unusual for such a storm, this massive snowstorm even penetrated into southern Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, dropping moderate amounts across the south. The Brian Head
Brian Head Ski Resort
Brian Head Ski Resort, officially called just "Brian Head Resort", is a ski area located at the town of Brian Head, Utah in the southern Wasatch Range at the base of Parowan, Utah, United States. Opened in 1965, it is Utah's highest ski resort...
ski resort saw 40 in (102 cm) to top off mountain locations, while even low valley locations saw snow, including Kanab
Kanab, Utah
Kanab is a city in and the county seat of Kane County, Utah, United States. The area was first settled in 1864 and the town was founded in 1870 when ten Mormon families moved into the area. The population was 3,564 at the 2000 census...
with seven inches (18 cm), and Hurricane
Hurricane, Utah
Hurricane is a city in Washington County, Utah. Its population was 13,748 at the 2010 U.S. Census. Along with several other areas of southwestern Utah, the Hurricane area has seen a large population growth since the 1970s, and it has blended in with neighboring city of St...
with two inches (5 cm), just a few hundred feet higher and a few miles east of Saint George
St. George, Utah
St. George is a city located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Utah, and the county seat of Washington County, Utah. It is the principal city of and is included in the St. George, Utah, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is 119 miles northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada, and 303 miles ...
.
Overall, five people were killed in the storm. An avalanche
Avalanche
An avalanche is a sudden rapid flow of snow down a slope, occurring when either natural triggers or human activity causes a critical escalating transition from the slow equilibrium evolution of the snow pack. Typically occurring in mountainous terrain, an avalanche can mix air and water with the...
on the east side of Mount Timpanogos
Mount Timpanogos
Mount Timpanogos, sometimes informally referred to as Timp, is the second highest mountain in Utah's Wasatch Range. Timpanogos rises to an elevation of 11,749 feet above sea level in the Uinta National Forest...
killed three snowboarders on December 26, while traffic accidents killed two people on December 28. In addition, at least 70,000 people along the Wasatch Front
Wasatch Front
The Wasatch Front is a metropolitan region in the north-central part of the U.S. state of Utah. It consists of a chain of cities and towns stretched along the Wasatch Range from approximately Santaquin in the south to Brigham City in the north...
lost power just on the first day of the storm, and at least 1,500 traffic accidents were reported (most of them along the Wasatch Front
Wasatch Front
The Wasatch Front is a metropolitan region in the north-central part of the U.S. state of Utah. It consists of a chain of cities and towns stretched along the Wasatch Range from approximately Santaquin in the south to Brigham City in the north...
). In total, the storm caused at least $1,820,000 in damage. Utah Power
PacifiCorp
PacifiCorp is an electric power company in the northwestern United States.PacifiCorp has three primary subsidiaries:# Pacific Power is a regulated electric utility with service territory throughout Oregon, northern California, and southeastern Washington.# Rocky Mountain Power is a regulated...
(now Rocky Mountain Power) faced criticism from residents and even the Salt Lake City council on the speed and effectiveness of restoring power to the area after more than 300 customers were still without power 10 days after the storm.http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4188/is_/ai_n11433072