Expected snow totals through Oct. 19, 2024. Photo: NOAA

The season’s first significant winter weather event is expected later this week. NOAA has issued a Winter Storm Watch for the Wasatch Mountains south of I-80 and the Western Uinta Mountains, including areas around Moon Lake, Alta, Brighton, and Mirror Lake Highway. The storm is forecasted to arrive Thursday morning and continue through Friday evening.

Park City is expected to receive 1 to 2 inches of wet snow, with lows in the high 20s. Deer Valley Resort and Park City Mountain are predicted to receive 6 to 7 inches. Alta Ski area is expected to get 19 inches out of this storm, and Snowbird could see 17 inches.

The heaviest snowfall is expected late Thursday through early Friday morning. Backcountry recreationists should pay particular attention and be ready for rapidly dropping temperatures and heavy, wet snowfall.

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Utah Ski Resorts Projected Opening Days

Brian Head Resort: November 8, 2024*
Park City: November 22, 2024*
Alta Ski Area: November 22, 2024* (could be the 23rd)
Snowbasin: November 26, 2024*
Snowbird: November 26, 2024
Brighton Resort: November 29, 2024
Solitude: November 15, 2024
Sundance: December 02, 2024*
Deer Valley Resort: December 7, 2024*
Powder Mountain: December 11, 2024
Beaver Mountain: December 13, 2024
Nordic Valley Resort: December 13, 2024
Eagle Point: December 20, 2024

Fire crews battling the Yellow Lake Fire, which has now burned 30,000 acres, are closely monitoring the storm, hoping for as much moisture as possible to aid in fire suppression efforts. Parts of Mirror Lake Highway will see 8 inches of snow, and Kings Peak could see up to 21 inches of snow.

Utah Ski Resort Expected Snow Totals through Oct 19.

	Low End Snowfall	Expected Snowfall	High End Snowfall
Alta Ski Area, UT	13	19	19
Beaver Mountain, UT	2	5	5
Brian Head Resort, UT	6	9	9
Brighton Resort, UT	8	14	14
Canyons Village, UT	4	8	8
Cherry Peak Resort, UT	2	3	3
Deer Valley, UT	2	6	6
Eagle Point Resort, UT	7	9	10
Nordic Valley, UT	<1	1	2
Park City Mountain Resort, UT	3	7	7
Powder Mountain, UT	<1	2	2
Snowbasin Resort, UT	<1	2	2
Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort, UT	11	17	18
Solitude Mountain Resort, UT	6	11	11
Sundance Mountain Resort, UT	2	4	4

Park City, Utah Three day Forecast from Meteorologist: Adam Lenkowski

Wednesday 10/16: Wednesday we will see increasing south/south westerly winds as the large low pressure system approaches from the northwest. Temperatures will rise into the upper 60’s, with a chance of some mostly dry thunderstorms. Dangerous fire weather is expected with strong winds, low RH, and potential for dry, high-based thunderstorms.

Thursday 10/17: The first substantial part of the storm system arrives with a cold front sometime around mid-day, bringing a nice band of valley rain. Snow levels in the mountains will start out quite high, flirting right around crest level (10k feet) through most of the day. The town/base area will receive rain throughout the day before the next stronger cold front arrives overnight.

Friday 10/18: The strongest part of the storm system and associated cold front are slated to arrive overnight Thursday into early Friday morning, eventually dropping snow levels to near 6000 ft. Expect a mix of rain and perhaps a couple inches of wet snow on the higher town roads by the morning commute as surfaces cool rapidly overnight from nighttime hours. Precip begins to taper throughout the afternoon as winds shift straight northerly. Park City town temperatures will stay close to the freezing mark overnight and into Saturday morning.

Long Range forecast, Saturday 10/19 – Sunday 10/20: The large low pressure system will become a cutoff low spinning over the 4-corners region, bringing easterly winds and slight chances for light mountain precipitation through Sunday.